How to Read a Craft Show Application Before You Pay
An application fee is money you do not get back if you are not accepted, and a booth fee is money you may not get back if the weather turns. Spending ten minutes on the details can save you from the shows that cost more than they return.
Separate the fees
- Application or jury fee: paid when you apply, usually non-refundable, whether or not you are accepted
- Booth fee: paid after acceptance, and often priced by booth size
- Extras: electricity, corner spots, tent rental, a permit or a damage deposit
- Add them up before you decide, and compare the total with the benchmarks on the booth fees page
Know the deadline and the decision date
Juried shows often close applications several months ahead and tell you the result weeks later. Non-juried shows may fill on a first come basis, so waiting can cost you a spot. Write both dates in your calendar when you apply.
Juried, invitational or open
- Juried: a panel reviews your photos and chooses vendors. Strong, consistent photos matter more than a long description
- Invitational: the organizer chooses vendors directly
- Open or first come: anyone who meets the rules can sign up until the show is full
Read the rules that cost you money later
- Refund and rain policy: is the fee returned if the event is canceled, or only moved
- Handmade or resale rules: some shows ban buy-sell, kits or imported goods
- Booth size, tent and weight requirements, and load-in and load-out times
- Exclusivity: whether the show limits how many vendors sell the same kind of product
- Attendance claims: ask how many people came last year and how that was counted
Signs to look at twice
- No named organizer, no phone number or email, and no website beyond a social page
- No past-year photos or reviews, or reviews that are all from the same week
- Fees paid by methods that cannot be traced or reversed
- Pressure to pay immediately, or a deadline that moves every time you ask
Keep reading
Keep track of the shows you want
Save listings, keep application deadlines in one place, and read what vendors who have worked a show say about it before you commit to a booth fee in your area.