Craft Fair Checklist for Organizers

A craft fair checklist for organizers breaks the work into a timeline: 6 to 12 months out you set the date, venue, budget and booth prices; 3 months out you open applications, jury makers and start marketing; 1 month out you finalize the floor plan, vendor packet and volunteers; the week of you confirm everyone and prepare supplies; on the day you run load-in, opening and teardown; and afterward you settle money, thank people and plan next year. The checklist below lists each task by stage so you can copy it into your own planner. If you want the full planning walkthrough rather than a checklist, read our guide on how to plan a craft fair.

How to Use This Checklist

Adapt the timing to your fair. A large holiday craft show with 150 makers needs the full 12 months; a church bazaar with 30 tables can compress the early stages. Give each task an owner and a due date, and review the list at a weekly planning meeting. Tasks that are not relevant to your event can be deleted, but read them once, because some of them, such as insurance and permits, are easy to forget until it is too late.

6 to 12 Months Before the Fair

Concept and Budget

• Define the fair: handmade only or handmade plus resale, number of vendors, target shoppers and whether it is a fundraiser.
• Set goals: vendor count, attendance target and net income or funds raised.
• Draft a budget: venue, insurance, tables and chairs, signage, marketing, staffing, payment fees and a contingency line.
• Decide whether to charge shoppers admission or keep the fair free to enter.
• Name a lead organizer and owners for vendors, marketing, volunteers and logistics.

Date and Venue

• Pick a date that avoids competing fairs nearby and fits your shoppers, such as the weekends before the holidays.
• Book the venue and get the contract in writing, including load-in and load-out hours.
• Get a scaled floor plan or measurements of the space, with power outlets, exits, restrooms and loading doors marked.
• Ask the venue what tables, chairs, Wi-Fi and parking are included and what is extra.
• Check the occupancy limit and any fire marshal rules on aisle widths and table placement.

Booths, Pricing and Rules

• Decide booth sizes and types: standard, corner, double, table-only and any outdoor spaces.
• Set booth prices, a jury or application fee if any, deposit and balance due dates, and an early-bird deadline.
• Write vendor rules: handmade policy, setup and teardown times, booth display rules, pricing and sales tax, cancellation and refunds.
• Confirm insurance for the event and decide whether vendors must carry their own liability insurance.
• Check local permits, temporary sales tax rules and food rules if you will allow food vendors.

3 Months Before the Fair

Applications and Jurying

• Publish the vendor application with photos of work, booth photo, category, price range, power needs and agreement to the rules; our vendor application form template has fields you can copy.
• Set an application deadline and a date when makers will hear back.
• Write your scoring criteria and limits per category before applications come in; see our craft show jury criteria for a scoring sheet.
• Score applications, accept makers, build a short waitlist and send polite declines.
• Collect deposits or full payment from accepted vendors, and send a booking confirmation with the balance date.

Floor Plan Draft

• Draw a first layout with numbered booths, aisles, entrance, checkout or info table, restrooms and emergency exits.
• Spread similar crafts so shoppers see variety down every aisle.
• Put powered booths near outlets and anchor vendors where they draw people through the space.
• Use our vendor market layout guide for aisle, corner and traffic flow ideas.

Marketing

• Create a logo or simple brand, and list the fair on local event calendars.
• Set up an event page and social media posts, and plan a weekly posting schedule.
• Order posters, flyers and yard signs, and plan where they will go.
• Ask vendors to share the fair with their own customers, and give them graphics to post.

1 Month Before the Fair

• Finalize the floor plan and assign every booth; note who needs power and who is sharing a space.
• Send the vendor packet: booth number, map, load-in time slot, parking, unloading rules, what is provided, contact numbers and teardown rules.
• Collect remaining balances and certificates of insurance; follow up on anything missing.
• Recruit and schedule volunteers for load-in, greeting, info table, admissions, runner duty and teardown.
• Order supplies: booth number signs, directional signs, name badges, tape, extension cords, first aid kit and trash bags.
• Plan shopper amenities: restrooms, seating, food or a bake sale, and a raffle or door prize if you run one.
• Increase marketing: paid or boosted posts, local media, newsletters and reminders to vendors to promote.

The Week of the Fair

• Send vendors a final reminder with their booth number, load-in slot, map and the day-of contact number.
• Confirm the venue, tables and chairs, rentals and any deliveries in writing.
• Brief volunteers on their shifts, roles and the map, and give them the contact list.
• Print the floor plan, vendor list, volunteer schedule and emergency contacts.
• Prepare the cash box or card reader for admissions, plus receipts if you sell raffle tickets.
• Check the weather for outdoor fairs and confirm tent weights and your rain plan.
• Post countdown reminders for shoppers with the hours, address and parking.

The Day of the Fair

Before Doors Open

• Arrive before the first vendor and walk the space with the venue contact.
• Mark booth numbers on the floor or tables and put up directional signs.
• Set up the check-in table, and greet vendors with their booth number and any updates.
• Run load-in in time slots so the loading door does not jam; move cars out quickly.
• Watch for empty booths and decide when to fill or close them; have a table and sign ready to cover gaps.
• Do a final walk 30 minutes before opening: aisles clear, exits clear, signs up, restrooms stocked.

During the Fair

• Staff the entrance and info table, and count attendance by hour.
• Give vendors booth sitting breaks if you have volunteers to spare.
• Walk the floor every hour to check aisles, trash and any vendor concerns.
• Post photos to social media during the day to draw more visitors.

Teardown

• Remind vendors that teardown does not start before closing time.
• Run load-out in the same order or by zone to avoid a crush at the door.
• Walk the space with the venue contact, and leave it as clean as you found it.

After the Fair

• Reconcile income and expenses, and settle any refunds under your published policy.
• Thank vendors, volunteers, sponsors and the venue within a few days.
• Send vendors a short feedback form: sales, traffic, booth location, communications and what to change.
• Write down attendance, what sold well, which booths were quiet and what went wrong.
• Save the floor plan, vendor list, budget and this checklist with your notes for next year.
• Open early rebooking for strong vendors, and pick next year's date.

Common Checklist Gaps to Watch For

Even experienced organizers miss a few items each year. These are the ones that most often cause trouble on the day:

• No written load-in schedule, so every vendor arrives at the same time and the loading door backs up.
• Booth sizes on the application that do not match the real space once tables, chairs and aisles are drawn to scale.
• Power promised to more vendors than the venue's outlets can support.
• No plan for empty booths, cancellations or late arrivals, and no waitlist to call.
• Signage that points shoppers in but not around, so the back rows stay quiet.
• Unclear refund terms, which turn a simple cancellation into a long email thread.
• No one assigned to count attendance, so next year's sponsors and vendors have no numbers to look at.

Add a line to your own checklist for each gap you hit, and the list gets better every year.

Tools That Keep the Checklist Manageable

Most of this checklist is about keeping three things in sync: the vendor list, the payments and the floor plan. A spreadsheet works for a small fair, but once you have dozens of makers, double-booked booths and missed balances become common. Vendor fair software that ties applications, booth assignments and payments to the map removes a lot of manual re-entry and gives shoppers a map they can check before they come.