Moscow Renaissance Fair

East City Park, Moscow, ID

Artisan Guidelines

Saturday May 5 & Sunday May 6, 2012

Application due March 1
Hello, artists, crafters, and service providers! We are gearing up for the 39th annual Moscow Renaissance Fair with outstanding music and entertainment, wonderful food, and unique hand-crafted arts and crafts. Admission is FREE to the public. The Moscow Renaissance Fair is a non-profit organization. Proceeds go toward supporting, developing, and advertising the Fair. We concentrate our energies on good publicity, planning for events, and securing the highest quality arts and entertainment. We are self-supporting and accept no corporate sponsorships.

The Fair is held outside under the trees at East City Park, Third and Monroe Streets, the weekend of the first Sunday in May. Festivities for craft booths will be Saturday from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine. Main stage live music will go into the night. There will also be about 20 non-commercial food booths–profits from which go to non-profit operations for the betterment of the community–and lots of kids' activities.

The participation of artisans with unique and high-quality hand-made wares is a vital part of our festival. The Moscow Renaissance Fair maintains a high standard of vendor quality and excellence using a juried screening process that provides space for approximately 135 10'x10' crafts booths. Only original work designed and crafted by the artist may be sold. No imported, commercially assembled or "kit" type items will be allowed. Items of interest to children must not be dangerous. In the spirit of encouraging positive, non-threatening play items, no children's swords, knives, sling-shots, rubber band guns or other such items will be permitted.

In keeping with the spirit of the Moscow Renaissance Fair, costumes and booth decorations (anything spring-like, colorful, and festive) are encouraged.

We sincerely appreciate your cooperation in adhering to these guidelines. In order to be fair to all, artisans not following these guidelines will be asked to leave and/or will not be invited back to the Fair.

We look forward to receiving your application and to another great celebration of spring!

Moscow Renaissance Fair Web Site
From the Moscow Renaissance Fair web site (moscowrenfair.org) you can print the artisan/craft booth and food booth guidelines and application forms, and see a map of the layout of the Fair in the park and other information about the Fair. As planning progresses, you can see entertainment schedules and lists of participating artisans and food vendors. During the fair, one can listen to the main stage entertainment "live" through the site (thanks to KUOI FM).
Craft categories Booth location and special needs requests
Booth spaces are assigned at the discretion of the Fair board. If you have a site preference, so indicate (noting first, second and third choices) in the application form comment section (refering to the park map) and we will do our best to fill your request. Requests will be handled on a first-requested basis. Please get your requests in early if you have a strong location preference, and realize that we do our best to accommodate everyone's needs and requests, but it is virtually impossible to place everyone in their first preference. Also note any special booth needs you may have.
Waiting list
In the event that your application is not accepted due to insufficient booth space and you would like to be on our waiting list (in case another vendor cancels), please so indicate on the application form. In this case we would hold your booth check until the fair. We will try to give people on the waiting list at least one week's notice.
Application
Apply online, and then mail two checks payable to Moscow Renaissance Fair, one for the non-refundable application fee and one for the booth or vendor fee. Both checks are due with your application; if you are not accepted for the fair, your booth/vendor check will be returned to you or destroyed (unless you are placed on the waiting list).

With the checks, mail 4 photos of your crafts, labeled with name and address. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you would like your photos–and your booth/vendor check if you are not accepted–returned. Include one photo of your booth if possible. Wanderers should show how their wares will be transported. Keep in mind that presentation is important–be as professional as possible, as this is ALL the jury has to go on. Please do not send examples of work.
Deadlines
Please mail your checks and photos postmarked by March 1st. This will allow us to notify you of acceptance or regrets by the middle of March. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.



At The Fair


Check in with the craft booth coordinator when you arrive. She will be in the craft booth area (west side of the park) Friday afternoon and Saturday morning with parking permits and sales tax forms and answers to your questions. If you do not check in or physically appear on the site by 9 a.m. Saturday, your booth space will be assigned to someone on the waiting list who is present at the park at that time.

Booth set-up and take-down
Set-up of just the booth structures may begin no earlier than noon on Friday. You must not put wares or equipment in the booths on Friday. There is security for both Friday and Saturday evening; however, the Moscow Renaissance Fair cannot take responsibility for any stolen or damaged property. The rest of the set up may begin at dawn Saturday morning.

The crafts portion of the Fair is 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Please do not break down your booth before 5 p.m. Sunday.
Street access for set-up and take-down
We expect the city to block off the 2 side streets adjacent to the park for loading and unloading Friday 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., and Sunday 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Display of the Moscow Renaissance Fair Parking Permit with your assigned booth number will be mandatory to gain access and you must be actively setting up or taking down. Do not block emergency access to the park, double park, or create blind spots. No driving or parking on the grass is allowed at any time. Vehicles left after 10 a.m. will be subject to ticketing and/or towing by the Moscow Police Department. We may have volunteers to help you with unloading and loading, but please don't depend on it.

If you need assistance, please let us know ahead of time so we may help.
Security
Artisans are responsible for the security of their booths and the booth contents over the weekend. The Moscow police are aware of the Fair and they will provide increased surveillance of the park.
Recycling
Artisans are responsible for cleaning up their own booth areas at break-down. Thanks to some very dedicated folks, we have an extensive recycling program (greater than 75% diversion from the landfill) that requires your assistance and compliance to be successful. We encourage maximum recycling and composting from our vendors and the public. If possible, purchase food items sold by Moscow Renaissance Fair food vendors, as all of their saleable items and wares are compostable. Please adhere to the posted signs at the numerous recycling stations around the park, or ask Fair personnel for assistance, to keep this program running efficiently.
Idaho state sales tax forms
The Moscow Renaissance Fair will not be responsible for collecting tax money. A copy of the required Idaho state tax form will be provided to you on site by the crafts coordinator upon check-in. If you have an Idaho Sales Tax number, be sure to bring it to the Fair with you so you can include it on the form. If you don't have a tax number, you can use the temporary number provided on the form.
Hospitality booth
The Fair will have a hospitality booth with a craft-booth watcher on call, beverages for vendors, and power for charging credit card machines.
Miscellaneous
The Moscow Renaissance Fair is an outdoor fair that is held rain or shine. Please be sure that you have plenty of cover for yourself. The weather is something that we cannot control and we advise all vendors to come prepared for anything. If you have a propane heater, consider bringing it. A covered booth is probably the best for this fair.

Please leave your dogs at home.

Alcohol is not allowed in the park.


If you intend to stay in a hotel, motel, or B&B in the area please reserve as soon as possible as they often fill up, especially when UI or WSU graduation occurs during a Moscow Renaissance Fair weekend.

Send questions to mrf_crafts [at] moscowrenfair.org

Please apply online and then mail your checks and photos.

Linda Canary, 2012 Moscow Renaissance Fair crafts coordinator

Moscow Renaissance Fair | P.O. Box 8848 | Moscow, ID 83843 USA
moscowrenfair.org