by Amanda Hariri (Marketing Maven at Girl Gang Craft)
Whether you’re a maker or a craft fair connoisseur, you know that the post-holidays lull is over and craft fair season is upon us once again! As usual, we’re here to get your calendar packed with dates for amazing upcoming markets happening all over the beautiful Bay Area.
Dust off your wagons and tell all the neighbors: Here are nine upcoming Bay Area craft fairs to attend or apply to as a maker this spring and summer.
Not a Bay Area maker? Stay tuned for our next blog post covering upcoming markets in the Boston/New England area, and be sure to apply to our spring show in Salem, MA happening on May 22nd, 2022.
Ever heard of us? Girl Gang Craft is the ultimate craft fair for women, non-binary, and trans makers, artists, and healers. We offer a rad feminist merch line and strive to provide brand education so our community of creatives can take their work to the next level, both in-person and online. At GGC, we’re always looking for high-quality products, professional photographs, authentic and cohesive branding, and missions aligned with our personal values.
Coming up:
May 7, 2022
Scottish Rite Center (inside), Oakland, CA
Applications open now + close March 25.
May 22, 2022
Old Town Hall (indoor/outdoor), Salem, MA
Applications open now + close March 25.
West Coast Craft features artists and designer craftspeople from across the US who embody the West Coast lifestyle. It takes place at Fort Mason in San Francisco. Come for the laid-back vibes, leave feeling inspired and ready to create your next best work.
Note: This event is highly selective in its application acceptances.
Coming up:
April 9, 2022
Fort Mason Center, San Francisco
Applications are now closed.
June 11 + 12, 2022 Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco
Applications are now closed.
WCC x Outside Lands Marketplace
August 5-7, 2022
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Applications open soon!
HEAD WEST is an outdoor retail marketplace curated by founder Jimmy Brower that provides an IRL platform for emerging and established artists multiple times a month at various venues across California.
Coming up:
HEAD WEST at the SF Ferry Building
March 6, 2022
April 3, 2022
May 1, 2022
Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA
March 12 + 13, 2022
April 9 + 10, 2022
May 7 + 8, 2022
The Barlow, Sebastopol, CA
HEAD WEST at Hangar 1 Distillery
March 20, 2022
April 17, 2022
May 15, 2022
Hangar 1 Distillery, Alameda, CA
HEAD WEST All Vintage at Fourth Street
March 26, 2022
Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA
April 24, 2022
Hayes Valley, San Francisco, CA
See full calendar + apply here.
Patchwork Show is put on by Dear Handmade Life throughout California each year. This is a very inclusive show—in fact, it was GGC founder Phoebe’s first craft fair when she was making jewelry!
Coming up:
June 11, 2022
Jack London Square, Oakland, CA
June 25 + 26, 2022
Old Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa, CA
Applications for both shows are open + close March 5.
5. Sip Shop Eat
Sip Shop Eat is a Black-owned curated marketplace that introduces a stellar lineup of unique brands to new audiences in their IRL and virtual events. SSE launched in 2017 and has rapidly expanded to major cities across the US.
Coming up:
July 16 + 17, 2022
Oak Stop, Oakland, CA
Renegade came to life in Chicago back in 2003 and has since seen tremendous growth through grassroots support. Today, Renegade has events in several major cities across the US as well as a virtual shop and large artist collective.
Coming up:
April 2 + 3, 2022
Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco
Applications for this show are closed.
The Craneway Craft Fair is a juried selection of affordable art, crafts, and gifts presented by 130 artists and craftspeople. It’s family and pet-friendly, and admission is free to the public.
Coming up:
Craneway Craft Fair - Summer Edition
June 25 + 26, 2022
Craneway Pavilion, Richmond, CA
San José Made helps creative small businesses grow their business and brand in San José and the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Their online shop showcases over 4,000 products from local small businesses. They also host events, pop-up markets, and other retail activations for creative entrepreneurs throughout the year.
Coming up:
March 12 + 13, 2022
The Plex, San José, CA
Applications are closed.
Oakland Vintage Market is held on the first Saturday of every month and hosted by Narrative, a modern vintage collective. The market features around 50 vintage vendors selling furniture, art, vinyl, clothing, home goods, and more.
Coming up:
Oakland Vintage Market
March 5, 2022
222 Jefferson Street, Oakland, CA
To apply for an upcoming show, contact oaklandvintagemarket@gmail.com.
Good luck applying, makers—and happy browsing, craft fair lovers! Keep in mind that each of these shows has its own COVID-related safety protocols in place, so please do review that information prior to attending.
For more on how to nail your next show, download our free Booth Design Guide and Craft Fair Checklist. Then, tune into our podcast episode Craft Fair Tips for some tried and true tips from GGC founder, Phoebe Sherman.