Apply to Holiday Market

Holiday Market 2025 is a one-day market on November 22, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm. Timed tickets will be sold to guests for morning and afternoon time slots. All artisans must join for the entire day of the market.

• Applications open on July 14, 2025, with a deadline to apply of September 1. Final decisions will be made by September 10, 2025. 
• Accepted artisans will receive an acceptance letter via email by September 10, 2025, and will have five (5) business days to submit payment to reserve their space. Review the payment link in your acceptance email. After September 15, 2025, any artisan who has not submitted payment will relinquish their space.
• The deadline to cancel space for Holiday Market is September 22. No refunds will be given after this date. No exceptions will be made.
• Should an artisan no longer be able to attend, written notice must be made to Winterthur no later than September 22, 2025, to receive a full refund. After September 22, 2025, no refunds will be issued. No exceptions are able to be made.
• Should an artist not be accepted because spaces are filled, artists may re-apply for the summer Artisan Market July 17–19, in January 2026.

Please note that all artisans of the Holiday Market must craft handmade items to be considered. Examples of such include:

• Antiques
• Artwork (any medium)
• Clothing and Accessories (handcrafted)
• Garden and floral items
• Glasswork
• Gourmet packaged culinary goods (small batch, artisanal style)
• Handcrafted Beauty Products
• Handmade Furniture and home décor items
• Jewelry
• Metalwork
• Pet accessories
• Pottery
• Sculptures
• Textiles
• Woodworking

• Artisans must create handcrafted products only. (See “Types of Artisans” for more information.) We hope to showcase innovative items that are differentiated, small-batch and connect to Winterthur’s history and mission.
• Applicants are reviewed based on ingenuity, originality, design, and aesthetic with the hope of weaving the connection of modern-day wares with that of Winterthur and its history.
• A connection to your community and an active social media presence are required since this is a collaborative market with many cross-promotional opportunities to engage and connect communities.The Holiday Market Team reviews all social media for each applicant, and this is a factor when considering artisans each year.
• We strongly consider artisans with a positive, energetic, and collaborative attitude.
• Artisans must remain for the full day of the market. No shows or early departures will result in not being welcomed back in the future.
• The Holiday Market team will visit artisans’ websites and social media channels during the review process to determine the wares, aesthetic, style, and quality align with the goals of the Holiday Market. With acceptance to the Holiday Market, Winterthur reserves the right to select any brand, product or company-related photos from the artisan’s website and/or social media to use for marketing and promotional purposes for this year’s Holiday Market at Winterthur. Winterthur will tag/credit the artisan in any photography or videography used for promotional purposes.

Artisans will be located under shared Marquee tents at the Visitor Center Patio, Greenhouse Area, or West Gallery Circle. Each space includes an 8′ table, chair, and linen. There will be a total of about 50+ artisans joining the Holiday Market. The space fee to join is $300 per artisan.

• Load-In takes place the morning of the market, 8:00–9:00 am. Artisans should arrive no later than 7:30 am to check-in at the Picnic House to be escorted to their location for the day. Spaces must be ready for guest arrival at 10:00 am.
• After check-in, all artisans will park in the Greenhouse Parking Lot for the day. This will be within walking distance to each of the hub spaces in case there is a need to replenish inventory throughout the day. There are many one-way roads throughout Winterthur, please do not navigate away from your designated areas.
• Cars can be parked within 50 feet of tent area. Artisans are responsible for their own setup and breakdown. Please be adequately prepared. Accepted artisans are welcome to visit Winterthur prior to the market to view their location and consider logistics. Vehicles may not be driven during the Market Hours to replenish—please make your way on foot for any replenishment needs.
• Winterthur staff cannot provide assistance. Should you need help with Load-In or Load-Out, you are welcome to have helpers accompany you during those times.
• Artisans must remain in their spaces all day. Winterthur cannot provide “booth sitters” for breaks. Please plan accordingly with additional assistance or become friendly with your booth neighbors. Restrooms and water are located nearby to each location for a quick trip when needed and as always, we encourage you to make friends with your fellow artisan neighbors! Each artisan will receive (2) two “Vendor Artisan Badges” to allow additional assistance in their space. For any additional help required, please plan to reserve a ticket for Holiday Market either online or with the reservations team over the phone (800.448.3888 ext. 7029).
• All artisans are expected to present a clean and aesthetically pleasing space for the entirety of the Market (no trash, boxes, clutter, etc., should be visible to guests).
• Electricity and wifi are not available to you for the Market. Please be sure to provide your own hotspot or necessary means to process electronic payments (credit cards + cash to be accepted). Where available on the estate, Winterthur’s wifi is spotty and unpredictable. Winterthur’s guest wifi password is “winterthur” 
• While Winterthur has 24-hour security, we cannot assume responsibility for your items. Please plan accordingly. Insurance is required for all vendors (COI).
• As this Market will proceed rain or shine (within safety parameters), please come prepared with tarps, bins, or other water protective materials.
• No booths or items may be taken down or removed prior to the end of each day of the Market. Should an artisan dismantle their space prior to the end of the day, that artisan will not be welcomed back.
• All load-out must occur on Saturday, November 22 by 7:00 pm. Artisan should be off the property by 7:30 pm. We are not able to arrange for next-day pick up of your inventory. 
• Lighting will be sparse, given the early sunset, so we encourage you to move as quickly as possible. Please pack all items from your space prior to moving your car close by to load. If you are able to move items via dolly or similar, please do so. There will be lingering guests on the estate so be mindful of pedestrians. 
• Trash cans will be located throughout the vendor spaces. All boxes must be broken down and no trash is to remain at or near your space each day. Please leave the space as you found it. Once you have finished breaking down your space, you may depart Winterthur grounds.
• This day is about community and showcasing the exceptional talent of all of you. It is a large undertaking for the Winterthur team, and we strive to create a positive and enjoyable atmosphere for artisans, staff, and guests. We expect the same from all vendors that join. Any vendor that does not reciprocate will not be welcomed back.

The terrain at Winterthur varies, with uneven surfaces and unpaved paths. All artisan spaces will require you to walk some distance to transport items during Load-In/Load-Out. Cars cannot be parked near artisan spaces. 

Please be mindful that Winterthur is a historic garden, and all areas of the estate should be respected and navigated by the rules put in place by staff. No driving on grass is permitted. Should you wish to visit ahead of time to see the space and plan logistics, you are welcome to do so.

The space fee to join is $300 per artisan.

Artisans are notified via the email address listed on the application. Should an artisan not be selected, they will be placed on a waitlist and may be contacted should a space become available. We do not offer rolling acceptance; instead we will review and then contact all applicants at the same time (no later than September 10).

• After the acceptance notification emails have gone out (by September 10, 2025, via email), artisans will have five (5) business days to remit payment in full for their space(s). After September 15, 2025, if payment has not been received, that artisan space will be relinquished and offered to another artisan.
• A specialized link will be included with the acceptance notification email that will direct artisans to a payment portal. Payment may be made online with a credit or over the phone with Winterthur’s reservation team (800.448.3883 ext. 7029). 
• For questions about payment, please contact Abigail Miller at amiller@winterthur.org.

• A small waitlist of applicants who submitted materials by the application deadline is kept to fill cancellations and artisans may be contacted up until the day preceding Holiday Market day to fill last-minute openings. 
• We thank you for your interest in joining Holiday Market at Winterthur. If you are not accepted, please do not be discouraged from applying again. The goal of the market is to allow an equal opportunity for all artisans to share their craft with visitors while connecting the event to Winterthur’s history and mission.

Should an artisan no longer be able to attend, written notice must be made to Winterthur no later than September 22, 2025, to receive a full refund. No refunds will be given after September 22, 2025, to artisans who can no longer attend. No exceptions will be made.

Winterthur is not responsible for insuring artisan items or displays and cannot accept responsibility for theft or damage. All accepted artisans are required to have liability insurance, and artisans must add Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library to their liability insurance and provide documentation showing this addition, along with a copy of their liability insurance declaration page. All products requiring licensing must have a copy of the appropriate license on file with Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library.

You are welcome to use whatever insurance you wish. Should you need assistance with insurance options, we have negotiated a discount with Artist Crafters & Tradesmen (ACT) insurance for non-food liability coverage and Food Liability Insurance Program (FLIP) for food vendor liability coverage. The discount coupon code for $5 off your policy is winterthur5. Use the links below to purchase coverage:

• ACT Enrollment Link:  https://app.actinsurance.com/events/6779
• FLIP Enrollment Link: https://app.fliprogram.com/events/6780

Accepted artisans only, please submit proof of insurance by November 1, 2025.

Artisans are expected to obtain any and all licenses or permits required for offsite events for their respective business and have a hard copy onsite.

Holiday Market will be promoted through an integrated marketing strategy across paid, owned, and earned channels.

The Holiday Market will be featured in Winterthur’s Calendar of Events, which is mailed to 22,000 homes each quarter and in weekly emails, which go to approximately 62K recipients. 

Vendor photos will be used to promote each artisan on social media. Acceptance and payment for a vendor location grants Winterthur and its agents the right to videotape, film, and photograph you and use your likeness and any photos submitted in connection with the commercial production and in the distribution and exhibition thereof. Please contact amiller@winterthur.org with questions. 

All artisans are expected to actively partner with Winterthur to help promote Holiday Market. Ticketing for Holiday Market opens November 3, 2025! Reservations are required and the potential to sell-out is likely.  

Please share Holiday Market details through emails, printed promotional materials and social media channels. When posting on social media, please tag @winterthurmuse and location (Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library) for reposting and sharing opportunities.

The Winterthur Holiday Market team will visit artisans’ websites and social media channels during the review process to determine the wares, aesthetic, style, and quality align with the goals of the Holiday Market. With acceptance to the Holiday Market, Winterthur reserves the right to select any brand, product, or company-related photos from the artisan’s website and/or social media to use for marketing and promotional purposes for this year’s Holiday Market at Winterthur. Winterthur will tag/credit the artisan in any photography or videography used for promotional purposes.

The Holiday Market will take place rain or shine or snow. In preparation for inclement weather, please plan accordingly for your spaces. As display areas will be under marquee tents with no sides, it is subject to weather. No refunds will be given should the Holiday Market have to be canceled or shortened due to unpredicted threatening or unsafe weather. 

For guests who purchase any items that are oversized (e.g. furniture, lawn items, paintings, etc.) and unable to be carried by hand or taken on the tram/shuttle, guests are welcome to use the Concierge Product Delivery service provided by the Winterthur team. 

To request this service, a contact will be provided for you within the welcome packet. Within the text include: 

• Artisan Location (VC Patio, Greenhouse, or West Gallery) 
• Artisan Name 
• Item description (painting, sculpture, etc.) 

Please text—do not call—with the details stated above. Winterthur is an expansive estate and navigating the grounds does take time. Please be mindful of that when waiting for an item to be retrieved. 

Please communicate this service to your guests as they visit your space, it’s a great selling tool! 

Items will be delivered to the Visitor Center Lobby where guests can pick them up as they depart for the day. Let guests know to visit the front desk as they depart. They will need their slip as well to retrieve their item, so make sure all are filled out properly.

Winterthur is not responsible for insuring artisan items or displays and cannot accept responsibility for theft or damage. All artisans are required to have their own Certificate of Insurance (COI) for the Holiday Market.