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Our Next Big Event: San José Winter Wonder Market 2024 (Dec. 14-15)!
Our Next Big Event: San José Winter Wonder Market 2024 (Dec. 14-15)!
Apply to Vend - SJMADE Holiday Fair 2025

Apply to Vend - SJMADE Holiday Fair 2025

by San José Made
$500.00

Please read through the instructions below before applying to SJMADE Holiday Fair 2025. If you have any questions before or after submitting your vendor application, please email events@sanjosemade.com with the subject line "SJMADE Holiday Fair 2025 - [Your Business Name]". 

 

SJMADE Holiday Fair 2025, the largest holiday craft fair in the Bay Area returns on Nov. 28-29, 2025. Located at Santa Clara Convention Center. Featuring 350+ amazing makers, artists, designers, creators, bakers, crafters and creative small businesses PLUS fun festive activities and activations stations.  

 

Event Details

  • Dates & Times: November 28 (11 am to 6 pm) + November 29 (11 am to 6 pm)
  • Venue: Santa Clara Convention Center (indoors)
  • Address: 5001 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, CA 95054
  • Info: Free admission for attendees. All ages. Service animals only.

 

Instructions on How to Apply - PLEASE READ

Failure to read application instructions may result in your application being automatically rejected.

Instructions

  1. To successfully submit your application, you must go through the online checkout process (i.e. paying for your booth). Don't worry about the pick-up / delivery method, just choose whatever. Since this is a digital vendor application, whichever option you choose will not matter.
  2. Our team will send you an admission notification (accepted / waitlisted / rejected) within the stated time (scroll down to the "Notification" section). Submitting an application to the event does NOT automatically mean your application to vend has been accepted. 
  3. Note: At some point before admissions are sent out, you may receive a notification that your order status has gone from "unfulfilled" to "fulfilled". This only means that we've begun to process your application, and has no implication of application acceptance.

FAQ: "I successfully submitted my application and paid the fees. Does this mean I'm automatically confirmed to vend for the event date(s)?"

  • No. Submitting your application on our website and paying the fees associated with the application simply means that you've successfully applied to the event.
  • Once we receive your application (and booth fee), our team will review your application. You will receive an admission notification (accepted / waitlisted / rejected) within the stated amount of time on the vendor application page (see below). If your application is accepted, you're all set. If your application is rejected, we will fully refund your fees. If your application is waitlisted, you will have the option of staying on the waitlist OR withdrawing your application and receiving a full refund of your fees. 
  • What do we review? For every applicant, we will review your website (if any), Instagram (if any) and any additional content you shared with us about your work (photos, descriptions). Additionally, if you've done events with us before, we will take into consideration our past experiences with having you vend at our event(s). Please note that if you do NOT include a website or Instagram in your application, you should email us at events@sanjosemade.com with photos of your work and a description of your work and your business. Without this content, we will be unable to review your application and will reject your application to vend. 
  • Why do we jury applications? Our goal in jurying applications is to ensure that the vendors who participate in our events are good fits for the event and, therefore, are positioned for success in both sales and customer engagement. If your application is not accepted, this does not mean we don't like your work. It also does not mean that future applications from you will not be accepted. We have had many, many, many vendor applicants whose application was rejected for one event, go on to do many events with us beyond that. Additionally, we jury applications so that we can achieve a healthy balance to the diversity of product types offered at an event (i.e. not having too much of a product type represented at the event). 

FAQ: "I applied early. Does this mean my application is more likely to be accepted?"

  • No. So long as you submit your application within the application window (for SJMADE Holiday Fair 2025, the application window is Dec. 3, 2024 to Mar. 9, 2025), your application will be juried in the same fashion as other applications submitted during this window–regardless of when it was submitted within the window. 

Admissions Notification

  • The Vendor Application Deadline is Mar. 9, 2025. All applications submitted before this date will receive a vendor application status notification (via email) on Mar. 17, 2025. This status notification will share whether or not the applicant's application has been accepted / rejected / waitlisted.
  • If your application is accepted, you're all set. You'll receive further instructions and information about vending in your application status notification email.
  • If your application is waitlisted, you will have the option to remain on the waitlist OR withdraw from the waitlist and receive a full refund of your fee. Your waitlisted application notification will contain additional information to help guide you through the waitlist process.
  • If your application is rejected, you will receive a full refund of your fee.  

Any questions?

Email us at events@sanjosemade.com with the following subject line:

SJMADE Holiday Fair 2025 - Vendor Inquiry: [INSERT YOUR BUSINESS NAME]

Notes for Vendors from Previous Years

  • Application acceptance is NOT guaranteed for vendors whose applications were accepted for a previous SJMADE event or for the SJMADE Holiday Fair 2024 event. Each year, each application is juried by our application jury regardless of what happened with your application in previous years. 
  • Booth assignments from previous years is not guaranteed upon acceptance for this year's event (or subsequent years' events). Additionally, we do not take specific booth location requests. 

 

Pricing

Vendor Type

  • Non-Food/Drink (+$0). If you do not plan to sell food and/or drink items during the event, please select this option.
  • Low Risk Food/Drink (+$125). If you plan to sell food and/or drink items during the event, please select this option. The overall fee for food/drink vendor applicants INCLUDES your $125 Santa Clara County Health RC1 Low Risk Temporary Food Facility Permit Fee. If what you sell requires a Temporary Food Facility Permit above the RC1 Low Risk permit, we will NOT accept your application to vend (e.g. food that requires on-site preparation and/or cooking). To read more about Temporary Food Facility Permits, view the Santa Clara County's page on them: https://cpd.sccgov.org/programs-and-services/temporary-events.
    • NOTE: Due to venue restrictions, we will NOT be able to host any vendors who sell food/drink items that require on-site preparation and cooking. We will NOT be able to host any vendors who sell food/drink items designed to be consumed on-site. All food/drink items must be packaged and sealed in a way that discourages on-site consumption. You must also have a sign at your booth discouraging customers from consuming your products onsite.
    • If you would like to know whether or not your food/drink items qualify for the event, please email us at events@sanjosemade.com with information about your food/drink items before applying.

 

Booth Type

  • Double Booth (20'x10') (+$900). This is the largest booth size we offer through the application process. If you're interested in a booth size larger than this, please first email us at events@sanjosemade.com with your business name, website / social media (if available) and a description of what you'd be selling — however there is no guarantee that we will be interested in accommodating booths larger than double booths. All double booths come with one of the two booths placed on a corner.
  • Full Booth - Corner Location (10'x10') (+$500). If you apply to vend using this option and your application is accepted, you will receive a full 10'x10' booth and you will be placed in a corner booth location, unless we run out of corner spaces, in which case we will send more details on your acceptance email.
    • Apply for this option if you’d like to vend from a full 10'x10' corner booth location at the event. In your acceptance email, we will confirm your corner booth placement; however please note, there are scenarios where we accept your application but cannot accommodate a corner booth placement for you, in which case, we will offer you the ability to take a full inline booth space (10'x10') and receive a partial refund on your booth fee OR to withdraw from the event entirely and receive a full refund of your booth fee.
  • Full Booth - Inline Location (10'x10') (+$400). If you apply to vend using this option and your application is accepted, you will receive a full 10'x10' inline booth. Inline = non-corner location. 
  • If you're a vendor who wants to share a 10'x10' booth space AND already knows with whom you want to SHARE YOUR BOOTH with, please select one of the above options (Double, Full Corner, Full Inline). When filling out this vendor application, you'll be prompted to include information about your preferred boothmate (business name, name, email, website, Instagram, phone number, CA seller's permit number and any additional info). Please make sure to include your preferred boothmate's information, otherwise we will not be able to consider them for the event. If you have MORE THAN ONE preferred boothmate, please include everyone's information in the NOTES section of the application. Please note that all of the applicants within a shared booth application will be judged individually. There are rare scenarios where we accept one shared booth applicant but not the other(s).
  • If you're a vendor who wants to share a 10'x10' booth space BUT does not have another specific vendor to share their booth with, please select the Shared Booth (10'x10') (+$300). If you apply to vend using this option and your application is accepted, you will share a 10'x10' booth space with another vendor with whom we will pair you. If you have any questions about this, please email us at events@sanjosemade.com. We will be requiring all Shared Booths vendors to follow the configuration in this diagram unless there is explicit consent from both vendors. If you do NOT want to share a booth with another vendor, we recommend you apply for a Full Booth. NOTE: We will no longer be accepting food/drink vendors who apply for a Shared Booth option. 

IMPORTANT: 

  • Any vendors who have NOT been officially accepted to vend at SJMADE Holiday Fair 2025 will not be allowed to vend at the event. If you include another vendor within your booth space without our explicit permission prior to the event, you will be banned from all future San José Made events. 
  • Booths are non-transferable. If you decide to withdraw from the event, you will not be able to sell or transfer your booth to another vendor. If you sell your booth space to another vendor, both you and the vendor who bought the booth from you will be banned from all future San José Made events.

 

Additional Vendor Details

  • Load-in. There will be a Wednesday afternoon load-in window as well as a Friday morning load-in window for the event. If possible, we always recommend the Wednesday load-in option as it is significantly easier and smoother for vendors, and provides ample time to get their booth just right. The venue is locked and secured overnight. 
  • Tables & Chairs. Vendors will need to bring their own table(s) and chair(s) though there will be a rentals option for 8' table, 6' tables, table covers and chairs. If vendors would like to rent one or some of these items, they will need to sign up at least one month prior to the event. A vendor rentals link will be shared in the application acceptance email.
  • Electricity. Vendors will be able to pay for access to electricity at their booth. A vendor rentals link will be shared in the application acceptance email. We do NOT permit the use of generators at the event. Any vendors using a generator will be asked to remove their generator from the venue in order to proceed with vending at the event.
  • Wifi. We recommend vendors use their mobile data to take transactions OR to use a mobile hotspot. Mobile wifi hotspots are available at some public libraries, such as Sunnyvale, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, and Oakland Public Libraries. The venue has a paid on-site wifi option, however the price (~$80 per day) is prohibitively expensive. 
  • Security Overnight. You will be able to leave your booth setup overnight between Wednesday and Friday AND Friday and Saturday. As always, we recommend taking home personal valuables and electronics. The venue will be secured overnight but you leave your items there at your own discretion. 

 

Refund Policy

  • To withdraw your participation from SJMADE Holiday Fair 2025, please email events@sanjosemade.com and include your business name, full name and, if possible, order number. 
  • If you withdraw from the event anytime before September 1, 2025, you will receive a full refund on your booth fee.
  • If you withdraw from the event anytime between September 1, 2025 and October 1, 2025, you will receive a 50% refund on your booth fee. 
  • If you withdraw from the event anytime after October 1, 2025, you will not be eligible any refund on your booth fee or any booth fee credits.
  • If your application to vend is NOT accepted, we will process a full refund of your booth fee upon sending you the notification email. 

 

Terms

  • SAFETY: Participant will act with the highest regard for the safety of the attendees and other participants of the Event, and will adhere to all laws, policies, rules, and regulations applicable to the goods and/or activities of Participant, including obtaining all licenses, permits, and approvals that may be required to enable Participant to conduct its activities at the Event and fulfill its obligations under this Agreement.
  • LIABILITY: San José Made will not be responsible for any loss or damage to Participant’s property, injury to, or death of the Participant (or its agents, employees, and/or personnel), or Participant sales. Participant expressly assumes all risks of loss, damage, liability, injury, or destruction resulting from any cause whatsoever, including but not limited to acts or omissions by Participant, and hereby releases and waives any claims against San José Made related to such loss, damage, liability, injury, and/or destruction. 
  • INSURANCE: Participant represents that it has, or will have at the time of the Event, appropriate insurance to cover liability for the types of activities Participant will conduct at the Event. Participant covenants to be fully responsible for any of its liabilities, actions, or omissions, and will indemnify, defend, and hold San José Made (and its officers, employees, agents, vendors, affiliates, and representatives) harmless against any claims related to Participant’s liabilities, actions, or omissions.
  • RIGHT TO CANCEL: Per its Code of Conduct, San José Made will in good faith attempt to resolve any vendor's transgressions of the Code of Conduct (as well as any applicable laws) in order to preserve their ability to participate in an event. However, San José Made reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel the participation of any vendor at any time before or during the event. This decision may be based on, but is not limited to, failure to comply with the Code of Conduct, inappropriate behavior, violation of applicable laws or any action deemed detrimental to the event's success, reputation, or safety. In such cases, no refund of fees paid will be issued (unless the cancelation occurs during an applicable refund eligibility window), and the vendor agrees to comply promptly with any instructions from the event organizer regarding the removal of materials and departure from the event premises.

 

Vendor Code of Conduct

  • View the 2025 Vendor Code of Conduct
  • By applying to and being accepted to our events, each vendor is agreeing to adhere to the 2025 Vendor Code of Conduct.
  • We are asking everyone to read this document before participating in any SJMADE events this year and to try their best to adhere to the following vendor code of conduct. Failure to do so may negatively affect the jurying of a vendor's future applications to our events. Egregious flouting of the vendor code of conduct may result in a vendor's removal from the event in question. 
  • We will exhaust every opportunity to avoid these situations (because we love having y’all at our events!); however, as our events have grown, it's become clear that we need to define our expectations for the participating vendors at our events and how they exist within an event's community of vendors. San José Made will in good faith attempt to resolve any vendor's transgressions of the Code of Conduct (as well as any applicable laws) in order to preserve their ability to participate in an event. 
  • However, San José Made reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel the participation of any vendor at any time before or during the event. This decision may be based on, but is not limited to, failure to comply with the Code of Conduct, inappropriate behavior, violation of applicable laws or any action deemed detrimental to the event's success, reputation, or safety. In such cases, no refund of fees paid will be issued (unless the cancellation occurs during an applicable refund eligibility window), and the vendor agrees to comply promptly with any instructions from the event organizer regarding the removal of materials and departure from the event premises.
  • If you believe you'll be unable to adhere to this code of conduct, please let us know and we can discuss.

 

Scam Alert

Please feel free to share with any of your fellow vendors or vendor communities. We have seen a reported increase of instances on Facebook and Instagram of people attempting to scam prospective vendors by purporting to be "selling" the last few vendor spaces for our previous events.

In many of these cases, the scammer asks for payment via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or some other form of digital payment after filling out a Google Form. Please note that these people (i.e. the scammers) are not associated with San José Made in any way.

We never sell vendor spaces through social media direct messages or even text messages. We only sell vendor spaces through our official website (sanjosemade.com).

If you ever encounter communication online from a non-SJMADE account purporting to be associated with SJMADE, please feel free to contact us at either events@sanjosemade.com or info@sanjosemade.com. We would be happy to verify for you whether or not the communication you've received has officially come from us. 

Please note that we cannot honor any vendor booth spaces that were purchased through channels that were not ours.