That's me, getting up at 4am last weekend to set up my booth for a show. And yes, it was raining. This is part of the bargain when you choose to be a full-time potter. Some shows have no choice but to make you set up at crazy o'clock. And Mother Nature doesn't take requests. Sure there are shows that allow set ups the day before, and shows that are indoors. But not enough to fill out a full-time schedule. Besides, this show delivered on all the factors that are really important, more than making up for its inconvenient set up time.
From my perspective, there were 130 other artists doing the same thing that morning. This is normal to us.
Lots of aspiring professionals try art festivals and quickly decide "is there another way to make a living with my pottery?" The answer is "yes" but none that are any easier than this. Every bona fide path requires this amount of energy.
I have a surprisingly easy life hack for those days when I need to wake up at 4am. I go to bed at 9pm the night before with a dose of an over-the-counter sleep aid. It knocks me right out, and when the alarm starts buzzing I've had a normal amount of sleep. My body clock is still off but I don't feel sleep deprived.