Here's a list of our most frequently asked questions about the BUST Holiday Craftacular. Please read thoroughly before filling out our application!
What is the BUST Holiday Craftacular?
From knitwear and jewelry to home décor and specialty foods, the BUST Holiday Craftacular is the one-stop shop for the very best in handmade gifts and wares. Now in our 14th year, we are bringing 150+ crafters, vintage sellers, and food artisans together for a two-day shopping, eating, and DIY-ing extravaganza in Industry City, Brooklyn’s new entertainment and activity center.
What do you mean "Celebrating women-owned* businesses"?
For this year's holiday fair, we will only be accepting vendors from companies that are owned by women or non-binary people. We want to focus on and promote these companies with our fair, and allow shoppers to know that when they buy their gifts at the BUST Craftacular, they are helping women- and non-binary-owned companies survive and thrive.
When and where does the BUST Holiday Craftacular - Brooklyn take place?
The BUST Holiday Craftacular will take place indoors at Industry City's Factory Floor, 243 37th St, Brooklyn NY. It will be open to the public on Saturday, December 7th and Sunday, December 8th, 2019 from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM each day.
Important Dates for Vendors:
Wednesday, July 31, 2019 – Applications Open with Early Bird Pricing
Tuesday, Aug 27, 2019 – Early Bird Pricing Ends
Wednesday, Aug 28, 2019: First round of acceptance notifications sent
Monday, Sept 30: Applications close
Wednesday, Oct 2, 2019 - Second round of acceptance notifications sent
Thursday, Oct 3: Applications are open on a rolling basis.
Friday, October, 25th, 2019 — 100% refund period ends (midnight)
Friday, November, 15th, 2019 — 50% refund period ends (midnight)
Saturday, December 7th, 2019 and Sunday, December 8th, 2019 – BUST Craftacular | Holiday
*Occasionally BUST will accept applications on a rolling basis after the official close date. Acceptance of late applications is not guaranteed and vendors who apply during the official vendor call will receive preferred placement. If you choose to enter a late application, you will remain subject to the refund periods. If you submit an application after the refund period, you must notify BUST in writing within 3 days of your application date.
How do I apply to be a vendor?
Fill out our application here! (But please make sure you read this FAQ in full before applying.) There is a $20 non-refundable application fee which is separate from your booth fees if selected.
What kind of vendors do you accept?
We’re looking for any and all edible/wearable/loveable/handcrafted/one-of-a-kind items and foods you’ve got. They include but are not limited to specialty foods, silk-screened items, cosmetics, knitwear, jewelry, paper goods, handbags, cards, unique vintage items, artwork and more!
BUST accepts vendors who offer handmade or small run crafts and products. Businesses who resell handmade crafts from other artisans or who have distribution in more than one state will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
Larger companies who wish to participate in the BUST Craftacular should consider getting involved through sponsorship. Corporate organizations such as CPG brands, financial services, apps, education brands or similar should contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to build a partnership arrangement. This includes artists collectives, incubators or similar. Please note that brands who do not contact the BUST team may be subject to application rejection.
Non-profit organizations are welcome to join the BUST Craftacular and apply as a standard vendor. We encourage you to contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to discover how BUST can help you reach your awareness or fundraising goals as part of an activation.
Vendors will be juried by BUST Craftacular staff on the basis of quality and uniqueness of their wares. Due to space limitations, we cannot accept all vendors. Vendors who are not accepted due to space limitations will continue to be invited to future events, and will be refunded their booth fee minus the application fee.
The Jurying Committee consists of BUST Magazine's Editor-in-Chief Debbie Stoller, Creative Director Laurie Henzel, BUST Events Manager, as well as the seasonal events staff.
We are accepting vendors from the following categories for this particular event:
Accessories
Art
Bath and Body
Books/Magazines
Bridal
Cards and Stationery
Clothing
Food/Drink (pre-packaged)
Food/Drink (prepared/hot)
Haircare
Handmade clothing and accessories (both men’s and women’s)
Hats and headwear
Housewares
Informational/Nonprofit
Jewelry
Kids
Knitwear
Lingerie (handmade and vintage)
Makeup
Nail care
Original Art
Pets
Prints and Paper Goods
Screenprinting
Tools/Crafting
Toys
Vintage clothing and accessories (both men’s and women’s)
Vintage patterns and sewing supplies
Vintage vinyl and tapes
WE ARE ONLY ACCEPTING VENDORS FROM COMPANIES THAT ARE OWNED BY WOMEN AND NON-BINARY PEOPLE.
If you have any questions about whether your products are a fit for BUST Holiday Craftactular, please email the Craftacular team (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
Can I share a booth with another vendor?
Yes. If you already know the person you'd like to share with, please indicate their name on the application form. If you would like to share a booth but don’t have a partner in mind, the BUST Craftacular team will match you up. All vendors must apply separately and provide individual permits; each vendor will be juried individually. We will attempt to accommodate shares as best as possible but this is not a guarantee.
What are the booth/table fees? What are the dimensions of a booth space?
A full booth is a 6' x 6' space on the main floor of Industry City's Factory Floor; all tables, racks, chairs, etc, must be used withinthe booth space. Booths are not curtained. Vendors are expected to bring their own extension cords, tabletop lighting (if desired), and a backup payment system. BUST will provide tables and chairs for rent only. You may bring your own table and chairs. All displays must fit within this 6’ x 6’ space (or a 6' x 12' space if you select a double booth).
Note, shared vendors must apply separately. Only two representatives per accepted application will be permitted.
| Booth Size |
Price
|
Early-Bird Price
|
|
| Double booth (12' wide by 6' deep space), both days |
$995 |
$895 |
|
| Single Booth (6' wide x 6' deep), both days |
$495 |
$445 |
|
| Single Booth (6' wide x 6' deep), one day |
$295 |
$265 |
|
| Shared Booth (3' wide x 6' deep), both days |
$295 |
$265 |
|
| Shared Booth (3' wide x 6' deep), one day |
$175 |
$155 |
|
In addition, all applicants are required to pay a non-refundable application fee of $20.
You will be prompted to pay your booth fee via credit card or PayPal at the time of application. Your application will not be considered unless you have paid the booth fee in its entirety when you apply.
*Please note that there are many factors involved in granting a 1-day table. If you select this option, the BUST Craftacular will place vendors in available booths for their selected day in the order that they applied. Please be sure you are available for both show dates if you select this option as we cannot always accommodate a day preference.
BUST will not share nonpublic contact information with vendors who are sharing tables, nor contact another vendor on your behalf. If you are sharing a table, please plan on using the table in your booth display so you do not disturb your boothmate.
For examples of BUST Craftacular coverage and vendor testimonials, see here.
What are "Premium" Booth options?
BUST considers any corner booth closest to the entrance side of the layout, any booth located in the first vendor row by the entrance, or any booth in a row whereby attendees must pass the booth in order to enter a new vendor row a Premium space. Premium spaces are available only for 2-day Standard or large-sized booths. Premium Standard sized booths will be priced at an additional cost of $125 and Premium Large sized booths will be an additional $200. The large and Standard Premium booths give you an entire end-cap on a vendor row. There are a limited number of Premium booths subject to the determination of the Fire Marshall. If you elect a premium booth space when you apply and BUST is unable to provide you with one due to space limitations, the fee paid for the premium booth option will be refunded to you before the show date. Alternatively, if you select a Premium booth space and wish to downgrade your space, you must do so before the refund dates listed in this FAQ.
Is electricity provided?
Yes, but please bring your own extension cords.
Is wi-fi provided?
Yes—you will receive an access code for one device. Please note that though we will have tech staff on hand, wi-fi glitches can happen—especially with over 150 vendors using the network at the same time. Please come prepared with low-tech payment and display alternatives!
What if I have to drop out of the BUST Craftacular? What is your refund policy?
Full refunds of booth price less the application fee ($20) will be available if we are notified before Friday, October 25th, 2019
Refunds of 50% of booth price are available if we are notified before Friday, November 15th, 2019.
After November 15th, we will not be able to refund your fee.
All refunds will be issued excluding a $20 non-refundable jurying fee. This fee covers the administrative costs of jurying the hundreds of applications we receive for each BUST Craftacular.
Can I leave my items at the venue overnight?
Yes, you can leave your items and display setups at the venue overnight if you wish. Although the venue will be secure, we recommend that you take any cash or valuables with you. BUST Magazine and Industry City are not responsible for any items you choose to leave overnight.
Do I need a vendor’s permit?
New York State requires a Certificate of Authority (COA) for all vendors who accept cash transactions. (This certificate shows that you are legally able to collect sales tax.) If you are selling prepared or packaged food, you need a valid Food Protection Certificate in addition to the COA.
BUST requires that vendors have their COA in hand a week before the Craftacular. If you do not already have it, we highly recommend applying for it the week of October 7th, as this process can take several weeks. If you have any questions about the certificate or the application process, please refer to the How to Register for New York State Certificate of Authority website. Due to the volume of questions regarding the BUST Holiday Craftacular, please check NYS’s website first before contacting This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any additional inquiries.
How will the BUST Craftacular be promoted?
The BUST Craftacular contracts a private PR firm for each event to gain coverage from local news outlets. BUST will also tap sister publications, celebrities and press contacts for coverage. BUST's team will appear for television and radio spots when available to promote the event.
In addition, BUST conducts the following advertising programs:
- Advertising campaigns on craft websites, local press outlets, and social platforms
- Postcards/poster distribution
- Emails to local and national mailing lists (70K subscribers)
- E-ticketing sites
- Promotion on bust.com (both banner ads and advertorials) and in BUST Magazine
- Social media (Twitter, FaceBook, Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr)
- Press releases to new outlets
Vendors and supporters are also encouraged to use ad units listed on a Promote page to help advertise the event. We also LOVE for our talented vendors and fans to post to the event Facebook page or use hashtag #bustcraftacular.
What kinds of information will be listed on the BUST Craftacular website?
In addition to the online vendor application and FAQs, the BUST Craftacular website will list all participating vendors with a link to their company website. Additionally, BUST may list any social media pages you provide, your company description, and photos of products chosen by the jury committee from your website. You will be asked for these materials when you apply.
Company image should be 600px by 600px (usually a nice image of one of your best-selling products does well for this) in jpg, png, or gif format. You will also be asked to send along a 150 to 250-word description of your company, and a URL that you would like your profile to link to.
PDFs, Word documents, .eps, .tiff, and any other file that does not meet these size and format requirements will not be posted on BUST.com. BUST will try to make accommodations for vendors who do not submit web-ready materials as requested, however, accommodations are at the team's discretion and it is each vendor's responsibility to provide the correct materials.
How can I help?
We welcome all volunteers wanting to help spread the word on the BUST Craftacular. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
I'd like to promote my brand or product at the BUST Craftacular. How can I do that?
We're always looking for like-minded companies to participate as sponsors in the BUST Craftacular. If you'd like information on sponsorship opportunities, please contact Maggie Tam Clark (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
Vendor Conduct at Events
Vendors are expected to act courteously and professionally towards attendees, BUST Staff, venue staff and other vendors. Vendors are also expected to comply with all laws as well as venue rules and regulations. Non-compliance may result in event ejection without refund. Come prepared to sell your products for the entire duration of the event. Vendors who are no-shows, leave before the end of the event or are disruptive may not be allowed to participate in subsequent events. Vendors are expected to make their best effort to create a successful event and to work with Event Producers amicably to do so.
Unforeseeable Events
The BUST staff is committed to producing a successful event for all involved. However, occasionally, events beyond our control may occur. This includes, but is not limited to, undesirable weather conditions, sunshine, 3rd party vendor failures, and much more. BUST is also not responsible for vendor's personal belongings, goods, sales, or vehicles. BUST will commit to delivering a venue for the sale of goods, table, and advertising as described above. BUST also tries to provide reasonable accommodations to vendors in order to create a successful event but is not always able to make such accommodations. Refunds will not be issued for unforeseeable events and BUST highly recommends vendors consider the risks involved in participating in a live event before committing funds.
THANK YOU!
