Carlinville Christmas Market seeking exhibitors for 20th anniversary festival in December

The Carlinville Christmas Market still has exhibitor booth space available for its 2009 event, which will take place on December 4, 5, and 6. Prospective exhibitors who wish to sell their arts and crafts in the heated white tents on the town square can download an application from the organization’s web site: www.CarlinvilleChristmasMarket.com. They may also contact Exhibitor Committee Chair Jodie Padgett at 217-854-8689 for details or to receive an application by regular mail.

“We already have quite a few spaces reserved by vendors who are ‘regulars’ at our festival, but there are still a lot of openings. Our application and payment deadline is July 1; after that, fees go up and the chance of reserving a booth goes down.

Through July 1, the fee for an 8’ x 8’ space (East Tent) is $175. For a 10’ x 12’ space (in the West Tent), the cost is $265. The fee for food vendors is $225 plus 10 percent of its profits during the three-day Market weekend. After July 1, fees are an additional $75. All fees are applied to the cost of producing the festival.

Exhibitors should include a check or money order with their applications and mail them to: Carlinville Christmas Market, P.O. Box 18, Carlinville, IL 62626.

“We also need three photos of their handicrafts,” said Padgett. “We prefer that one of the photos show the exhibitor’s booth set-up and crafts, perhaps from a previous show. The other photos should show their wares as clearly as possible. Items must be hand-crafted – that is, at least 50 percent hand made – by the applicant. Our jurying committee evaluates quality and suitability for sale at the Market, and we reserve the right to turn down those that don’t meet our standards.”

The Christmas Market main tents are heated by propane and provide electrical hookups. Exhibitors must provide their own tables and chairs and other display equipment, which can include individual pop-up tents. The soft-side main tents have no wall space for displays, but items may be hung, clipped on, or otherwise attached to booth canopies, support poles, or tables.

“Each year, some exhibitors call us in October and November asking if we still have space available,” Padgett added. “Most of the time, we have to tell them ‘no.’ The best we can do at that point is put them on our waiting list and contact them the following spring when we start accepting applications for the next Market. That’s why we urge vendors to make their plans early.”

Carlinville BPW also is a member of the McCarrey Region BPW, which includes 12 BPW local organizations in central Illinois.

The Carlinville BPW officers are: Vicki Dechman, President; Lu Dickhaut, Vice President; Winnie Wild, Secretary; and Mary Huyear, Treasurer. On behalf of all of their members, the officers thank the Carlinville Christmas Market Foundation for its continuing support and the Carlinville Regional Chamber of Commerce for its past role in sponsoring the House Tour.

The BPW extends a special thanks to the many homeowners who generously open their homes to the public each December and, in the process, have made the House Tour a very successful Carlinville tradition.