Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival - 75th Annual 2027

2027 - 75th ANNUAL FAIRHOPE ARTS AND CRAFTS FESTIVAL


For seventy five years, artists and craftsmen have come to Fairhope, Alabama to celebrate the arts. Our beautiful downtown along the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay will host the 75th Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival March 19, 20, & 21, 2027.  
 
The Fairhope Arts and Crafts Committee and Festival Foundation, with support from the City of Fairhope, hope you join us for our annual festival where artists are treated to southern hospitality.  Artists will receive breakfast each morning, and there will be an Artist Dinner Friday 3/19 at the Fairhope Civic Center.  In true Fairhope style, there will be local business adoptions, booth sitters, and drinks and snacks provided each day.   

The hours for the 2027 festival are Friday-Sunday 10am to 5pm.  

We look forward to seeing you in March!
 

***PLEASE NOTE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE JURY TO PLACE FOR YOU BASED ON YOUR IMAGE AND PROCESS DESCRIPTION, CHECK BOX ON APPLICATION

1. Fibers/Leather – 3D work, wearable and not-wearable, created from fibrous materials.  This category includes but is not limited to baskets, clothing, embroidery, paper, quilts, weaving, leather goods, etc.  Leather should be 3D handmade work designed by the artist wth leather.
2. Functional Crafts - Handmade crafts primarily intended for use, rather than decoration.  This category includes but is not limited to musical instruments, brooms, implements, birdhouses, toys, belts, hats, etc. No commercial made/mass produced items.
3. Graphics, Drawing & Watercolor - 2D work using pen, pencil, rayon, marker, or brush including pastels, printmaking and watercolor.  
4. Jewelry- Jewelry created by the artist without the use of commercial casts, molds, kits or production studio, regardless of medium.  ONLY category allowed to display or sell jewelry.  
5. Mixed Media- works combining two or more mediums
6. Painting – Oil, acrylics, and other materials applied with a brush.  (Those creating pastels and watercolors may wish to apply in the Graphics, Drawing & Watercolor category.)
7. Photography - Digital and film, hand emulsion transfers accepted.  Only the artist's original source material allowed. No AI Generated photography.
8. Pottery/Ceramics – Earthenware, raku, porcelain, etc.
9. Sculpture – 3D forms in primarily in a single medium such as clay, metal, glass, wood, etc. 
10. Wood - Original 3D work that is hand-tooled, machine worked, built-up, turned or carved, including but not limited to furniture, bowls, boxes, sculpture, etc. No commercial made/mass produced items. 
11. Glass -  3D work created by the artist in glass.  No molds or other forms of mass production are permitted.

Artist Selection Process:  Artists are juried by an independent panel and selected based on the images submitted with their applications. Therefore, CURRENT QUALITY IMAGES that show YOUR WORK & BOOTH to their fullest potential are encouraged. Images must be representative of the works that will be shown at our Festival. Selection is based on quality and skill in workmanship, original and creative ideas and attractiveness of display.   Artists with quality works may be accepted to a “wait list” once a category is full.  Do not send samples-- they will not be presented during the jury process nor will they be returned

Artists’ Amenities: Police Security, Artist Breakfast, Faux Artists (booth sitters), “Artist Adoption” Program by the Downtown Merchants Association, and Awards Dinner.  
 
Awards Dinner: The 75th Annual Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival will have an Awards Dinner and Reception Friday, March 19th at the Fairhope Civic Center following the close of the day.  Aritsts will use their name badge as their dinner ticket for Friday night and additional tickets are available at check out upon acceptance to the show.    
 
Judging: Judging will begin at 9:00 am on Friday, March 19, 2027. Judges will evaluate each numbered booth and give scores based on originality and creativity, technical skill, and display.  An assistant is assigned to each judge and will mark the booth card to indicate that each exhibit has been judged.  Only booths with booth card will be judged.  Place booth cards at upper right corner on outside of tent. The judges are instructed to move fast so they can give all boths an equal amount of time, and to insure everyone is visited. 

• An accepted application is a commitment to participate in the show. NO REFUNDS will be made for any reason, including inclement weather. Accepted artists must exhibit the full three days of the show and be in their booths during designated Festival hours. Stand-in or proxy exhibitors are not permitted.
• Exhibitor must be directly involved in the design and production of work they exhibit at the Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival. Exhibitors must display their own work, not works purchased from an outside source for resale (buy/sell). Excluded from exhibition are: commercially manufactured items, ceramics from commercial molds, mass-produced items, plants, soaps, candles, food items, books, CDs, t-shirts and commercial jewelry, face paint and temporary tattoos. Reproductions, including giclees, are allowed to be sold but must be clearly marked. At least 50% of your display must be original work. We will no longer give jury fee refunds for applications that include items listed as excluded from exhibition.
• Only one artist with his/her original work is allowed per booth.
• No AI Generated art or photography
• Only work representative of that submitted for jurying may be exhibited. Only artists juried and accepted in the jewelry category may display and sell jewelry items. Displays will be checked throughout the Festival. The Festival reserves the right to request the removal of any work that differs from the images submitted and accepted as well as any inappropriate work or display. Failure to remove such works or abide by the rules set forth may result in the applicant’s removal from the Festival.
• Any items that you plan to sell during the festival must be represented in your booth images submitted with application.
• Exhibitors bear the responsibility for all setup and security needs for their exhibits. Festival volunteers cannot help with full setup but are on hand to answer questions and offer guidance. Please allow for restocking during Festival hours-- vehicles are not allowed on the streets after the show opens.
• It is required to show proof of insurance.
• During setup, nails or other anchors may not be placed in the street. Make alternative arrangements to secure your booth. Fines will be imposed for destruction of City property - this includes nails to hold down tent & rugs in the streets. Double stick tape works well for this function. Tent weights ARE required.. Minimum of 40 pound weights PER tent leg. Fairhope can be windy during this time of year so please come prepared.
• For the hour prior to the booth setup time of 6:00 PM, no vehicles or trailers will be allowed within the Festival area. No unloading onto the sidewalks prior to 6:00 PM.  All fire department safety lanes and rules will be observed and strictly enforced at all times. No generators are allowed in the show. Battery lighting is acceptable. No amplified music is permitted. Your booth, awning, chairs and all displays must be within your 10’ x 12’ space. This will be strickly inforced.
• The State of Alabama and Baldwin County require each exhibitor and vendor to purchase a transient license. The details are available from the Baldwin County License inspector at 251-990-4627. Each exhibitor is responsible for collecting Alabama State tax, Baldwin County tax, and the City of Fairhope taxes as required by law. Tax forms will be provided in the registration packets.
• Accepted artists who have not checked in with Registration by 8:00 AM Friday, March 19, 2027, will forfeit their space and booth fee.
• Use of sealants or spray paints or aerosols is strictly prohibited.
• The Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival Committee reserves the right to remove an artist from the show for conduct deemed unacceptable and/or detrimental to the mission and reputation of the Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival.

Festival Fees:
Single Booth Fee               $375                          
Double Booth Fee              $750
Jury Fee                             $45 (non-refundable)
Application Late Fee         $25 (non-refundable) 
Prime Corner Fee               $75 (Prime spaces for the 2027 show will be VERY limited and will be juried in and notified upon acceptance. Please check box on application) Prime locations are the start to each row.

Logistics:
Booth Space: 10’ x 12’;  Tent Size  10’ x 10’
Electricity is not available. Generators and amplified music are not allowed.
Number of Booth Spaces Available:     236 
Number of Prime Booth Spaces Available:  limited number available.
Booths for 2027 will be a mixture of doubles and quads.  If a double is purchased, you will have two adjoining spaces.  Booth instructions will be sent to artists with booth numbers in February 2027.

Registration/Set-Up:
Registration will begin at on Thursday March 18, 2027 in downtown Fairhope, and artist booth set up begins at 6:00 PM on Thursday, March 18^th. Accepted artists must show committee volunteer a photo ID and have completed the preregistration process.  Set up begins at 6 PM.  Artists are to provide their own tents and make their own move in accomodations if you need assistance. Volunteers are on hand to answer questions and offer guidance but are not responsibe for helping with full set ups. More specific details concerning tent set-up and unloading will be provided upon acceptance.  

Load Out:
The festival ends at 5 PM. Artists must start packing up at 5 PM, no sooner. Streets must be cleared by 8 PM. Artists remaining on streets after 8 PM will be subject to a fine. 



 

The Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival is a rain or shine event.  An accepted application is a commitment to show and no refund will be made for cancellations.  No Exceptions.