FAQ
What is Crafty Supermarket?
Just the most rad indie craft show Cincinnati’s ever seen! Here’s a brief history, and in general, we do two shows a year — one in spring that attracts more than 100 makers and 3,500 shoppers, and one around the end of year holiday season that attracts more than 100 makers and 5,000 shoppers.
Our Holiday show is Saturday, November 26, 2022 from 11a.m. to 5p.m. and we are excited to see your smiling faces!
How much does it cost to attend as a shopper?
It’s totally free and open to the public!
What is indie craft, anyway?
We’re glad you asked! See this blog post for a little info on indie craft.
Where is the show?
The shows are at Music Hall Ballroom at 1241 Elm St., Cincinnati, OH 45202. It’s right next to Washington Park in Over-the-Rhine, with easily accessed parking under Washington Park and on Central Parkway. Follow us on social media and join our mailing list to stay in touch.
What are you doing to stop the spread of Covid-19?
Masks optional and we kindly ask that you stay home if you are sick. We’ll see you at a future show!
Where do I park?
Several parking options surround Music Hall. A 450-space underground parking garage at Washington Park is located directly across Elm Street from the front doors of venue. This convenient parking garage also has ADA Accessible Parking parking and elevators. Convenient parking is also available at the Town Center Parking (CET) Garage on Central Parkway. You can also park anywhere downtown and experience the Cincinnati Street Car.
I want to help out at the show — can I do that?
Yes! Volunteers help us out in three-hour shifts on the day of the show and the night before. Volunteers hand out show programs, help craft vendors and shoppers, and are generally indispensable. Email us to learn more or click here for more info and to submit your information.
I sell food — can I be in the show?
We invite a limited number food vendors who are selling ready-to-eat items. If you are interested, you can email us at craftysupermarket@gmail.com. People making giftable food items can apply through our regular vendor application. Food vendor fee is $200 for spring/holiday this year.
I’d like to sponsor Crafty Supermarket!
That’s awesome! Contact us to learn more.
Any business can contribute items for our famous swag bags. We give away 130 swag bags to the first lucky shoppers of the day and our volunteers. If you’d like to contribute any promotional material you have (such as postcards, stickers, buttons, coupons, flyers, etc.) please prepare 130 pieces by November 25 and send them to: Crafty Supermarket, PO Box 24363, Cincinnati, OH 45224.
I’m a member of the media and want to do a story about Crafty Supermarket. Who do I contact?
Just e-mail us! We would be happy to talk to you. And we have lots of on-camera experience in case you’re looking for a lively TV segment.
Can I get on your mailing list to find out about new events?
Absolutely! Just click here to sign up.
FAQ FOR MAKERS
How can I sell my handmade goods at your show?
We post an online application here on our website about four months before each show. All crafter applications must be submitted on the website within that time period. Applications for our Spring show are open from January 1-February 15 and the holiday application is open from from July 15 to September 1. You can see info on the shows we have planned here.
Keep following us on Facebook or Twitter and sign up for our e-newsletter to get notifications of upcoming calls for crafters!
How much does it cost to be a vendor?
The table fee for our spring show is $165 and the holiday show is $165 total for both days. This includes a 8’x3′ table and two chairs. There’s a nonrefundable application/jurying fee of $15 that counts towards the table fee if you are accepted. When you submit your application for our show, the form will automatically take you to PayPal to pay the application fee. (If you need help using PayPal, refer to PayPal’s help page here.)
Why do you charge that?
We charge a nominal application fee to ensure that the people applying to our show are serious sellers. The application and table fees help cover our costs of venue rental, table rental, promotions, administrative costs, printing and supplies, plus the scores of hours we spend putting together each show. Our table fees and application fees are on par with other major indie craft shows in the region, and they help us ensure that our vendors have a great day of sales!
What kind of makers are you looking for?
We like indie crafters, designers, artists, DIYers and other unconventional makers creating original and handmade goods. As long as you made it yourself, we will consider it! Check out our recent shows’ vendor lists to get a sense of our style:
Important: We do not allow mass-produced items in the show. No direct-sellers, social-sellers or other resellers will be accepted. This includes Avon, Miche, Thirty-One, Silpada and the like.
Can I share a table with a friend?
Sure! Two businesses applying to share a table only have to fill out one application together. Just mark that box in your application and include the other person’s name, business name and website. No more than two craft businesses to a table, please. Also note that your acceptance for the show is nontransferable — if we accept you as a vendor, you can’t give your table to someone else or add a friend who wasn’t included in your application.
How big is the booth space?
We use 8’x3′ tables, and although crafters are welcome to bring their own tables or displays, the displays should fit within the space of our standard 8’x3′ table. (There is space behind the table for the vendor, but it can’t be used for the display.)
Does every maker who applies get into the show?
Because we receive so many applications, we can only accept a small percentage of them to be vendors. We consider a lot of things in the judging process, including price range, originality, quality of work, overall style and how many vendors are selling similar objects.
Being accepted for past shows doesn’t guarantee acceptance in future shows. Likewise, if your application was rejected from an earlier show, it doesn’t mean you’ll never be accepted. We aim to have at least 30 percent new-to-us vendors at each show.
We’re sorry, but we can’t offer feedback on whether you will be accepted before you apply. Check out our previous shows’ crafter lists to get an idea of what kind of sellers we have included in the past!
Note: If accepted, we expect the artist to be present at the show. If there will be an exception, please indicate that on the application.
I missed the deadline! Can I still apply?
We get hundreds of applications for the spots in our show, so we can’t accept any late applications. If a vendor drops out, we select alternates from the pool of people who applied before the deadline. If you want to apply to be in our next show, be sure to follow us on Facebook or Twitter and sign up for our e-newsletter. We broadcast all our upcoming opportunities in all those places!
If you get so many applications, why don’t you make the show bigger?
We’ve taken a measured approach to growing the show to make sure that the crowd grows along with the number of crafters and that our vendors have a great day of sales. Currently we are maximizing the space at Music Hall and we will see what that means for our future.
How do you promote Crafty Supermarket?
Lots of ways!
- New this year, maker Instagram takeovers throughout November and the first half of December.
- A maker gift guide on our website
- We send out e-newsletters to our mailing list of more than 4,000 fans, and send out updates (and buy promoted posts) on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
- We post the event to many online calendars, regional tourism bureaus and craft event listings.
- We create 100 handmade craft show posters that are printed locally and posted in businesses around the Cincinnati region. (We may have to skip this for holiday due to COVID-19)
- We also spread the word with flyers that we distribute around Cincinnati and send to indie craft shops across the Midwest.
- We reach out to our contacts in local and regional media, including TV, radio, magazines, newspapers and blogs, to get editorial coverage for the show. We’ve got an ongoing partnership with Cincinnati Magazine, and many of our crafters have been featured on FOX 19’s morning show.
- We work with local likeminded organizations and businesses to promote the show.
- We also give our crafters tools to promote the show via their own websites and social media. Our makers have a loud voice when we all work together!
crafty supermarket! 