33rd Annual Northern Virginia Christmas Market

Thanks for your interest in our 33rd Annual Northern Virginia Christmas Market located at the NEW Dulles Town Center Expo (DTCE) in Sterling, VA. November 6th - 8th, 2026!

Please note that, for 2026 only, the show will be held the first weekend in November — November 6th – 8th, 2026. We are scheduled to return to our traditional second weekend in November beginning in 2027.

PART A - APPLICATION DESCRIPTION:

All EMG Markets are juried fine arts and crafts events and all items are handcrafted here in the US. NO commercial merchandise is accepted unless approved by EMG Management and a premium is paid. NO items made outside the United States can be sold at any of our shows. No representatives or dealers are allowed to participate. The actual artist that handcrafts the work must be the person in the booth presenting and selling their work all 3 days of our event. 

Please be sure to scroll all the way down and read over all the information before applying. We have done our best to answer all your questions before you submit your application! Be sure to read the areas in red so that you can be reminded about recent changes to our show standards and requirements.

This is an electronic agreement and by selecting the size booth you require, you are validating and approving this agreement electronically.

DEPOSITS & PAYMENTS:

An application fee of $25 is required with the submission of your application in the form of a credit card or electronic bank draft. Your deposit will not be charged unless you are selected to participate. Please remember to indicate if you want your entire balance charged at the time of acceptance or on the balance due date of September 18th, 2026.

(Please note we will be processing applications as soon as possible).

Your signature on this application indicates an agreement that you will have your balance paid in full before or on the deadline of September 18th, 2026, 11:59pm and that you understand that should you fail to do this, you will be assessed a late fee for every 30 days your payment is late up until 91 days late at which time your application will be withdrawn without any refunds.

COMMUNICATION (Your Application Status & Event Updates):

Once you apply to an EMG event, all communications for this event will come via an email through the Eventeny Messaging System and the subject line will reference the title of the particular show you applied for. These emails will be from EXPRESS@eventeny.com. We highly recommend that you "whitelist" this email address in your address book so that you do not miss important communications like application status, payment reminders, booth assignments, exhibitor guides and last-minute important communiques before Showtime! All messages/communications between us will then stay attached to your application for us to both see at any time through the messaging in-box. So, if you cannot find the last email we sent you about something, you can log into Eventeny and go to your messaging in-box to find it.

PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES:

We encourage you to read our Artist Resource Guide (ARG) to learn more about eligible work criteria, EMG’s approved media categories, application requirements, how the waitlist works, important deadlines and dates, and other helpful information to assist you in deciding whether to apply.  Artist Resource Guide link (cut and paste into your browser): https://www.eventeny.com/files/22946-document-4mrd3cs44zwr1787254482-1200.pdf

BOOTH ASSIGNMENTS:

Booth Assignments should be complete by September 25, 2026. Applicants that submitted their application by September 18th, 2026 and have paid their full balance will be given priority when we assign booth locations. If you have a booth location request, please use the “Special Requests” area at the very bottom of the application for that information. We prefer that you give us several booth numbers in your request in priority order. The new NoVA Christmas Market floor diagram is awaiting approval from the Fire Marshal and will be added to this application soon. Should you submit your application before the floor diagram is added, please send us an email to info@emgshows.com requesting the floor diagram be emailed to you once it is approved so that you can email us back indicating your choices in priority order. This information will be needed by September 25th to include your request in the booth assignment creation.

We do not know if there will be any storage area for artists therefore we ask that you create a plan to restock each morning, by pulling up to the loading dock or dollying in your work from the parking lot.

BE READY FOR THE EVENT!

Artists/Exhibitors are required to participate in the entire event weekend:

Show Hours:

Friday & Saturday: 10am-6pm

Sunday: 10am-5pm

Load-in & Set up times are:

Thursday: 12pm - 8:00pm

Friday: 7am - 9:30 am

Artist Arrival/Re-stock Times: Sat. Nov. 7th & Sun. Nov. 8th

Artist Entry is at 9am for re-stocking on both days

OPENING OF THE SHOW:

Accepted Artists/Exhibitors must be set up & ready for business by 9:45 am each day. All aisles must be clear with all boxes put away under tables or in provided storage by 9:45 am as occasionally the Fire Marshal will visit shortly before Showtime and not allow the event to open unless aisles are clear.

RE-STOCKING:

Artists have from 9am to 10am on Saturday & Sunday mornings to re-stock their booth before the show begins.

DISCOUNTED HOTEL ROOMS & ORDERING ELECTRICITY:

A link to a discounted hotel room block will be provided for participating artists to make reservations for this event. Electricity can be ordered directly from the Dulles Town Center Expo (DTCE). Information and web links on both these items will be provided when the information is available.

OTHER EXPENSES:

Each booth comes with an 8-foot-high back drape and two 3-foot side drape sections outlining the booth and separating each artist. All display apparatus is the artist’s responsibility. Tables, Chairs and Side Drape can be rented by adding it to your application below. This information is located underneath the booth size choices/prices.

Gourmet Food exhibitors may be required to pay the venue a premium if they wish to sell items that are not packaged/gift packaged in a way to discourage being opened and eating on-site. This premium has yet to be decided upon and we will send you the information once it is released as well as the form to complete to be approved by Dulles DTCE.

ACCEPTABLE DISPLAY STRUCTURES:

Tent frames are not permitted, as we strive to maintain a professional cohesive look at the show. We have several alternatives to assist you if you need to hang display pieces or lighting from a pole structure and welcome a discussion with you about this. Please contact us after acceptance, should you be choosen to participate, to discuss your booth set-up if you have concerns or feel you need to have a tent structure.

Any banners hung from a booth must be pre-approved by Event Management. Banners, displays, lights or other items taller than 8 feet (the height of the back drape) will NOT be allowed to be displayed. Additionally, no lights or signs are to be hung outside the dimensions of your 10x10, 10x15, 10x20, 10x30 or Endcap space. This includes signs that protrude off the side of a booth like a street sign. Your display area is the size of the booth that you have requested in this application, and no items will be allowed outside of those parameters. A 10-foot aisle space must be allowed at all times due to fire code. Please remember this when setting up.

AGREEMENT:

By signing this application, you agree to the parameters listed above and have your booth balance paid in full by September 18th, 2026.

To print a copy of the application description above, go to this link: https://www.eventeny.com/files/22946-document-6zyrrlw624kt1787255228-1200.pdf