Application deadline has passed
Application

Arts and Craft Vendor Application

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Deadline: Oct 02, 2023 11:59 pm (GMT-05:00) Central Time (US & Canada)
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Date: Dec 09, 2023 10:00 am - Dec 10, 2023 5:00 pm (CDT)
place
Franklin, Tennessee
attach_money
$450-900

About the event

APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED AND THE WAIT LIST IS FULL. We will post applications for all three of our festival (Main Street Festival, PumpkinFest, and Dickens of a Christmas) by the middle of January. Dickens of a Christmas presented by Wilson Bank & Trust attracts 115,000 people and 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 festival is produced by the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County. Featuring: 150+ Arts & Crafts Vendors 30+ Food & Beverage Vendors Main Stage Entertainment KidZone Victorian Village with Holiday Dancers, Characters and Carolers Acoustic Stage Buskers Corner Whiskey Lounge Beer Tent
Heritage Foundation of Franklin & Williamson County
Heritage Foundation of Franklin & Williamson County
Heritage Foundation of Franklin & Williamson County
Heritage Foundation of Franklin & Williamson County

About the application

Welcome to the event! Browse through our applications 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 38th 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. 
 
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 the Dickens of a Christmas event.  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 9, 2023; 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday, December 10, 2023; 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
 
This is a rain, shine, or snow event.
 
Acceptance and Payment
If your application is approved, your booth payment will be automatically processed. If you decide to not participate in the festival, you must contact the festival team to request a withdrawal of your application.

Terms & Conditions

Application Submission Requirements
  • Dickens of a Christmas only accepts applications submitted through Eventeny.
  • 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 email 
  • Acceptance to a previous festival does not guarantee acceptance at future festivals. As an organization, we have hosted over 100 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 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. 
Festival Schedule
Friday, December 8th
9:00p-12:00a Vendor Registration in HF Tent and Event Setup
  
Saturday, December 9th
6:00a-9:00a - Vendor Registration in HF Tent and Setup
8:30a-10:00a - Fire Marshal & City Inspection of all booths and food trucks
10:00a – Festival Opens  
6:00p – Festival Ends
 
Sunday, December 10th
10:00a – Festival Opens 
6:00p – Festival Ends 
6:00p-8:00p – Breakdown of the Festival  
8:00p-9:00p – 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 2, 2023 - Deadline to submit application
October 10, 2023 - Date that artists will receive notification of application status
October 21, 2023 - Deadline for Invited artists to Accept and Purchase their booth(s)
November 1, 2023 - Deadline to Purchase Electricity
November 10, 2023 - Final date for when artists can cancel their festival participation and receive refund of their booth fee minus a $50 administrative charge.
November 15, 2023 - Waitlist notification deadline
 
Media Categories:
  • Candles
  • Children’s Products
  • Clothing
  • 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
  • Woodworking
Artisan and Craftsman Demonstrators and Booth Placement
Vendors who choose to do live demonstrations of their craft will be guaranteed placement on Main Street and will be provided electricity for free. This applies to the following categories: Furniture Making, Leather, Metal Working, Woodworking, Pottery, Ceramics, Textiles (Quilting, Spinning, Weaving, Rug Braiding/Hooking), and other traditional crafters.
 
This does not apply to vendors who want to display a video demonstration.
 
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. 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.
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.

Questions on the application

Business information

  • Business name
  • Legal business name
  • Contact name
  • Address
  • Email
  • Phone
  • Website (Optional)
  • Logo (Optional)

Additional information

  • What is the price range for your products?
  • Description of Materials and Techniques
  • Are you going to provide some type of interactive experience or activity for the festival?
  • Medium Category
  • Do you make your products yourself?
  • If accepted, will you be interested in purchasing a 110 electrical connection for an additional $75?
  • Have you received any awards or honors for your work?
  • Have you previously exhibited at Main Street Festival, PumpkinFest, or Dickens of a Christmas in Downtown Franklin?
  • If you are accepted as a vendor at Main Street Festival, do you have any special requests? 
  • Is there anything else you would like the jury to know about you or your work?

Picture requirements

  • Minimum pictures required: 4

Arts and Craft Vendor Application
Arts and Craft Vendor Application
Dickens of a Christmas (2023)
Application deadline has passed