Vendor Application - Bothell 2025

BEFORE YOU BEGIN: please make sure you have your business information and links handy and your photos ready [and formatted to squares]! Once you begin the application, you will not be able to edit it or save, so have everything ready before you begin. Click the "show more" link below to read the super important details before you begin!

Ok, ready?
Here's the deets:

MARKET: This event will be held outdoors in downtown Bothell, rain or shine. If selected, you are responsible for providing your own tent, weights, tables, displays, chairs, card readers, etc.

Events run 10am-4pm Saturdays with load in starting at 8am and load out completed by 6pm.

• March 22nd, 2025 [Applications CLOSED]
• May 24th, 2025 [Applications CLOSED]
• July 26th, 2025 [Applications CLOSED]
• September 27th, 2025 [Applications CLOSED]
• FOOD TRUCKS - applications close January 31st for ALL EVENT DATES - this is so I can schedule out all four event dates at once and you have your scheduled dates for the year

SELL YOURSELF: What makes your business different from others in your niche? What about your process, your story, your values sets your business apart? Really sell yourself and your products to show us why you should be chosen over other vendors in the same category.

WHAT I LOOK FOR:

• I prioritize unique, memorable products and brands that show a distinct perspective and iconic products.
• I look for businesses that have a distinct brand and identifiable products - products that make you go, “Oh! That’s So and So’s product!”
• If you make lots of different types of products, make sure they feel cohesive and recognizable as YOU. YOUR brand. YOUR designs - not something copied or inspired by other artists or generic designs on Canva or Pinterest or something. I’m looking for businesses that stand out and push the creative envelope.
• The more niched down you are in your field, the better. Meaning, it’s ok if you make lots of things, but make sure they are intentional. If you’re a stationer and you decide to make candles (for example), it should feel on purpose and as an enhancement to your brand, not just because you can - especially if it’s a product that is already an oversaturated product type.
• I will always strive for a diverse mix of cultures, vendors, orientations, products, points-of-view, experience levels, and product price ranges.

PHOTOS: Click here for a guide to submitting your photos.

• Please submit 5 photos - 4 that show off your product, only, and 1 that is of your booth set up if you have it.
• Photos should be formatted to squares [1:1 ratio, 1080x1080 px, 300 dpi].
  If your photos are not formatted to squares A) your application may not be reviewed and B) we may crop your photos to our liking which probably won't make your products shine like they should. So, please submit your photos formatted / cropped to square format.
• No text overlays, watermarks, borders, or collage/montage-style images
• Make sure you're submitting the photos that pertain to your business... while we love seeing personal photos of you and your dogs/kids/families, or screenshots of your most recent insta post or etsy sale, it's not what's intended.
• By submitting these photos, you consent to allow Making Local Markets to use them for event marketing purposes - this applies only to events you are selected to vend.

Please read the TERMS & CONDITIONS for additional details about the event, fees, and eligibility to vend.

WHO CAN APPLY + APPLICATION DETAILS:
Making Local Markets are for handmade businesses and makers only. This can include designers that have their products produced for them (but preferably with local manufacturing and sustainable practices!), as well as other types of small businesses like curated vintage, plants, sustainability, and food trucks/stalls.

Businesses who are ONLY RESALE of new items boutique-style, or items purchased by your wholesale and directly reselling would not be allowed. This also includes direct sales/MLM. Allowable resale is limited to thrifted/vintage and we acknowledge it is a type of resale, but it's also a more sustainable practice, and is allowable.

Other types of products / businesses that are not accepted:

• Crystals - this is considered resale unless you’re hand mining/foraging, shaping/carving, or otherwise changing the crystal into a different product (i.e. jewelry) - please be clear in your business description how you are modifying / using the crystals if applicable.
• Imported - goods that are imported from another country to be resold, even if they are products that are handmade in that country, will not be accepted.
• Services - medical, chiropractic, massage, beauty, or other will not be accepted.
• Political - this is a non-political space and no booths for organizations or individuals with a political-type agenda will be accepted.
• Non-profits - while we love community involvement and engagement, non-handmade, non-selling organizations will not be accepted.
• Authors - this is more of a product-based marketplace and while I love books and local authors, it typically doesn't fit with the rest of the vendor assortment.
• Vendors applying who own a brick & mortar location will not be prioritized. This does not mean you will not be accepted - however, if there are other vendors in your category that do not have a brick & mortar, they will receive the spot before someone with a brick & mortar.
• Not sure if your business fits? Send an email and we can chat!

VENDOR FEES:

• Application Fee (one-time, non-refundable): $20
• 10 x 10 [single booth]: $180
• 10 x 5 [half / shared booth]: $100
• 10 x 20 [double booth]: $330
• Food Truck/Trailer/Cooking food vendor: $180
• If you're a pre-packaged, shelf stable, manufacturer, or cottage bakery, please select from the booth options, not the Food Truck options.

A note about the fees and fee increases:

Fees are going up for 2025. This is for a number of reasons including inflation, fees incurred for hosting the events, and that I have moved into running this business full time which means I can dedicate more time to providing additional events, resources, and education for small businesses and makers like yourself. The breakdown is below:

• This Eventeny platform charges a fee for each invoice - you probably noticed that if you vended with me in 2024 - the price increase includes coverage for those fees so that it's not an additional fee on top of the booth fee. I mean, it is still an additional fee, but it's included in the booth fee cost now and not as a unexpected line item.
• There are fees that were passed on to event hosts by the City last year that I never increased prices for and frankly cannot maintain again this year - each individual event has gotten about $1500 more expensive than previous years and adjustments must be made to accommodate for that.
• I want this market to be accessible to vendors of all types of products and experience levels. As always, there is the option to make payment arrangements at each event and, if you qualify, the Scholarship Booth is also an option. [More info about the Scholarship Booth can be found within the application.] Seriously, no judgement here if you need to make arrangements - I get it!
• Lastly, I want to also acknowledge that the Market provides a space for you to sell your products and hopefully make a great profit! My experience hosting events, and specifically this event, has been proven to bring in a consistent shopping crowd rain or shine, has incredible community support, and great vibes! So, as I encourage you to do, I am also encouraging myself to do -> Charge What You're Worth.

A note about shared booths:

If you’d like to split / share a booth with someone - let me know on the application!

• Both businesses will need to apply and provide photos and will be juried with everyone else.
• Each business must submit a separate application - this is to make sure everyone is juried individually, that we have all the pertinent contact information for each business, as well as all the individual marketing information for each.
• The fee isn't a direct "half" of the full booth fee because of the additional time and energy to jury, promote, list on the website, and coordinate on the map.
• Please do not apply with multiple businesses on a single application.

PAYMENTS:

• Non-refundable application fee is due at the time of your application submittal.
• Booth fees will be invoiced once you've been accepted to the event and are due upon receipt.
• If you need to make payment arrangements, please reach out via email or Eventeny and it will be considered on a case by case basis - you must make arrangements before the due date of the invoice. It's very rare that we can't make some type of payment arrangement work!

CANCELLATIONS:

There will not be any refunds available for booth cancellations within 1 month of the event date.

If you are no longer able to attend an event and it's within that timeframe, we can look at moving your paid booth fee forward to a future event date, but typically no refunds will be granted if cancelling within 1 month of the event date.

PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to keep these markets diverse, inclusive, and so that as many vendors can participate as possible, you are not guaranteed a spot in all markets because you were accepted into one. My goal is to give as many businesses an opportunity to vend as possible which may mean that, especially in competitive categories (like jewelry, soaps, candles, and ceramics), you may be accepted to one market date, and not another.