Arts and Craft Vendor Application

Welcome to the event! Browse through our application and let us know if you have any questions. This is an electronic agreement and by completing this application, you are validating and approving this agreement electronically.

The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, TN's 40th Annual Dickens of a Christmas is historic Downtown Franklin's annual Victorian-themed outdoor street festival. Dickens of a Christmas recreates the time of Charles Dickens using historic downtown Franklin’s charming architecture as the backdrop. A variety of musicians, dancers and Dickens characters will fill the streets. Expect to see and interact with the nefarious Fagin from Oliver Twist; Jacob Marley, Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and the rest of the Cratchit family from A Christmas Carol; and of course, a Victorian Father and Mother Christmas with treats for children.
 
The celebration typically attracts 100,000+ visitors over the course of the weekend. In 2024, we had approximately 150,000 visitors.

We invite artists and craftspeople who create their own items to apply. We are particularly interested in vendors with heritage crafts, holiday items and specialty gifts. 

GENERAL INFORMATION

The following information is provided for vendors to submit applications for Dickens of a Christmas.  If the application is accepted, the application and the terms set forth below will constitute a binding legal contract between the vendor and the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County.

Festival Dates and Times:
Saturday, December 13, 2025; 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday, December 14, 2025; 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

This is a rain, shine, or snow event. Refunds will not be issued in the event of postponement or cancelation due to inclement weather. 

Acceptance and Payment

If your application is approved, your booth payment will be automatically processed on October 24th. If you decide to not participate in the festival, you must contact the festival team to request a withdrawal of your application.

Application Submission Requirements

• Dickens of a Christmas only accepts applications submitted through Eventeny.
• Applicant booth must feature original, handcrafted art, created by the artist or collaborative team who applied to the festival. 
• Each application must include five digital photographs: four photographs must clearly show work the artist intends on exhibiting and one photo must be an image of the artist’s booth completely setup. If there is no booth photo, artist may automatically be disqualified from the jury process.
• Each artist must pay a nonrefundable $40 fee for each application submitted as part of the application process on Eventeny. 
• Collaborative teams of no more than two artists are welcome to apply.
• Applicants must be 18 years and older.

Acceptance

• Vendors will be notified via Eventeny.
• Acceptance to a previous festival does not guarantee acceptance at future festivals. As an organization, we have hosted over 110 festivals with anywhere from 100-200 vendors per show which makes automatic acceptance into our festivals an impossibility. 
• We are primarily interested in original work that is created by artisans and craftspeople along with handcrafted specialty gift items. 
• Vendors with poster graphics, imports, commercially mass distributed products, machine manufactured goods, factory sewn work or pre-manufactured clothing of any kind will not be accepted or permitted, unless artist can prove considerable personal modification as part of his own creative work.
• No kits, flea market items or items made with commercially purchased molds will be accepted. 
• Vendors will be selected through a jury process which begins after the application deadline. The jury reserves the right to limit the number of vendors in any given category. 
• With respect to our Downtown Franklin Merchants, we are limiting the number of clothing vendors we accept at each festival.

Festival Schedule
Friday, December 12th
9:00p-11:00p – Vendor Check-in at the HF Tent and Booth Setup
  
Saturday, December 13th
6:00a-9:00a - Vendor Registration in HF Tent and Setup
8:30a-10:00a - Fire Marshal, Health, & City Inspection of all booths and food trucks
10:00a – Festival Opens  
6:00p – Festival Ends
 
Sunday, December 14th
11:00a – Festival Opens 
5:00p – Festival Ends 
7:00p – Streets Open
 
Booth Fees
$40.00 - Application Fee (non-refundable)
$450.00 per 10x10 booth spot
$75.00 Electrical Fee (if needed. Is available on a first come, first served basis)
$95.00 Electrical Fee when added during the festival

We do not offer premium or corner booth spaces. All booths are equally priced.  

Important Dates
October 6, 2025 - Deadline to submit application

October 10, 2025 - Date that artists will receive notification of application status

October 24, 2025 - Payment processed via Eventeny for approved vendors

November 3, 2025 - Final date for when artists can cancel their festival participation and receive refund of their booth fee minus a $50 administrative charge.

November 3, 2025 - Deadline to purchase electricity. 

Media Categories:

• Candles
• Children’s Products
• Fine Art
• Furniture
• Farmers/Locally Grown Products
• Handmade Holiday Items
• Homemade Accessories and Decor
• Jewelry
• Leather
• Metal Working
• Mixed Media
• Other Crafts
• Prepackaged Food Products
• Pet Products
• Photography
• Pottery and Ceramics
• Recycled/Upcycled Products
• Skin Care Products
• Textiles/Clothing 
• Traditional/Vintage Crafts
• Woodworking

Artisan and Craftsman Demonstrators and Booth Placement
After your live demonstration has been approved by the festival staff, you will be guaranteed placement on Main Street and provided with free electricity via a coupon code. This opportunity is available for vendors in the following categories: Furniture Making, Leather Work, Basket Making, Metal Working, Woodworking, Pottery, Ceramics, Textiles (Quilting, Spinning, Weaving, Rug Braiding/Hooking), and other traditional crafters. 

Exclusions:

• Please note that this applies exclusively to live demonstrations showcasing the craftsmanship behind the product, not demonstrations of the product itself. For example, if your business involves permanent jewelry, affixing the jewelry onsite does not qualify as a demonstration of craftsmanship.
• Additionally, this does not extend to vendors wishing to display video demonstrations.

Booth Assignment & Location Requests

The Festival Director and Festival Staff are responsible for assigning booths. We are unable to guarantee booth location requests or that your booth will be in the same spot. There are several factors involved in the strategy behind booth placements. A large degree of our inability to accommodate placement requests comes from the unique experience and activation zones that each festival offers outside of arts and craft booths.

Booth Number Assignments will be emailed out two weeks before the festival. No adjustments will be made to booth placement. Refunds will not be granted based on dislike of booth assignment. 

Booth Setup and Breakdown
Vendors will receive detailed instructions for check-in, unloading, setup, parking, and breakdown in our vendor packet which is electronically emailed to all artists two weeks before the festival.  

Booth Regulations: 

• All vendors must supply their own freestanding white 10 x 10 tent 
• All tents must have a 40lb weight per leg (City of Franklin Requirement). If your tent is not weighted, you will not pass inspection or be allowed to participate in the festival. 
• Tent legs may not be staked into the pavement. 
• No amplified sound is permitted to be coming from any booth. 
• No overstock merchandise may be stored on sidewalks.  Sidewalks must stay clear for pedestrians and emergency personnel.
• Tents using open flames, such as candles, portable heaters, must have one ABC fire extinguisher that is fully charged.

Electrical Heaters and Power Usage

• No space/electrical heaters are allowed. 
• Power is extremely limited and not available in all areas of the festival. No more than 10 amps per circuit will be available.
• Vendors historically use more power during this event due to holiday lights and colder weather. Advanced planning and adherence to these rules are crucial to avoid any power disruptions. 

Propane Heaters 

Propane heaters are allowed under the following conditions:

• Heaters must be listed for both indoor and outdoor use.
• Booths located in front of stores are limited to 1-pound propane cylinders.
• Booths with propane or kerosene heaters must have a fire extinguisher on hand. 
• Heaters must be kept at least 3 feet away from combustibles, unless the heater is specifically listed for a smaller clearance.

RULES/REGULATIONS

• The Heritage Foundation requires artists to be present and available during festival hours. 
• Artists must remain at the festival site until the planned end of the festival. Artists who breakdown and leave early compromise their standing with the Heritage Foundation and may forfeit their ability to exhibit at future festivals.
• An exhibit must feature original, handcrafted art, created by the artist or collaborative team who applied to the festival. An artist must guarantee that the work presented is authentic and created as indicated in the artist’s application.
• All work must be available for sale.
• Artists must exhibit artwork that reflects the quality and craftsmanship of the pieces presented in their applications. Artists must exhibit artwork specific to the categories indicated on their applications and artwork that clearly relates to the body of work selected during the jury process. The Heritage Foundation will remove artists whose work is inconsistent with the quality and craftsmanship presented in their applications.
• Artists cannot exhibit or sell work made using commercial casts/molds, kits, or patterns.
• Artists cannot exhibit or sell copyrighted designs imports, commercially produced products, or factory-produced merchandise, etc.
• Artists and their agents, associates, and assistants should maintain high standards of professionalism. Festival organizers reserve the right to remove an exhibitor whose conduct and/or merchandise are unacceptable and whose participation conflicts with the rules and regulations. Artists whose conduct is unacceptable will forfeit their ability to exhibit at future festivals. Festival management reserves the right to engage local Law Enforcement if deemed necessary.
• No offensive, racial, sexual, and provocative or drug related merchandise or literature shall be displayed, sold or distributed.
• Artists participate in festivals hosted by the Heritage Foundation and Downtown Franklin Association at their own risk and assume responsibility for maintaining liability insurance that covers any damages or losses during the festival.

The Festival Director reserves the right to close any booth not adhering to these rules and regulations. 

Disclaimer for Vendors: By submitting your application to participate as a vendor in our outdoor festival, you acknowledge that the event takes place rain or shine. Vendors are expected to be prepared for varying weather conditions. No refunds will be issued due to inclement weather, and participation fees are non-refundable under any circumstances. Vendors are responsible for securing their merchandise and displays against adverse weather effects. The festival organizers are not liable for any weather-related damages or disruptions to vendor operations.

Applicants are encouraged to read the additional documents on this application:

1. Jury Details for Festivals
2. Rules and Regulations for Festivals