Fairs/Festivals
Salt Fork Arts & Crafts Festival 2026
Contact Information
Requirement Overview
- Eligible Applicant Types: Artist
- Emerging Artists: Emerging artists may apply.
- Submission Limit: 3
Media Requirements
- Images | Min: 4, Max: 4
- Total | Max: 4
Opportunity Summary
The Salt Fork Arts & Crafts Festival (also known as The Salt Fork Festival) is a celebration of the arts. One of the longest-running and most widely-anticipated events in Guernsey County, our 56th annual family-friendly Festival will take place in beautiful Cambridge City Park.
The Salt Fork Festival is a juried festival that showcases high-quality art in a variety of mediums, including sculpture, wood, painting (acryllic, watercolor & oil), jewelry, metal, mixed media, pottery, photography, and much more. Appalachian folk arts and crafts, recycled and repurposed creations, demonstrations and classes for children and adults are also offered. Between 90 and 100 artists come from all over the U.S. for this 3-day event. Artists are encouraged to demonstrate their artistic process and to interact with Festival visitors. Cash prizes and ribbons are awarded for artists, including People's Choice awards.
Many volunteers support the Festival, providing Information, golf cart assistance, refreshments for artists, and booth ambassadors. In addition to beautiful art pieces, the public can enjoy live music and performing artists,
and a variety of delicious foods.
The Salt Fork Festival is a juried festival that showcases high-quality art in a variety of mediums, including sculpture, wood, painting (acryllic, watercolor & oil), jewelry, metal, mixed media, pottery, photography, and much more. Appalachian folk arts and crafts, recycled and repurposed creations, demonstrations and classes for children and adults are also offered. Between 90 and 100 artists come from all over the U.S. for this 3-day event. Artists are encouraged to demonstrate their artistic process and to interact with Festival visitors. Cash prizes and ribbons are awarded for artists, including People's Choice awards.
Many volunteers support the Festival, providing Information, golf cart assistance, refreshments for artists, and booth ambassadors. In addition to beautiful art pieces, the public can enjoy live music and performing artists,
and a variety of delicious foods.
Jump to
General Information
SALT FORK FESTIVAL
Web Site: www.saltforkfestival.org
Phone: 740-672-5055
Show Dates: 8/14/2026 – 8/16/2026
Application Deadline: 6/30/2026
REQUIREMENTS:
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Salt Fork Festival is one of the longest-running and most widely anticipated events in Guernsey County each year. Our staff works diligently to develop a welcoming atmosphere for our Booth Artists, including a private hospitality area with free water and snacks throughout the Festival, volunteer ambassadors to offer booth sitting and golf cart rides for artists needing assistance. Exhibitors will receive one free parking pass for exhibitor parking lot adjacent to Festival.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Application Opens: January 15, 2026
Application Deadline: June 30, 2026
Final Payment Deadline: July 15, 2026
Refund Deadline: July 15, 2026
Festival Opens: Friday, August 14, 2025 at 12:00 p.m.
Festival Closes: Sunday, August 16, 2025 at 4:00 p.m.
ARTIST AWARDS
Cash prizes and ribbons are awarded to participating artists, including People's Choice awards.
ARTIST AMENITIES
Friday, August 14 from 12:00pm to 6:00 pm
Saturday, August 15 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sunday, August 16 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Late registrations may be considered on a case-by-case basis, and pending available space in the festival. Please contact the Festival Director, Jessica Martin, with inquiry regarding possible openings at 740-672-5055.
Web Site: www.saltforkfestival.org
Phone: 740-672-5055
Show Dates: 8/14/2026 – 8/16/2026
Application Deadline: 6/30/2026
REQUIREMENTS:
- Images: 4 (include 1 booth image)
- Jury Fee: $25.00 (This fee is for new applicants or those who are changing their medium)
- If you were juried into the 2025 event and participated, please use code Coupon2026 at the checkout while applying. This will waive your $25 jury fee. This coupon is not to be used by first time applicants.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Salt Fork Festival is one of the longest-running and most widely anticipated events in Guernsey County each year. Our staff works diligently to develop a welcoming atmosphere for our Booth Artists, including a private hospitality area with free water and snacks throughout the Festival, volunteer ambassadors to offer booth sitting and golf cart rides for artists needing assistance. Exhibitors will receive one free parking pass for exhibitor parking lot adjacent to Festival.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Application Opens: January 15, 2026
Application Deadline: June 30, 2026
Final Payment Deadline: July 15, 2026
Refund Deadline: July 15, 2026
Festival Opens: Friday, August 14, 2025 at 12:00 p.m.
Festival Closes: Sunday, August 16, 2025 at 4:00 p.m.
ARTIST AWARDS
Cash prizes and ribbons are awarded to participating artists, including People's Choice awards.
ARTIST AMENITIES
- Beautiful City Park setting
- Hospitality area
- Free water throughout the Festival
- Free snacks throughout the Festival
- Free continental breakfast Sunday morning
- Booth Sitters
- Golf Cart and driver for those needing assistance
- Performing Arts throughout the Festival
- Free parking pass (RV parking with limited availability)
- Free Water Hook-Up (on limited basis)
Friday, August 14 from 12:00pm to 6:00 pm
Saturday, August 15 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sunday, August 16 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Late registrations may be considered on a case-by-case basis, and pending available space in the festival. Please contact the Festival Director, Jessica Martin, with inquiry regarding possible openings at 740-672-5055.
Application Requirements
ARTISTS RULES/SFACF POLICIES
If you were juried into the 2025 event and participated, please use code Coupon2026 at the checkout while applying. This will waive your $25 jury fee, unless you have changed mediums from the 2025 event. This coupon is not to be used by first time applicants.
The Standards Committee of the 2026 Salt Fork Festival will review all artisan booths during the festival. The committee reserves the right to request the removal of any work found to be substandard and not representative of the work submitted for approval or in violation of the rules of the festival. It is the responsibility of the standards committee to reflect the overall purpose of the Ohio Arts & Crafts Foundation to present an annual festival that offers arts and crafts of the highest possible quality.
All booths and merchandise set-ups must be complete by 11 a.m. Friday, August 14, 2026.
No late setup will be allowed. If circumstances prevent you from having your booth setup
by Friday at 11 a.m. you will unfortunately not be allowed to attend the festival or to come in
later.
Artists are not allowed to tear down their booth before 4 p.m., Sunday, August 16, 2026. Be sure to bring
enough inventory to last for 3 days. Early tear down will make you uneligible to attend the Festival in following
years.
Artists are encouraged to present periodic demonstrations relating to their arts or crafts and are required to occupy their booths all 3 days of the festival. They must be sole exhibitors unless a co-exhibitor is approved in advance by the jury. Sharing a booth with another artist that is accepted by the jury is allowed.
Subletting or exchanging of booth location is NOT allowed.
There is paid security protection provided on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. However, the Festival cannot be responsible for property loss or damage. Artist exhibitors should provide their own insurance.
Exhibitors will be allowed to bring their vehicles into the park for the purpose of unloading their tents and merchandise. After unloading they will be required to move their vehicle to the parking area reserved for exhibitors. Exhibitors will be provided with a parking pass. Vehicles are not allowed in the park for any reason during the festival.
Exhibitors spaces are 10’ x 10’ or 10’ x 20’ or 20’ x 20’. Exhibitors must supply their own tents.
Exhibitors must have at least 40 pounds of weight secured to each leg of their tent to prevent damage in the event of high winds or inclement weather. The Standards Committee reserves the right to inspect all structures placed on the premises.
Upon request a Festival Volunteer Ambassador will be provided to sit with your booth for a period not exceeding 30 minutes.
No alcoholic beverages are allowed in the Cambridge City Park at any time during the Festival.
All exhibitors must have their vendor’s license and proof of insurance.
Only original work handcrafted by the artists and craftsmen listed on the application is permitted. No kits or bazaar items. No commercial advertising is to be done and no commercial art or craft supplies are to be sold by any exhibitor. In specific cases where commercial accessory items are to be sold in conjunction with the art or craft work, it must be clearly stated on the application form. All decisions concerning what accessories are eligible will rest with the Standards Committee.
If you were juried into the 2025 event and participated, please use code Coupon2026 at the checkout while applying. This will waive your $25 jury fee, unless you have changed mediums from the 2025 event. This coupon is not to be used by first time applicants.
The Standards Committee of the 2026 Salt Fork Festival will review all artisan booths during the festival. The committee reserves the right to request the removal of any work found to be substandard and not representative of the work submitted for approval or in violation of the rules of the festival. It is the responsibility of the standards committee to reflect the overall purpose of the Ohio Arts & Crafts Foundation to present an annual festival that offers arts and crafts of the highest possible quality.
All booths and merchandise set-ups must be complete by 11 a.m. Friday, August 14, 2026.
No late setup will be allowed. If circumstances prevent you from having your booth setup
by Friday at 11 a.m. you will unfortunately not be allowed to attend the festival or to come in
later.
Artists are not allowed to tear down their booth before 4 p.m., Sunday, August 16, 2026. Be sure to bring
enough inventory to last for 3 days. Early tear down will make you uneligible to attend the Festival in following
years.
Artists are encouraged to present periodic demonstrations relating to their arts or crafts and are required to occupy their booths all 3 days of the festival. They must be sole exhibitors unless a co-exhibitor is approved in advance by the jury. Sharing a booth with another artist that is accepted by the jury is allowed.
Subletting or exchanging of booth location is NOT allowed.
There is paid security protection provided on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. However, the Festival cannot be responsible for property loss or damage. Artist exhibitors should provide their own insurance.
Exhibitors will be allowed to bring their vehicles into the park for the purpose of unloading their tents and merchandise. After unloading they will be required to move their vehicle to the parking area reserved for exhibitors. Exhibitors will be provided with a parking pass. Vehicles are not allowed in the park for any reason during the festival.
Exhibitors spaces are 10’ x 10’ or 10’ x 20’ or 20’ x 20’. Exhibitors must supply their own tents.
Exhibitors must have at least 40 pounds of weight secured to each leg of their tent to prevent damage in the event of high winds or inclement weather. The Standards Committee reserves the right to inspect all structures placed on the premises.
Upon request a Festival Volunteer Ambassador will be provided to sit with your booth for a period not exceeding 30 minutes.
No alcoholic beverages are allowed in the Cambridge City Park at any time during the Festival.
All exhibitors must have their vendor’s license and proof of insurance.
Only original work handcrafted by the artists and craftsmen listed on the application is permitted. No kits or bazaar items. No commercial advertising is to be done and no commercial art or craft supplies are to be sold by any exhibitor. In specific cases where commercial accessory items are to be sold in conjunction with the art or craft work, it must be clearly stated on the application form. All decisions concerning what accessories are eligible will rest with the Standards Committee.
Jury Details
Average number of applications submitted each year
120
Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event
40
Average number of exempt from jury artists who are invited to participate in the event
4
Booth Information
FESTIVAL FEES:
Jury Fee (Application Fee): $25.00
The Jury Fee is waived for returning artist exhibitors who participated in Festival 2025 as previously juried artists, unless the medium of art has changed. Ex. Last year you were juried and invited to participate with one category and in 2026 you're applying in another, different category...say from pottery to wood, or painting to glass, etc. You will need to be juried in the new medium.
If you were juried into the 2025 event and participated, please use code Coupon2026 at the checkout while applying. This will waive your $25 jury fee, unless you have changed mediums from the 2025 event. This coupon is not to be used by first time applicants.
Exhibitor’s Booth Fee:
Early Registration (if paid in full prior to or on March 31, 2026):
Should an emergency arise making it impossible for me to participate in the Festival I will notify the festival Director no later than July 15, 2026 in order to receive a refund for my booth (less a $25 admin fee). Application/Jury fees are non-refundable. No refunds will be given after that time.
In the event that there are openings remaining after the application deadline, artist applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis until space is filled. Please contact the Festival Director for information at 740-672-5055
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Artists can complete an application online through Zapplication, including the Jury Fee of $25.00 (for new artists). You can also visit the Festival Website at www.saltforkfestival.org, and download an application and mail with a check to:
Salt Fork Arts & Crafts Festival
P.O. Box 367
Cambridge, OH 43725
JURY PROCESS
Artists are selected by a distinguished panel of jurors. The submitted images, which will be entered on Zapplication, are viewed by each jury member on separate computer monitors. The image description provided will be made available to the jury. Jury is scored on a scale of 1-5, the top score being 5 and lowest being 1. The jury will evaluate work based upon concept and design, originality and creativity, quality of work and materials, and overall impression.
MEDIUM CATEGORIES
Artist Exhibitor set up in Cambridge City Park is Thursday, August 13th, from 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. The park will open again for continued set up at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, August 14th. All artists are to be finished with set up and ready by 11:00 a.m. on Friday. If Exhibitors have special needs such as electric, a grassy space, a pavement space or flat space, please identify your need in the application notes portion. Not all requests can be honored due to the layout of the Cambrdige City Park. Exhibitors will receive one free parking pass for exhibitor parking lot adjacent to Festival. There are no vehichles allowed into the park during Festival hours. Volunteers with golf carts will be in the park to assist and after-hours security will be provided on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. The Information Pavillion will be available Thursday thru Sunday during Festival hours, providing first aid, snacks, water, and ice for sale.
Jury Fee (Application Fee): $25.00
The Jury Fee is waived for returning artist exhibitors who participated in Festival 2025 as previously juried artists, unless the medium of art has changed. Ex. Last year you were juried and invited to participate with one category and in 2026 you're applying in another, different category...say from pottery to wood, or painting to glass, etc. You will need to be juried in the new medium.
If you were juried into the 2025 event and participated, please use code Coupon2026 at the checkout while applying. This will waive your $25 jury fee, unless you have changed mediums from the 2025 event. This coupon is not to be used by first time applicants.
Exhibitor’s Booth Fee:
Early Registration (if paid in full prior to or on March 31, 2026):
- $155.00 for 10 x 10 space
- $255.00 for 10 x 20 space
- $355.00 for 20 x 20 space
- $175.00 for 10 x 10 space
- $275.00 for 10 x 20 space
- $375.00 for 20 x 20 space
Should an emergency arise making it impossible for me to participate in the Festival I will notify the festival Director no later than July 15, 2026 in order to receive a refund for my booth (less a $25 admin fee). Application/Jury fees are non-refundable. No refunds will be given after that time.
In the event that there are openings remaining after the application deadline, artist applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis until space is filled. Please contact the Festival Director for information at 740-672-5055
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Artists can complete an application online through Zapplication, including the Jury Fee of $25.00 (for new artists). You can also visit the Festival Website at www.saltforkfestival.org, and download an application and mail with a check to:
Salt Fork Arts & Crafts Festival
P.O. Box 367
Cambridge, OH 43725
JURY PROCESS
Artists are selected by a distinguished panel of jurors. The submitted images, which will be entered on Zapplication, are viewed by each jury member on separate computer monitors. The image description provided will be made available to the jury. Jury is scored on a scale of 1-5, the top score being 5 and lowest being 1. The jury will evaluate work based upon concept and design, originality and creativity, quality of work and materials, and overall impression.
MEDIUM CATEGORIES
- Acrylic
- Art to Wear
- Appalachian Folk Art
- Ceramics
- Drawing
- Fiber Art
- Glass
- Jewelry
- Leather
- Metal Work
- Mixed Media
- Oil
- Pastels
- Photography
- Sculpture
- Watercolor
- Wood
- Woven
- Yard Art
Artist Exhibitor set up in Cambridge City Park is Thursday, August 13th, from 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. The park will open again for continued set up at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, August 14th. All artists are to be finished with set up and ready by 11:00 a.m. on Friday. If Exhibitors have special needs such as electric, a grassy space, a pavement space or flat space, please identify your need in the application notes portion. Not all requests can be honored due to the layout of the Cambrdige City Park. Exhibitors will receive one free parking pass for exhibitor parking lot adjacent to Festival. There are no vehichles allowed into the park during Festival hours. Volunteers with golf carts will be in the park to assist and after-hours security will be provided on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. The Information Pavillion will be available Thursday thru Sunday during Festival hours, providing first aid, snacks, water, and ice for sale.
Refund Policy
Should an emergency arise making it impossible for me to participate in the Festival, I will notify the Festival Director no later than July 15, 2026 in order to receive a booth refund (less a $25 admin fee). Application/Jury fees are non-refundable. No refunds will be given after July 15th, 2026.
Due to the safety of attendees and artists, the Salt Fork Arts & Crafts Festival may be paused, cancelled, or delayed due to weather deemed to be inclement. No refunds, partial refunds, or application/jury fees will be returned during those times of delay or in the event of a cancellation.
Due to the safety of attendees and artists, the Salt Fork Arts & Crafts Festival may be paused, cancelled, or delayed due to weather deemed to be inclement. No refunds, partial refunds, or application/jury fees will be returned during those times of delay or in the event of a cancellation.
Additional Fees
20 x 20 space paid in full after 3/31/2026 and by 7/15/2026: $375
10 x 20 space paid in full after 3/31/2026 and by 7/15/2026: $275
10 x 10 space paid in full after 3/31/2026 and by 7/15/2026: $175
Terms to Apply
New Artist Jury Fee: $25
