Information for Participating Artists

Registration

A registration form, pre-assigned booth number and map will be emailed to you via ZAPP before the start date of the event.

Registration will be open 3:30 - 5.30pm on Thursday March 13, 2025. The registration tent will be located outside the Fairhope Welcome Center on 20 N. Section Street. To register, you will need to bring your completed unsigned Artist Registration Form, your drivers license and business license. You also need to show proof of insurance at registration if you have not emailed it to us before registration.

Please note that only accepted artists may register. NO SUBSTITUTES OR SPOUSES

At registration your will receive your Artist Packet which includes:

• Booth ID Card (Please keep inside plastic folder and place at front right-hand corner of booth)
• Parking Decal/Parking Guidelines (Must be visible on your dashboard during festival hours)
• Name Tag and Dinner Ticket (Inside name tag)
• Tax Forms: State of AL= 4% Baldwin County= 3% City of Fairhope= 2%

Business License and Sales Tax

You may be required to purchase a state/county business license for Baldwin County. Everyone registered for a booth or making tangibles sales during a festival event held within Baldwin County is required to file Sales Tax. You can contact the Baldwin County Sales & Use Tax/License Department for more information.

All sales taxes, city, county and state, need be filed and paid with the state. Taxes can be filed online with My Alabama Taxes (MAT). ONE SPOT provides a single-point of filing for all state-administered local sales, use, rental, and lodgings taxes through My Alabama Taxes. The link for ONE SPOT is https://www.revenue.alabama.gov/sales-use/one-spot/

Insurance

It is required to show proof of insurance at registration or via email before registration. You need to have insurance for your products in case there is a wind event, accident, etc.

Setup

The streets will close at 5 pm and set-up will begin at 6PM OR at the signal of the Fairhope Police Department after the festival streets are COMPLETELY CLEARED of all vehicles.

Once you have registered, find where your booth is on the map and get in line on the street closest to your booth to pull in once the street is opened after 6 pm. You MUST have your parking decal (provided in your artist packet) on your dashboard to be allowed past the barricades.

You cannot park anywhere within the festival area prior to set up on Thursday and you cannot begin unloading or setting up until the Fairhope Police Department gives the all clear. If you try to come in early, you will be asked to leave and this will put you at the end of the line.

Once you have set up your booth, you will need to remove your vehicle and trailer outside the barricades and park them in a legal parking spot.

During the festival

A complementary "grab-and-go" breakfast will be available for all artists at the Visitor Center on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday morning before the Festival opens. We will also come by with a drink wagon three or four times a day.

A volunteer will come by your booth every morning to check on you. You can arrange a booth sitter for a 30-minute break during the day, and if you need a short, unscheduled break you can call the Festival phone number.

During your break, our volunteer will stay in your booth. Typically we advise customers to return at the time you are scheduled to return. It will be up to you to communicate to your booth sitter if you would like them to make sales during this break.

Volunteers from Artist Hospitality will be picking up surveys at the end of the festival.

Adopt an Artist

For over twenty years, the merchants of Fairhope have provided this unique service for Fairhope’s Arts and Crafts Festival by matching artists with local participating businesses which will provide “Southern Hospitality” for this special weekend. Through the Adopt An Artist Program, artists are invited to utilize their adoptive shop for general information, refreshments, rest rooms (when available).

The program was originally started by "In the Company Of Angels" owner Diane Douglas. After her retirement, the co-owners of M&F Casuals, sisters Carol Eberlein and Barbara Levitt, have taken over this popular program and organize the match ups between as many businesses and artists as possible.

Judging

This is a juried show. There will be different awards for 11 different categories. Judging will take place on Friday, March 14th starting at 9.00am.

Three judges will come by during the day to choose a Best in Show, plus awards in 11 individual categories. Additional prizes will be given as Merit Awards. All together more than 20 award winners and each award comes with a cash prize.

The judges will only be able to spend a short time at each booth because they have a lot of ground to cover in the time allowed for judging. We want to be fair to all booths and give each a equal time.

The results of the judging will be announced during the Artist Awards Dinner on Friday night.

Awards Dinner

During the Awards dinner the results of the judging will be announced and the awards will be presented. Each artist receives one ticket. Additional tickets can be bought in advance for $20.00. You can call the Festival phone number (251) 229-1874 to buy additional tickets.

The Award's Dinner is Friday night immediately following the close of the Festival at the Fairhope Civic Center located at 161 N. Section Street. Dinner starts at 5:30 pm.

Artists will be also be invited to review and judge the art pieces from various students from Baldwin County High Schools to determine the winners of the Student Art Contest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please check out our Artist FAQs page for more details.