Sweet Pea Festival 2026

The Sweet Pea Festival of the Arts takes place in scenic Bozeman, Montana every first full weekend in August. Events include an art show, flower show, a parade, theatre, music and dance performances, children's activities, a beer and wine garden featuring Montana microbrews, and the highly anticipated Artist Marketplace. The Sweet Pea Festival is celebrating its 49th year and typically attracts approximately 15,000 people.

 

History of the Event

The Sweet Pea Festival of the Arts takes its name from the Sweet Pea Carnivals held in Bozeman during the early 1900s. Events include an art show, flower show, a parade, theatre, music and dance performances, children’s activities and the Artist Marketplace. The Festival typically attracts approximately 15,000 people. The Sweet Pea Artist Marketplace includes a blind jury selection process, so you know the quality of the vendors invited to attend is always at a high level. Sweet Pea encourages all craftspeople and artists, both amateur and professional, to apply for booth space.

Eligibility

Only handcrafted original work by the selling artist is acceptable. Kits or commercially produced work will not be allowed. The jurying will be divided into the media categories. The jury will select a proportional mixture of the categories. All artists wishing to apply for booth space are required to apply online and submit four digital photos. These images should display the type and quality of recent work that will be sold at the Festival. Only one artist in one medium will be allowed per booth. This does not exclude an additional medium which is an integral part of the primary medium such as wood frames on photographs or buckles on belts. A team of two people producing items jointly in one medium may apply as a single exhibitor if they have been working together on a regular basis. In order to participate, the artist must be at their booth during the Festival, but may have helpers if desired (booth sitters will be provided by the Festival on a limited basis for 2026). Lastly, artists are not allowed to have a booth at any other festival in Bozeman the same weekend.

Jury Procedure

Submitted images are reviewed by a panel of anonymous jurors. The identities of artists are not disclosed to jurors. The process, materials, dimensions for each image and artist information statements will also be made available to the jury. Jurors will look for artwork that:

1. Is well conceived and executed.

2. Shows imagination and individuality.

3. Demonstrates quality and craftsmanship.

**The decision of the jury is final**

Media Categories

Body Care

Ceramics

Digital Art

Drawing

Fiber

Food Specialty Items

Glass

Graphics and Printmaking

Jewelry

Metalworks

Mixed Media

Painting

Photography

Sculpture

Wood
 

THE 2026 ARTIST MARKETPLACE SALE HOURS WILL BE:

Friday, August 7 -  4:00pm - 8:00pm

Saturday, August 8 -  10:00am - 8:00pm

Sunday, August 9 -  10:00am - 5:00pm

Applications

Only one application may be submitted per body of work represented. Multiple applications must represent either work in different media categories or distinctly separate bodies of work within one category. No advantage is gained by submitting multiple applications for the same body of work in multiple categories.

Application Fees

Each application must be accompanied by the $40 non-refundable jury fee payment. Applicants must pay online by credit card.

Applications

Only one application may be submitted per body of work represented. Multiple applications must represent either work in different media categories or distinctly separate bodies of work within one category. No advantage is gained by submitting multiple applications for the same body of work in multiple

Application Fees

Each application must be accompanied by the $40 non-refundable jury fee payment. Applicants must pay online by credit

 

Applications

Only one application may be submitted per body of work represented. Multiple applications must represent either work in different media categories or distinctly separate bodies of work within one category. No advantage is gained by submitting multiple applications for the same body of work in multiple categories.

Application Fees

Each application must be accompanied by the $35 non-refundable jury fee payment. Applicants must pay online by credit card.

Acceptance of Offer to Exhibit

An artist who is selected by the jury and accepts our invitation to exhibit must commit online and pay the booth fee by credit card by Sunday, June 7, 2026. If you choose to pay EARLY (by Sunday May 24th) your Artist Information will appear in our Schedule of Events, which is distributed to the public early July, and you will be featured on Sweet Pea Social media platforms in promotion of the annual event.  Failure to respond by the deadline may result in revocation of the invitation and immediate invitation of an alternate from the waiting list. The applicant is responsible for keeping the Sweet Pea Festival advised of current e-mail address.

Cancellations

Cancellation FEES:

30-60 days prior to festival: $150
30 or less days prior to festival: $250 (10x10) $350 (10x20)

Digital Images

NOTE: All images must be anonymous. Please, remove artist name and/or any identifiable markings/logo from your pictures before submitting. Please, do not title any of your images with either your name or business name, including the booth image.

• Six images are to be submitted for each individual media category entered by the artist.

Note: this is a blind jury process; please avoid submitting booth images with any identifiable sign, or photo containing the artist themselves.

• Images must be in 1920 pixel horizontal x 1920 pixel vertical format, for more information access https://artisthelp.zapplication.org/my-portfolio-uploading-images/#image-requirements

• Images must accurately represent the body of the artist's work to be exhibited at the Arts Festival.

RULES AND GUIDELINES FOR THE SALE

The following provides information on the sale schedule, set-up procedures and rules. Please, note that Sweet Pea reserves the right to remove any exhibitor from the Festival, with all fees forfeited, for any violation of Festival regulations. We also reserve the right to charge a monetary fine if booth space violation occurs. This may jeopardize an exhibitor’s participation in future Festivals.

1. All work must be original, handcrafted work. Artist guarantees the accuracy of the description of the works presented and the authenticity of the work as the creation of their own hands.

2. Work done by a production studio is not acceptable. All work must be designed and executed by the accepted artist.

3. No more than two artists may collaborate on work. Both must be included on and sign the application. Both must be present at the Arts Festival.

4. Artists must be present with their work for the entire three days of the Arts Festival. Representatives may not attend in place of the artist. The Arts Festival may require photo identification at check-in to ensure compliance. Artists are not allowed to have a booth at both Sweet Pea and any other festival in Bozeman the same weekend.

5. Artists may only show work in categories and body of work selected by the Jury. All work exhibited must be of the quality, category and body of work of that shown in the images juried.

6. Reproductions of an artist’s original work may be exhibited and must be labeled as a reproduction or a limited edition reproduction.

7. Registration is located at the Lindley Park Pavillion on Friday, August 7. Once you accept your invitation and pay your booth fee you will be assigned a time to check in. Please, do not attempt to register before or after the assigned time. Your vehicle must be removed from the Park by 2:00pm on Friday.

8. There is no permanent parking close to the sales area. A portion of Cypress Avenue will be cordoned off for unloading ONLY. All vehicles must be out of the park by 2:00 pm on Friday. No Exceptions. Vehicles may return to the park for tear down on Sunday after 5:30 pm after patrons have left the park.

9. Each artist will be given two (2) Sweet Pea admission wristbands upon registration on Friday. These are required for entry into the park after registration and must be worn at all times while in the park.
Additional admission must be purchased separately for anyone over the age of 12. Children 12 and under are free and do not need a wristband.

10. Individual display areas will be (10’ X 10’) or (20’ X 10’) (limited 20’ X 10’ spaces). No booth may stick out into the pedestrian walkway (your booth area will be located on the ground with flags). Violation will result in monetary fines or possible removal from the Festival.

11. Security will patrol the sale area on Friday and Saturday evenings. Due to the mass exit of Festival goers after the Friday and Saturday night concerts, we request that any items left in the booth overnight be boxed or covered securely.

12. Each artist is required to be present at the Festival and to display an identification card bearing his/her name, city, and state of residence.

13. Each participant is required to leave the booth and adjacent areas clean at the end of the Festival and all material must be removed from the sales area. Any material that will not fit into the dumpsters in the park must be taken by the artist.

14. All cancellations are reviewed by the Artist Marketplace Committee. Refunds are decided on an individual basis. No refund is guaranteed.

15. No pets allowed.  
Service animals (trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability) are allowed.
Pets providing emotional support, well being, comfort or companionship are not recognized as service animals under
ADA regulations so please leave those sweeties as home. Thank you.

16. If your medium is a food item and you are accepted into the show, you must contact the Gallatin County Health Department to obtain proper permits for the event (406.582.3100).

Booth Space

Each exhibitor will be provided a space measuring 10’ x 10’. A limited number of 20’ x 10’ booths will be available for an additional fee. Spaces will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis from the date the contract and booth fee is received online. Artists are to provide their own display booth, racks and/or tables in order to display their work in an outdoor environment. No electrical hookups are available. Each artist is required to bring and display an identification card bearing his/her name, city, and state of residence.

 

Exhibit Fee

The fee for a 10’ x 10’ booth space is $425.

The fee for a 20’ x 10’ booth space is $625 (There are a limited number of 20’ x10’ spaces).

Both fees include the price of two (2) Sweet Pea Admission wristbands to be picked up at registration on Friday, August 1st upon arrival and sign-in.

Artists retain all revenue from the sale of their work with no commission on sales taken by Sweet Pea Festival . Overnight security will be provided from 8pm to 7am on Friday and Saturday evenings of the Festival.

Refund and Cancellation FEES:
Application Fee: Non Refundable
Premium Artist Fee: Non Refundable
Booth Fee:
     30-60 days prior to festival: $150
     30 or less days prior to festival: $250 (10x10) $350 (10x20)  

If you need to cancel, please contact spartscrafts@sweetpeafestival.org as soon as possible to notify us of your cancellation and request your refund. Refunds will be issued after August 15th.