ARTISAN & MERCHANT BOOTHS
Registration for the 2024 Festival will open September 1, 2023. For questions, contact merchants@chestertownteaparty.org.
DATES
April 1, 2024 ALL 2023 Vendor Applications must be completed online or post marked.
May 1, 2024 Space Assignments and vehicle passes mailed
May 25, 2024 Festival Hours 10AM- 4PM in downtown Historic Chestertown
May 26, 2024 Festival Hours 11AM-4PM Wilmer Park on the scenic Chester River
CRAFT REQUIREMENTS
- All work must be original and that of the exhibitor. Manufactured kits or “buy and sell crafts” are prohibited. Merchants will be asked to remove prohibited items.
- Weapons (toy or otherwise) such as, but not limited to: pop guns, rubber band guns, swords, bows and arrows are prohibited from sale at the Festival. There will be no exceptions. Merchants will be asked to remove prohibited items.
- Retail shops and industries will not be permitted.
- Demonstrating your craft is preferred.
- Specific guidelines are established by the Chestertown Tea Party Festival, Inc. The Artisans Committee follows the directives of the Board of Directors of the Corporation. All applications to the Artisans Committee are “Juried as a Craft” on the basis of suitability, and we reserve the right to reject any vendor application. The decision of the Artisans Committee is final.
THINGS TO REMEMBER
Your fee reserves a space approximately 10’ deep X 15’ wide. A 10’ X 10’ tent will fit into this space.
Vendors must provide their own tables, chairs and tent. No electricity will be provided. No sales commission will be taken.
Maryland Sales Tax of 6% is the responsibility of the individual vendor. The Chestertown Tea Party Festival Committee does not supply application forms for taxes.
Every effort will be made to guarantee returning vendor space locations IF registration and payment made online or post marked by April 1, 2023.
The Chestertown Tea Festival Party, Inc. DOES NOT cover your liability. CHESTERTOWN TEA PARTY FESTIVAL, INC. ACCEPTS NO LIABILITY FOR LOSS DUE TO WEATHER, DAMAGE OR THEFT.
The Festival occurs RAIN or SHINE. All activities take place out of doors. There are no refunds if we are rained out. There are no covered spaces. It is necessary to bring tents, tarps or other protective devices for inclement weather.
A 50% refund is available up to one month prior to the date (April 25, 2024) of the Chestertown Tea Party Festival if a vendor needs to cancel their participation. No refunds are given for cancellations within one month of the Festival date. Vendors may not sell or give their space to another vendor. All cancellations must be received in writing (email if the cancellation is on festival day), and “no shows” without any communication will impact future acceptance. We do not do credits for future events. If the Festival is cancelled by the event organizers, full refunds will be issued to vendors.
Signs are limited to one per booth, no larger than 24” x 36”. Lettering, color, etc. should be in the style of the colonial period.
COVID – Artisans must comply with any State, County and Town COVID restrictions, if applicable. Updates will be communicated in advance of the event.
VEHICLES
A vehicle access pass will be provided and a map with further instructions will be provided to all registrants in early May 2024.
You MUST display your vehicle access pass in order to drive inside the Festival area for load in.
Only one (1) vehicle per vendor space will be permitted inside the Festival area at a time. To off load merchandise, merchant vehicles will be permitted in the Festival area on Saturday from 7AM until 9AM. Vehicles must then be moved to designated vendor parking. No exceptions will be granted.
To load up at the end of the day, on Saturday, merchant vehicles will be permitted inside the Festival area on a phased basis beginning at 4:15pm or at a time at the discretion of the Festival staff for safety of the patrons.
The Festival area will be closed for all through traffic until 7pm.
For questions, email merchants@chestertownteaparty.org.
