Duluth Deck the Halls - Handmade Holiday Market

EVENT INFORMATION:
 

The Handmade Holiday Market is part of the annual “Deck the Hall” celebration presented by the City of Duluth in the heart of historic Downtown Duluth, Georgia. Set on the Town Green and surrounding Main Street district, this festive market is integrated into one of Gwinnett County’s most beloved holiday traditions, drawing families from across metro Atlanta for a full day and evening of seasonal activities.

Visitors come to enjoy the city’s tree lighting, Santa visits, live entertainment, food vendors, and holiday attractions — all while strolling through a curated marketplace of handmade goods. The event is designed as a walk-through holiday village, allowing patrons to circulate throughout the district multiple times, creating strong engagement and excellent buying energy for artists and makers.

This family-oriented audience arrives specifically in a gift-buying mindset, making the market especially successful for handcrafted items, seasonal décor, ornaments, candles, jewelry, woodwork, and personalized gifts. Evening hours are particularly active as the Town Green lights up and crowds gather for the holiday celebration.

Downtown Duluth’s restaurants, shops, and free public parking contribute to a welcoming, pedestrian-friendly environment where visitors linger and shop. The City heavily promotes the event through municipal channels and community outreach, helping generate consistent attendance and repeat visitors each year.

Festival Hours: Saturday 2pm - 6pm

RULES/REGULATIONS
To view the AFFPS Event Policies for Artists:
1. The Festival provides only the ground space for exhibits.  Each Exhibitor must provide and prepare his/her own displays. This is an outdoor event, you must provide your own tent and display materials.
2. Exhibitors will be notified of their site location and detailed setup information - at check-in. 
3. After unloading Exhibitor vehicles must be moved to designated parking.  Vehicles will not be permitted to remain in the public parking area during the Festival, nor may they enter the Festival grounds until approved by the Festival Committee.
4. Exhibitors shall be responsible for obtaining any required licenses, permits, or approvals under state laws applicable to his/her activity at the Festival and for paying any taxes, sales taxes, fees, or, other charges that may be applicable to any Exhibitor's activity at the Festival.
5. The Festival is a rain or shine event. At this time, no refunds will be given for cancellations to the event or for no-shows, by the Artists. 
6. The Festival reserves the right to cancel an Exhibitor's contract.  The Festival may require the Exhibitor to leave the Festival at any time if the Exhibitor is in violation of any rules and/or regulations stated herein.
The Festival may require the Exhibitor to leave the Festival at any time if the Exhibitor is in violation of any rules and/or regulations stated herein. All participants must adhere to the COVID guidelines and wear a mask over both nose and face at all times, while on the defined festival site, no exception.
7. Neither AFFPS nor its agents or representatives will be responsible for any injury, damage, or loss that may occur to the Exhibitor, the Exhibitor's agents or representatives, or, his/her property from any cause whatsoever.  Exhibitors should obtain, at their own expense, insurance against any loss, damage, or injury they may require.
8. All Artist Market merchandise must be original, handmade, and, created by the Exhibitor.  Reproductions must be clearly identified as such. Original art must occupy at least 50% of the artist's space.  Browse bins may occupy only minimal space and must be aesthetically pleasing and not obstruct patron flow.  All artwork on display must be for sale.
9. Artists may only show work in categories approved by the Jury.
10. Artists must be present with their work for the duration of the Festival.  No commercial agents, dealers, or, salespeople may operate an artist's booth.
11. Only individual artists or two-person collaborative artists are permitted to submit an application. Applications received from artist groups will be returned or rejected.
12. Booth sharing among non-collaborating artists is not permitted.  
13. In the occurrence that the event has to be canceled, postponed, or suspend, as a result of a pandemic such as the COVID Pandemic of 2020/2021. Full credit for the upcoming show will be given and a Zapp code will be generated.
14. Submission by credit card is an acceptance of these terms and as such in the event that any dispute related to credit card charges, will be binding under the terms of this agreement, additionally, the artist agrees to defend (accept) said charges and associated fees.

IDENTIFICATION: All Participating Artists are required to present Identification during check-in. Please have your driver's license on hand.

WEIGHTS REQUIRED:
AFFPS requires professional weights, min. 45 lbs. - 50 lbs per/each on all tent legs. 
Because, we are set up in City Park settings - NO ONE is permitted to stake, tie to a tree, lamp post, etc.
As such we require that anyone participating come equipped with the minimum standards of weights for their tent.
Any Artist that arrives without weights will not be permitted to set up and as such will forfeit their participation fee.
ALLOWED Tube weights min. 45 lbs. each tent leg. 
Sand-bag weights min. 45 lbs. each tent leg. (Must be contained in cloth bags) - IE: Gravity Tubes
Concrete-filled buckets min. 45 lbs. each tent leg. 
Stabilizer bars with sandbags. 
Weight plates or dumbells min. 45 lbs. each tent leg. 

NOT Permitted: 
Grid panels only (no weights) weights are still required.
Stabilizer bars only (no weights) 
Raw concrete blocks or bricks
Water containers (one-gallon water bottles)
Sand Bags (in plastic bags)

A Parking Pass must be displayed on your dash and visible at all times while at the event.
This allows us the opportunity to communicate with you during the festival in the event we need to.
Please ensure that you have access to this email address as load-in, and load-out instructions will be sent here as well as any special updates.

All communications are sent via the Zapp system communication tool.
Please ensure that you have access to this email address as load-in, and load-out instructions will be sent here as well as any special updates - before, during, and, after the show.
All information is contained on the website and/or will be sent via email using the Zapp communication tool.
No Packets will be mailed.

Load-In will be sent via email prior to the event.
Load-Out Instructions will be sent via email (During the event)