VENDOR MARKET GUIDE
Welcome to the San Joaquin Clay & Glass Festival!
We’re thrilled to have you be part of this long-running Fresno tradition. For 45 years, the festival has brought together talented artists, makers, collectors, gift shoppers, and art lovers for a fun day celebrating handmade clay and glass.
This is a retail marketplace, and thousands of shoppers come ready to discover something special. Our goal is to create an energetic, welcoming environment where artists can showcase their work, connect with customers, make sales, and have a great time doing it.
Think of this guide as your festival playbook—with the important details, practical reminders, and ideas to help you make the most of your day.
Questions before the festival?
Contact Rhomie Thompson at events@sjcga.org
EVENT DETAILS
Saturday, November 21, 2026 • Festival Hours: 10 AM–3 PM
Friday Setup
You may begin setting up your booth on Friday, November 20 at 10AM.
Overnight security will be provided, but your booth must be securely anchored for overnight conditions. Tents must be secured with weights, tie-downs, or stakes. We will inspect booths to make sure they are safely secured in case of inclement weather.
Saturday Morning
Your booth must be fully set up and ready to welcome shoppers by 9 AM.
If you have not arrived by 9 AM, you will be considered a no-show and your space may be reassigned.
Vendor Parking
Vendor parking is off-site.
After unloading your vehicle at the festival, please move it to the northwest shopping center at Palm & Bullard Avenues, behind the car wash–a map will be provided.
All vendor vehicles must be moved from the festival area by 9:30 AM so on-site parking remains available for customers.
Please do not leave your vehicle in the festival parking area after unloading.
Tear-Down
Please stay with us until the very end!
No early packing or breakdown. The festival ends at 3 PM. After the event, please remove all trash and leave your space clean before departing.
YOUR BOOTH
10' x 10' Booth Space or 6’ Table Space
Booth Fees: 10’ x 10” - $50
6’ Table Space - $40
Each vendor is responsible for providing their own tent, tables, chairs, display fixtures, and other booth equipment.
Commission
The SJCGA collects a 10% commission on sales.
Why do we do it this way? Keeping the booth fee low and collecting a percentage of sales allows us to make the festival accessible to artists without requiring a large upfront investment.
Your commission helps support the festival and the work of the San Joaquin Clay & Glass Association.
Please keep accurate sales records and calculate your 10% commission carefully. If you have questions about how to calculate or report your sales, we're happy to help.
Sharing a Booth
Two vendors may share a single 10' x 10' booth space. If you choose to share a booth, both vendors must sign the Vendor Agreement and are jointly responsible for following all festival requirements.
Shared booths should feel like one thoughtfully curated space, rather than two separate booths squeezed together. Coordinate your displays, colors, signage, and product placement to create a cohesive, inviting look that makes the entire space feel intentional and easy to shop.
WHAT TO BRING
Use this as your pre-festival packing list:
Your finished products
10' x 10' tent
Mandatory tent weights, tie-downs, or stakes
Tables and chairs
Tablecloths or other finished surfaces
Shelves, risers, racks, or display fixtures
Large, readable business signage
Clearly marked prices
Payment system, such as Square
Reliable cellular/data plan
Cash and plenty of change
Shopping bags, boxes, tissue, or other packaging
Business cards or promotional materials
Helpers for setup and teardown
Water, snacks, and anything you need to stay comfortable
Insurance, if desired
YOUR TENT & BOOTH PROTECTION
A 10' x 10' tent is required.
White or beige tents are preferred. Please use a tent without large branding, patterns, or distracting designs so the overall festival maintains a cohesive, professional appearance.
We recommend EZ-UP-style tents with straight legs rather than slanted sports or beach canopies.
Weights are mandatory. Your tent must be properly secured for both the festival and overnight conditions.
Protect Your Work
We highly recommend zip-up or zippered tent walls for extra protection.
Tent walls provide an additional layer of security for your artwork, especially when your booth is set up overnight. They can help protect your work from wind, weather, and neighboring activity, while also giving your booth a more polished, finished appearance.
Canvas or fabric walls can also help create a defined space and provide additional privacy between neighboring booths.
MAKE YOUR BOOTH YOUR STORE
Your booth isn't just a place to put your work—it's your storefront for the day. You have a small space and a lot of opportunity. Think about what will make someone walking past stop, look, and step inside.
Make a strong first impression.
Put your most eye-catching pieces where shoppers can see them immediately. Don't hide your best work in the back!
Create height.
Tables alone can make a booth feel flat. Use shelves, risers, crates, pedestals, or display stands to create different levels and draw the eye upward.
Group your work.
Organize pieces by collection, color, function, price point, or style. A thoughtful arrangement makes browsing easier and helps customers understand your work.
Keep it clean.
Your booth should feel intentional and inviting. Remove empty boxes, packaging materials, personal belongings, and clutter from view.
Make pricing easy.
Customers shouldn't have to ask the price of every piece. Clear, readable pricing makes shopping more comfortable and helps customers make decisions.
Don't forget your name.
Have a large, easy-to-read sign with your business name. If someone loves your work but doesn't buy today, make it easy for them to find you later.
CREATE AN EXPERIENCE
Think about the feeling you want your booth to create.
Maybe it's calm and minimalist. Maybe it's colorful and energetic. Maybe it's rustic, sophisticated, playful, or completely unexpected.
You get to create the vibe.
Beautiful presentation, interesting displays, thoughtful packaging, and a little storytelling can turn a quick browse into a memorable experience.
CONNECT WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS
Your work is the reason people stopped. Your story is often the reason they buy.
Be welcoming.
A smile and a simple "Hi! Thanks for coming!" can make someone feel comfortable entering your booth.
Be approachable.
Give shoppers room to browse, but stay engaged and available when they have questions.
Know your craft.
Be ready to talk about your materials, techniques, firing processes, inspirations, and what makes your work unique.
Tell your story.
People love knowing who made something and how it came to be. A short story about a piece, your process, or your inspiration can create a connection that a price tag can't.
Stay engaged.
Put the phone away when possible. Move around your booth, straighten displays, interact with your work, and pay attention to shoppers.
Let people touch!
When appropriate, encourage customers to pick up and experience your work. Handmade objects are meant to be seen—and often felt.
DON'T FORGET YOUR NEIGHBORS
Introduce yourself to the artists around you!
The festival is about more than selling. It's also a chance to meet other makers, share ideas, exchange resources, and build creative relationships.
Your neighboring artist could become a future collaborator, friend, studio connection, or source of your next great idea.
And let's be honest—having someone nearby to watch your booth while you grab a bathroom break is pretty great, too.
PROMOTE YOUR PARTICIPATION
We work hard to bring shoppers to the festival through:
Social media
Email marketing
Online event listings
Local publications and television
Posters and postcard handouts
Word-of-mouth promotion
But the strongest promotion is all of us promoting together.
Social Media
Let your followers know you'll be at the festival!
Tag @sanjoaquinclayandglass on Instagram
Repost the reels and posts created by the SJCGA
Consider sharing
A sneak peek of what you're bringing
A favorite piece
A behind-the-scenes studio video
A "What I'm bringing to the festival" post
A special festival-only piece or promotion
A photo of you making your work
Email Your Customers
If you have an email list, invite your customers personally. Tell them where you'll be and give them a reason to come see you.
Invite Your People
Friends, family, collectors, coworkers, neighbors, and past customers can all become festival shoppers. We will provide you with postcards and posters for you to distribute in your workplaces and neighborhoods.
The more people who know you're here, the better!
BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS
Vendors are responsible for complying with all applicable local, state, and federal business licensing, seller's permit, sales tax, and use tax requirements.
Please make sure your business is properly registered and that you understand your tax obligations for sales made at the festival.
The SJCGA is providing the marketplace—we expect each vendor to be responsible for their own business compliance.
A FEW SMART SALES TIPS
Have gift-ready packaging.
Boxes, bags, tissue, and simple presentation can make purchasing handmade work feel even more special.
Have a backup payment plan.
Technology is wonderful—until it isn't. Bring cash, a backup payment option, and a reliable data connection.
Have business cards.
Not everyone will buy today. Give interested shoppers an easy way to find you later.
Bring your best energy.
People remember how a place made them feel. A friendly, enthusiastic artist can make a booth memorable long after the festival ends
MOST IMPORTANT: HAVE FUN!
You spent countless hours making the work that brought you here.
Take a breath. Look around. Talk to people. Meet other artists. Enjoy seeing your work displayed together. Celebrate the fact that you're part of a creative community that has been gathering around clay and glass for 45 years in beautiful Central Valley California.