ARTIST APPLICATION
APPLICATION DEADLINE
August 9th
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
The DIY Street Fair is juried by the DIY Street Fair artistic team, who reviews applications thoughtfully and carefully. Please know that our space is extremely limited and we are looking for the absolute best representations of the DIY spirit, movement, ethic, practices and aesthetic. Artisans and makers are chosen based on a number of criteria, including the following...
Your offerings are ORIGINAL, inspired, cohesive, have a consistent aesthetic and are hand crafted by you. It’s the title of our event!
You must provide clear examples of your work in your application to be considered. A photo of your booth set up is always a plus.
Your work should have the lowest possible percentage of non-mass produced offerings to be considered. Eco-friendly practices and production materials are consistent with the DIYSF ethic and we are especially mindful of those offerings.
The average price of your items should fall within what is typical at the DIY Street Fair, with the majority of prices typically ranging between $1 - $250.
ARTIST CATEGORIES
We have showcased countless clever offerings in the following categories:
fine art, contemporary art, folk art, graffiti art, drawing, painting, illustrations, poster art, sculpture, printmaking, photography, crafts, decorative arts, millinery, knitting/crochet/macrame, jewelry, pottery, ceramics, original fashion, woodworking, furniture, home goods, metalsmithing, glass work, original leather goods, masks, holiday themed decor, bath & body, candles, pet supplies, authors, henna, caricature artists, graphic art, mosaics, adornments, paper goods, novelties
We're always excited to add new categories to this list! If you feel that you've got the goods, please apply!
WHAT IS NOT ACCEPTED
We feel that AI is a direct threat to independent artists. If you use AI in your art in ANY WAY—whether getting ideas and manipulating, in your branding, etc, this is not the event for you. You must list your process in detail. Your designs must be original and come from your brain.
Collectives—all applications must represent the work of one artist or collaborators for single pieces (ie. one person threw the pot, the other glazed it). Applications representing multiple artists and/or collections are not accepted (ie stores selling work of many artists). If you have questions, please email before you submit your application.
We love vintage! However, curating a great collection is not what we are looking for at DIYSF. Items must be changed and remade into something new and unique. For example, a vintage dress is made into a cool bag.
Beverage & food items for human consumption on site. For example baked goods, popcorn, candy, etc are not allowed. Beverage & food items for consumption off site ARE allowed. For example jams, tea, bagged coffee, etc. Question? Email us before applying.
Multi level marketing companies
Mass produced items with adornments. Example: sunglasses with gems attached
SPACE IS LIMITED
PAST PARTICIPATION DOES NOT GUARANTEE FUTURE ACCEPTANCE! We love the artists at DIYSF and do our best to treat all with kindness and respect. This event prides itself on keeping current and fresh. Guests come to expect some old favorites, but also new offerings. We do our best to have a good mix of both and appreciate your understanding.
WHEN?
SEPTEMBER 25-27, 2026
Friday: 6pm - 11pm
Sat: 11am- 11pm
Sun: 12pm - 9pm
WHERE?
The DIY Street Fair is located in Ferndale, Michigan. We're on the EAST SIDE of Woodward Ave between East 9 Mile Rd and East Troy Street. Behind The Loving Touch and Woodward Ave Brewers.
HOW MANY?
Approximately 75,000 people attend our unique 3-day, free event.
There are approximately 150 artist booths.
HOW MUCH?
APPLICATION FEE: $30
This fee is non-refundable. Our rigorous jury process is in place—all applicants must apply and be accepted in order to participate. Application fee is not refunded regardless of acceptance or denial into the show.
Booth Sharing: If two artists wish to share a booth, a separate application is required for each artist and both must be accepted.
BOOTH RATE:
$575
Included in booth fee is:
10' x 10' Vendor Space
Electricity - Enough to power lights, chargers, fans, cash register system, etc. (see POWER page and FAQ's for details)
ARTIST AMENITIES:
Free artist parking for 1 vehicle
Vehicle loading and unloading at booth space
Overnight security
ACCESSORY OPTIONS:
After acceptance, Artists and Makers will have the opportunity to purchase optional amenities:
Pick booth location
Corner booth option
DATES AND DEADLINES
2026 CALENDAR WORK ON THE DATES
Aug 9: Deadline to apply
Aug 15: Acceptance letters and notifications sent
AUG 31: Deadline for payment of booth fee - no exceptions
SEPT 5 : Deadline for artist vendor to cancel and receive refund (less $50 admin fee)
SEPT 25-27: The 19th Annual DIY Street Fair!
FAQ:
By applying to this event you should understand the general information about vending at it. Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions. For example: Artists are required to be open at all hours of the event.
More info: CLICK HERE
APPLICATION TIPS:
Know the details of this event BEFORE you apply. Read all the above first.
When submitting application WAIT for the Terms & Conditions page to pop up. Sign the T&C and WAIT until the application fee link pops up. Applications must have signed Terms & Conditions and paid jury fee to be complete.
Make sure your website and social media links are CORRECT.
Those who have been at DIYSF before, in addition to your regular info let the jury know what is new.
Fill out all fields completely and with detailed information.
If sending photos, send within 24 hours of applying. Make sure your photos are clear and best represent the majority of your work. Include a booth shot! The more quality photos the better!
IMPORTANT NOTES FROM FESTIVAL ORGANIZERS:
We apologize for the late launch, once again this year.
The unsexy fact remains that this is an extremely expensive event to execute. Some cities offer huge incentives for festivals. They give financial sponsorships or breaks in city fees in exchange for the extra revenue the festival crowd brings to the surrounding businesses and parking meters. We love our city, but the fees grow and grow, arbitrary rules change and quite honestly, we keep getting cut off at the knees. Furthermore, all costs (security, power, insurance, ad nauseam ) have risen astronomically. All the while, corporate sponsorships and other revenue streams are at an all time low—every midsize festival feels it. We imagine you feel it in your business too. Unless you’re running a massive festival with huge corporate sponsorships and charge admission, it’s an enormous financial challenge for independents like DIYSF.
Keep in mind DIYSF is FREE to attend which is extremely rare these days, especially when there are national and regional bands. Most events with this level of entertainment charge admission. While this practice would be a helpful source of revenue, we still don’t want to create that barrier to entry and we remain free to the public.
We can assure you no one on the production team is getting rich off of this event. Of course this is a for-profit event but it has always been a labor of love too—for artists, musicians and our community. So thank you for your patience and understanding for the late launch and abbreviated application time once again this year. Despite the ever growing obstacles, we remain committed to executing the highest quality festival in our power.
JURY NOTES: We would like to think that what makes the DIY Street Fair so special is that we truly respect the artists and care about their experience. We see you as individuals but also as business owners and we do everything we can to set you up for success. We gauge our success on your success.
We go to painstaking lengths to review the applications and often we have to make the gut wrenching decision to either waitlist or deny a worthy applicant. We invite you to peek behind the curtain of a few aspects of the jury process…
If all applicants that met our criteria were accepted, no one would be set up for success. The applications are viewed individually but also collectively. Not only are we looking for unique, quality offerings, but we also consider the categories of goods. For example, we can only accept a certain amount of jewelry vendors. It would not be beneficial to any artist if one or more categories were watered down by endless choices. The result is that no one would do well—even if each has their own aesthetic. This goes for all of the other categories—illustrations, candles, bath & body, etc and we never know how many of each category will apply.
Past participation does not guarantee future acceptance into this show. When artists list this show on their social media and website calendar before the notifications go out…we see it. It’s unprofessional and honestly, it’s entitled and rude. It’s noticed and noted. The show has to be balanced, not only with categories but with previous DIYSF vendors and new vendors. We pride ourselves on keeping the show fresh.
If you have been with us in the past, please list what is new and fill out the application completely and fully. In the special requests section, requests instead of demands make our hearts happy. We always do our best to make those happen.
We feel that AI is a direct threat to independent artists. If you use AI in your art in ANY WAY—whether getting ideas and manipulating, in your branding, this is not the event for you. You must list your process in detail. Your designs must be original and come from your brain.
We estimate that 90% of the applications received are worthy of being in the show. If you are denied, it is most likely because we had to make a hard choice due to the space limitations or category inundation. Or, it may be time for someone new to have a turn, just like the chance was given to you. The following question will be on the application that will hopefully prove to us that you have read this information. How many tentacles does an octopus have? If you are wait listed, keep in mind that we keep this list very short so that the artist has a chance to get off of it and into the show.
We absolutely cannot give individual feedback if you are not accepted into the show. We regret that it is too large a task to give individual critiques.
We do not offer double booths. Why? Because if we gave you that extra space, then someone else is denied. We want to give another artist the chance to be with us.
We can’t be bribed--never have, never will. Many have tried. Not everything is about money. Integrity means something to us, so kindly fuck off.
Finally, we worship at the altar of “Don’t Be a Dick”. Kindness matters. We try to surround ourselves with different points of view, aim to see value in all types of artwork, even if it’s not necessarily our taste, and to be a SAFE SPACE for all colors and kinds of humans to express themselves in a genuine way. We’re far from perfect, but we strive for the good, the honorable, the joyful, and the higher purpose that is art + love. If that’s your vibe, we welcome you to apply.