Black Events & Advertising

What Black Events & Advertising does

Black Events & Advertising operates as Event Co-op PMA, a self-described private unincorporated member community based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, founded in 2005 and led by President Kari Black. Its core business is the recurring production of two flagship events: the Sioux Empire Arts & Crafts Show (held twice annually in March and November at the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds Expo Building, with the Holiday show spanning 100,000+ square feet and drawing ~280 exhibiting members from 15 states) and The Black Market / Benson's Flea Market (held monthly October through April in a 30,000 sq ft hall, with 90–140 members per event). Membership "honorariums" — framed as lawful gifts rather than commercial fees — range from $3 per weekend for flea market visitors to $8 for arts & crafts attendees, with children 12 and under admitted free; vendors and members contract into a member covenant that structures the relationship as a non-commercial association.

The company extends its monetization through an ancillary Banquet Table Rental service offering 400 eight-foot tables at $9 per table honorarium plus mileage-based delivery fees, and it provides graphic design, signage, and print services (operated as "Black Inc") to small vendor clients including bridal boutiques, caterers, photographers, and home decor retailers. All revenue is generated through physical, in-person events at a single venue partner (W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds) and a single regional office co-located at the Escapades Escape Room Building; there is no e-commerce channel, no proprietary technology platform, no mobile app, and no integration footprint.

The go-to-market motion is hybrid and entirely community-driven: word-of-mouth within the private member community drives exhibiting-member acquisition, while consumer attendance is driven by the event calendar itself, promoted through Facebook, an email newsletter, and the company website. There is no external funding, no parent company, no acquisitions, and no disclosed headcount beyond 1–10 employees. Structurally, the business is a regionally anchored lifestyle operator with deep local brand recognition (longest-running indoor variety market in South Dakota) but limited evidence of scaling beyond the Sioux Falls market.

Name

Black Events & Advertising

Legal name

Event Co-op PMA

Website

https://blackincevents.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Events & Advertising (Event Co-op PMA) is a Sioux Falls, South Dakota private member community founded in 2005 that organizes the biannual Sioux Empire Arts & Crafts Show, the monthly Black Market flea market, and banquet table rentals for exhibitors and local small businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Venue and Craft Show Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (54185)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows (MPAGAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs (MPAGAFAO), Wedding & Bridal Shows (MPAGAFAK), Trade Show & Exhibition Marketing (Booth Design/Build) (MPAAAGAC)

Keywords

• Private event management
• Craft show organization
• Flea market operations
• Banquet table rentals
• Exhibitor venue services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sioux Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Member Honorarium/Gifts: Members pay 'lawful gifts and honor' to participate in private events. These fees cover venue rent, utilities, marketing, private workers, materials and all fees required to perform events for the benefit of members. This is framed as a non-commercial association model rather than a commercial transaction.
2. Event Admission Fees: Visiting members pay honorarium to attend events - $8.00 per weekend for Arts & Crafts shows, $3.00 for Black Market events. Children 12 and under are free.
3. Table Rental Honorariums: Members can reserve banquet tables for any occasion. $9/table honorarium due upon reservation. Additional delivery/pickup fees apply ($100 for every 125 tables within Sioux Falls, or $.65/mile plus $100 for outside Sioux Falls).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Black Events & Advertising operates as Event Co-op PMA, a private unincorporated member community that organizes and hosts recurring in-person craft shows and flea markets at the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Its core offerings are the seasonal Sioux Empire Arts & Crafts Shows (Spring and Fall/Holiday), The Black Market (Benson's Flea Market) held monthly October through April, and banquet table rentals of 400 eight-foot tables to members for private use.

Product overview

Black Events & Advertising operates as an Event Co-op PMA (private member association) organizing private events in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The core product portfolio consists of three main offerings: the Sioux Empire Arts & Crafts Show (held in spring and fall/holiday versions at W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds, with the fall show being the largest at 100,000+ sq. ft. featuring ~280 members and the spring show featuring ~199+ members), The Black Market/Benson's Flea Market (a monthly indoor market operating October to April with 90-140 members across 30,000 sq. ft.), and Table Rentals (an ancillary service offering 400 eight-foot banquet tables to members). The company structures its business as a private membership community where members exchange 'lawful gifts and honor' rather than commercial transactions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sioux Empire Arts & Crafts Show (Spring) A seasonal arts and crafts event held at the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds Expo Building featuring 100% handcrafted items from 199+ exhibiting members across 15 states, including pottery, jewelry, housewares, candles, rugs, holiday decor, furniture, and toys. Open to visitors who pay an honorarium per weekend.
• Sioux Empire Arts & Crafts Show (Holiday/Fall) The 21st annual holiday arts and crafts show held each November in the 100,000+ square foot Expo Building at W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds, featuring nearly 280 exhibiting members, handcrafted and handmade items, holiday music, and food trucks. Visitors pay a weekend honorarium to attend.
• The Black Market (Benson's Flea Market) The longest-running indoor variety market in South Dakota, held monthly from October through April at the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds Expo Building. Features 90-140 exhibiting members monthly with a mix of approximately 65% antiques and collectibles, 15% new items, 5% crafts, and the remainder rummage sale items, filling the 30,000-square-foot north room.
• Table Rentals Banquet table rental service providing 400 eight-foot wooden tables available to members for private events, meetings, sessions, and gatherings. Requires a minimum reservation of 50 tables at $9 per table honorarium, with $100 delivery/pickup assistance per 125 tables within Sioux Falls and $0.65 per mile plus $100 for delivery outside Sioux Falls.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 280 exhibiting members at largest event
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Escapades Escape RoomsminorOthersBlack Inc's private event office is located within the Escapades Escape Room Building at 3313 S Western Ave in Sioux Falls. This appears to be a co-location arrangement rather than formal partnership. Escapades offers escape rooms, smash rooms, and axe throwing at the same facility.
• W.H. Lyon FairgroundscoreOthersPrimary venue partner for all events. The Expo Building at W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds hosts both the Sioux Empire Arts & Crafts Shows and The Black Market events. The facility offers 30,000-100,000+ square feet of event space depending on configuration.
• Exhibiting Members (Arts & Crafts)coreOthersApproximately 280 exhibiting members at the Holiday Arts & Crafts Show and 199+ at spring events. Members from across 15 states contribute handmade crafts and products. The member community operates as Event Co-op PMA - a private non-commercial association.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Emerald X (Emerald Expositions): Large U.S. operator of B2C consumer shows (Craftsmen's Classic, home and gift expos). Directly comparable as a multi-show consumer exhibition organizer, though at substantially greater scale and national footprint.
• Informa Markets: World's largest exhibitions organizer running both B2B and B2C trade and consumer shows. Indirect comparator for organizing cadence, exhibitor relationships, and venue-based event monetization.
• Reed Exhibitions (RX): Global exhibitions organizer producing consumer and trade shows across categories. Provides benchmark for consumer expo unit economics and exhibitor services models.
• dmg events: Global B2B and consumer exhibitions organizer. Comparable as a multi-show consumer/trade fair producer, though with international scope.

Direct peers

• Marketplace Events: Operates regional home, garden, and lifestyle consumer shows across North America. Comparable model of consumer-focused local/regional exhibitions drawing exhibiting small businesses to local venue partners.
• Renninger's Antique & Collectors Fair: Long-running antique and collectibles market operator with multiple U.S. locations. Closely comparable in merchandise mix (antiques, vintage, collectibles) and recurring show cadence model.

Regional players

• Brimfield Antique Show (Brimfield Shows): Iconic long-running antique and flea market event in Massachusetts. Highly analogous as a recurring regional antique/collectibles market with established venue and member base.

Others

• Freeman (exhibitor services): Provider of event production, booth design, and signage services to show organizers. Comparable as the booth/banner and signage fulfillment capability that Black Events offers as a cross-sell.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BlackEventsInc
• Facebookfacebook.com/blackinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Black Events & Advertising