Capital Art and Craft Festival – December 2026

Overview

The Capital Art and Craft Festival is a juried festival held at the DTC Expo Center in Sterling, Virginia, drawing buyers from Virginia, Maryland, DC, and beyond. The festival features thousands of art and craft enthusiasts searching for unique pieces for personal collections, gifts, home decor, and fashionable clothing. The venue is a new two-level indoor facility attached to Dulles Town Center with free parking and easy access.

Key Dates

• August 6, 2026 - Applications open
• September 4, 2026 - Jury deliberation begins (rolling jury until booth space is full)
• September 11, 2026 - Invitations to participate begin to be sent out
• September 12, 2026 onwards - 7-10 day turnaround for applications
• October 15, 2026 - Booth payment due
• October 30, 2026 - Last date for full refund; 100% cancellation fee applies after this date
• December 10, 2026 - Artist set up 9am-7pm
• December 11-13, 2026 - Festival dates

Eligibility

Open to artists who handmake art and craft. Only creators of the art/craft should apply. Buy/sell, kit-made, mass-produced, and pet-related items are not accepted. Artists found in violation during set-up or the festival will be required to close their booth with no refund.

Media & Categories

• Wearable Art - fiber including dying, weaving, leather, quilting (factory or mass-produced not permitted)
• Fiber Non-wearables - dying, weaving, leather, quilting, papermaking
• Glass - blown, fused, stained, mosaic, and torched glass (no mass or factory produced)
• Jewelry - original jewelry created without commercial molds, casts, or production studio; chains not made by the artist may be sold as part of the overall product
• Metal - functional and sculptured art incorporating metal
• Mixed Media - original art of two and three dimensions joining two or more mediums/materials
• Painting and Prints - oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, etc.
• Photography - signed prints from original negatives or digital files processed by the artist
• Pottery/Clay - original clay, ceramic, porcelain, stoneware, or earthenware functional and non-functional work (no machine-made or mass produced)
• Printmaking - hand-pulled original work from plate, stone, block, or other objects (limited edition)
• Wood - hand-tooled, machine worked, turned, or carved work
• Apothecary - handmade soaps, candles, lotions, bath and personal care items
• Specialty Food and Beverage - handmade items packaged for offsite consumption, not mass produced, for human consumption only (no pet treats)

Application Requirements

Submit 4 photos of your work and 1 booth display photo through Zapplication for jury review. The work represented in the images must match the work displayed at the festival. Items not in harmony with your application may not be displayed or sold.

Fees

• Application/Jury fee: $45 (non-refundable)
• Booth space options: 10' x 10' - $750; 10' x 15' - $1,125 (limited); 10' x 20' - $1,450; Corner fees - $200 (limited); Larger spaces available in 10' increments
• Booth payment due within 15 days of receiving invoice; payments fully refundable if requested by October 30, 2026
• Cancellations after October 30, 2026 subject to 100% cancellation fee

Jury & Selection

Jury deliberation begins September 4, 2026, with rolling jury until booth space is full. Initial invitations begin September 11, 2026. For applications received after September 12, 2026, there is a 7-10 day turnaround. Accepting an invitation through Zapplication secures your booth space; the invitation alone does not. Categories fill up, so prompt acceptance is recommended.

Setup & Festival Dates

• Full setup day: Thursday, December 10, 2026, 9am-7pm
• Festival dates: Friday, December 11, 2026; Saturday, December 12, 2026; Sunday, December 13, 2026

Artist Amenities

• Full-time onsite staff to help with success
• 50 complimentary customer tickets (code sent 30 days prior)
• Personalized promotional postcards, digital flyers, and social media graphics
• Printed Artist Directory and Shopping Guide distributed to festival buyers and available online
• Booth sitters for breaks
• Porter services for move-in/out (tips appreciated)
• Discounted hotel rates
• Free parking