Saturday, September 19th, 2026 (9AM-4PM)
and Sunday, September 20th, 2026, (10AM-4PM)
The Arts and Crafts Fair is located on historic Town Common in the heart of Townsend, Massachusetts, at the junction of Route 119 and 13. Food and Snacks are available and there are restroom facilities on site. Please join us and help us make our annual event a success!
Greetings!
We are excitedly planning the 45th annual Townsend Historical Society Arts and Craft Fair. We invite you to join us. To make this the best yet, we’re planning lots of complementary activities like music, artisan demonstrations and a few surprises to attract many visitors to the Common. Artisan demonstrations are a great way to improve your exposure and increase sales. Will you do a demo and make this a great fair?
Please read the following information carefully as the rules of the fair are outlined here followed by the application form. Failure to follow these directions and rules is grounds for rejections or dismissal.
Arts and Craft Fair 2026 Application
Fair Requirements:
The Townsend Historical Society is looking for vendors that have quality, handmade products that show creativity and technical expertise. Components of the products that are not handmade must be of high quality and cannot dominate its appearance. Factory-produced items or objects made from kits are unacceptable. You will be asked to leave the Common immediately if these rules are not followed. Applications are reviewed by a three-person committee made up of the fair coordinator and two additional jurors. Applicants will receive a mailed/emailed notification if your application has been accepted. Late applications will be rejected.
Categories of Work (but not limited to):
- Baskets, botanicals, glass, leather, woodworking, metal casting, dolls, jewelry
- Fiber and textile arts like knitting, rug braiding, rug hooking, embroidery, quilting, weaving, spinning, sewing
- Artwork, calligraphy, photography, prints, wood carving, clay
- Foodstuffs such as honey and bee products, small batch preserves, etc.
Artisans who are willing and able to demonstrate their crafts are certainly welcome to the fair. We will attempt to accommodate your needs as best we can. We also want to make sure we highlight your activity.
Nonprofit and community organizations may setup a booth. Participants must fill out the same application as the vendors and receive approval from the fair coordinator.
IMPORTANT: Photographs of your work and of your display must accompany your application. See details in the form for specific requirements. Failure to provide all the required information and payment is grounds for rejection.
Space Allocation
Spaces are 10’ x 15.’ If you have a space preference, please include it in your application (mark on the plan in application). We will honor it if we can. Spaces with shade or access to electricity are limited, so get your request in early. We try not to locate artisans with similar products near each other. Set – up no closer than 2 ft.to the sidewalk.
Map of the Fair. Participants should indicate a booth location on their application and we will do our best to honor all requests.
Schedule
Fair hours are from 9AM to 4PM on Saturday and 10AM to 4PM on Sunday. You must check in by 8AM on Saturday and by 9AM on Sunday. If you are unable to come either day of the Fair, we would appreciate indication ahead of time or a phone call if an emergency (978-597-2106). Please store boxes, etc. under cloth-covered tables or in vehicles; nothing should obstruct the sidewalks on the Common. We do require that you do not break down your display until after 4PM on Sunday to be respectful of other vendors and our patrons.
You may setup on Friday evening after 5 and up to 7PM. Vendors with large setups or trailers are encouraged to use this to avoid navigation issues Saturday morning. Setup is done with the understanding that you alone are responsible for the security of your setup and belongings. We attempt to be accommodating and helpful so please let us know if you have a hardship which may arise, for example a long distance traveler, from time to time.
Setup on Saturday or Sunday is anytime after 7AM. To avoid chaos, we ask that vendors with an even number plan to arrive around 7:30AM, and those with an an odd number by 8AM to stagger arrivals. The fair opens promptly at the time noted so please plan to be ready for business.
Should you fail to notify the Coordinator of not participating on one or both days, your jeopardize your invitation for next year. We want to know in advance so we can strategically place our vendors and prevent any gaps from forming.
Parking
There is no auto access on the Common. You must hand cart your merchandize to your space. Call us in advance if you have any special needs for moving your materials. Call 978-597-2106 to arrange for assistance.
Parking is limited. In the morning, you can park along the sides of the Common, but you must move your vehicle after you are through unloading. Artisan parking is available at the back lot of the Common along Route 13 or on one of the smaller streets nearby and behind Town Hall. If you need a ride back and forth to your car we will be happy to help. If you need someone to watch over your booth while you are gone, we will help. There is no parking along the sidewalk on the Route 119 or Route 13 sides of the Common or at any of the churches. Keep Brookline Street available for visitors!
Security
Although you will still be responsible for your own belongings, we will be hiring overnight security for Saturday night. Be sure your things are secure.
Weather
The Fair is scheduled for rain or shine. Please provide adequate cover for merchandise in case of rain. An early departure is not kindly looked upon.
Vendor Donation
Returning this year, the Society will be conducting a raffle over the entire weekend. We are asking vendors to make a donation of your product, worth at least $15. We ask that all vendors contribute and provide a basic description so we can determine the space we need for our setup. Your donation offsets the need to raise vendor fees. Vendors helped us raise over $1,000 in 2022 so the collective contributions provide another attraction to the fair.
Deadlines and Application Fees
For one or both Fair days: through July 31 — $75
August 1 to September 1 — $80
If you are a one day vendor, please indicate on your application.
As a juried show, no applications can be accepted after September 1.
No refunds will be issued after September 1, 2026.
45th Annual Arts & Craft Fair Entry Fee
Vendors have the option to pay the fair entry fee either via cash/check (mailed or given in-person), or online. Please follow the instructions to make a payment if you wish to pay online via Paypal. Payment must be received with your application please. Contact us with any questions.
$75.00
Application Submissions and Questions
Applicants may submit their applications online this year by emailing them to the fair coordinator at: townsendartsandcraftfair@yahoo.com. Be sure to include a PDF of the application, and any attachments which are properly labeled. If you need assistance with the application, or have questions, you may reach our office by emailing townsendhistoricalsociety@yahoo.com or calling (978) 597-2106. Mailed applications (with payment) may be mailed to the Townsend Historical Society at P.O. Box 95, Townsend, MA 01469.
About Us and Event History
The Townsend Historical Society is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of our local history. Headquartered in the historic Reed Homestead in Townsend Harbor, the organization maintains an archival center, museum and four other historic structures clustered in the heart of a former industrial village along the Squannacook River. Our collections span three centuries of history and we seek to share them by building bridges that connect to all aspects of everyday life. We welcome and encourage new members from all parts who share our passion for history, Townsend and the preservation of the arts and crafts.
Since 1981, the Townsend Arts and Craft Fair has been dedicated to providing an outlet for quality vendors and their wares. Townsend Common, the heart our community and illustrated below in 1880, provides the perfect backdrop for the fall fair. It is situated on a major crossroads with traffic traveling in all cardinal directions. North-Central Massachusetts is known for its antique trail, apple picking and as the gateway to the Monadnock region. The fair draws on local and regional tourism, and advertises extensively in order to receive the widest possible exposure. Our success has been measured through seeing familiar faces matched by an equal number of new visitors. The previous year, we had fifty-five vendors and over five-hundred visitors. We expect to match or exceed this goal again.
Questions
If you have questions, please call us at 978-597-2106 and leave a message. You may also send an email to townsendartsandcraftfair@yahoo.com and townsendhistoricalsociety@yahoo.com.