The Doylestown Arts Festival is committed to supporting our artists and doing our part to ensure you have a successful event. The following guidelines will cover show rules, recommended best practices, load-in/load-out, safety guidelines, layout, and more. If you have questions or are looking for information that is not covered here, please contact us via email ([email protected]) and we will be happy to help!
Last Updated: September 6, 2024
The festival is scheduled for Saturday, September 7, and Sunday, September 8. The event is free to attend and open to the public from 10am - 5pm each day.
Our festival takes place on the streets of historic Doylestown, Pennsylvania which is home to a great many artists, cultural icons, and destinations. The central point of the festival is at the intersection of State & Main streets. Be sure to check out our festival map for more information.
The weekend will feature over 160 independent artists, 5 stages of live music with over 30 acts, and an array of demonstrations and activities for all ages. Our event is organized by an all-volunteer committee. The proceeds benefit Discover Doylestown, a 501(c)3 organization with a focus on making Doylestown a great place to live, visit, and work. The organization is responsible for many of the events and traditions in our community.
We are anticipating crowds between 20-25,000 across the weekend. Weather conditions are the most likely element to impact attendance given we are an all-outdoor event.
On Sunday we are joined by the Bucks County Classic, an independently managed event, which will bring high speed and community bicycle racing to the borders of the festival. The union of our two events makes this a unique and cherished weekend in Bucks County. It also introduces some logistical challenges on Sunday due to an increase in road closures.
If you are traveling from outside the area, you may be looking for a place to stay. You can find a list of recommendations on our Vendor Resources page.
The festival is held each year in the center of historic downtown Doylestown. The festival is held entirely on public streets and parking lots. Those include State Street, Main Street, Hamilton Street, Oakland Avenue, and surrounding public lots. View our festival map for more detailed information as well as general booth locations by number.
All booths are 10x10. Displays, tents, and works must fit within the 10x10 space. Spaces will be assigned with unique numbers. Numbers will be marked in chalk on the street the morning of the festival.
Because the festival takes place on public streets, most of the festival will breakdown overnight on Saturday and set back up on Sunday. These are "breakdown booths". If you are on State or Main Streets you are in a breakdown zone. If your booth is on Hamilton, Oakland, and in the Hamilton Street Parking Lot, you are in an "overnight booth" where you will not need to breakdown between the two days. Lower on this page you will find important security, safety, and logistics information related to overnight booths.
We include a 4-foot gap between vendors on State & Main Streets. This space is to be left clear and open for pedestrians to move through. Volunteers will be monitoring to discourage/remove any items or storage from these areas as well as to ensure pedestrians are not grouping in these areas.
There will be a 2-foot gap between vendors in overnight spaces on Hamilton, Oakland, and in the Hamilton Street Parking Lot. These gaps should also be left clear though they will not be utilized by pedestrians.
We have a very limited number of corner booths. Corner booths cannot be requested or reserved and will be assigned at random. Corner spots are denoted with a (C) on the layout document. This means you can have two outward facing walls and can arrange your display accordingly.
Booths in the Hamilton Street Parking Lot (HPL) will be indicated by HPL and a location identifier on the layout document (ie. HPL-Top, HLP-Left, HPL-Right, etc). These identifiers are directional and relate to placement in the lot itself. For a better understanding of the Hamilton Parking Lot layout, please see this detail map.
Our show layout is now final, excepting any vendor withdrawals between now and the festival. You can view the show layout below, where each vendor has been assigned a booth number or numbers. View our festival map if you are new to the show to help orient yourself with your booth location.
View Festival Layout (As of 9-6-24)
Be sure to check this page as the festival approaches to confirm your booth number. Booth numbers are subject to change. Do not download or bookmark the document above as it will be replaced as needed.
When arriving, be aware of your booth location:
If your booth is on N. Main or S. Main, enter from the north side of town and come right down Main Street. This is the widest street in the festival and the easiest to navigate.
If your booth is on W. State, arrive from S. or N. Main and then turn onto State.
If your booth is on E. State, arrive from the East side of town and come down E. State.
If your booth is on Oakland Ave, you can enter from W. Oakland Ave, or S. Hamilton Street and then turn onto Oakland.
If your booth is on Hamilton St or in the Hamilton Parking Lot, we strongly advise arriving early. Enter from S. Hamilton to avoid busy and blocked streets.
When exiting to park, exit via W. State Street to Clinton. Make a right on Union and follow that road to the Justice Center parking lot. There is a sidewalk from the parking lot back up to Court Street which will lead you back into town. If you know town well or navigate by GPS you can also exit via S. Main Street and N. Main Street.
On Saturday the following roads will be closed to vehicular traffic for the Doylestown Arts Festival. As a vendor, you will be allowed entry during the load-in window (more on this further down the page). These closures should not impact you.
State Street from Pine Street to Clinton Street
Main Street from Court Street to Oakland Avenue
Oakland Avenue from Main Street to Clinton Street
Hamilton Street from Court Street to Oakland Avenue
The following parking lots will also be closed/reserved: Hamilton Street Parking Lot (Plaza West), Pine Street Parking Lot (at State & Pine), Clinton Street Parking Lot (at Clinton & Wood), and Dommel Way (behind Starbucks).
Due to the additional closures for the Bucks County Classic, Sunday will have limited entry points into the festival. It is strongly advised that you arrive early (between 6am-7am) for setup. As the morning goes on, closures and blockades will increase dramatically. If you do not arrive before 8am it is very likely you will be unable to enter with your vehicle and will need to walk/cart your materials in.
ALL booth locations are advised to enter via E. State or S. Main due to bike race closures. Note that E. State will be the final entrance to be closed, while S. Main will close early. We have no control over these closures or their timing.
When exiting to park, exit via W. State Street to Clinton. Make a right on Union and follow that road to the Justice Center parking lot. There is a sidewalk from the parking lot back up to Court Street which will lead you back into town. Other exits will likely be closed.
On Sunday the following roads will be closed in addition to the Saturday Closures due to the addition of the Bucks County Classic Bike Race. These closures will impact you. Be sure to arrive earlier on Sunday as closures will slow down the load-in/entry process.
Court Street from Broad Street to Franklin Street
Clinton Street from Court Street to Ashland Street
W. Oakland Avenue from Clinton Street to Lafayette Street
Lafayette Street from W. Oakland Avenue to Ashland Street
Ashland Street from Lafayette Street to Main Street
Main Street from Ashland Street to E. Oakland Avenue
E. Oakland Avenue from Main Street to Church Street
Pine Street from Ashland Street to Court Street
Pending on your booth location, we have provided a few locations below to aid your GPS in getting to the right area of town. Be advised that Google/Apple maps directions may help you only to a point due to road closures. If you are new to the festival or unfamiliar with the area, please do yourself a favor and arrive as early as possible to avoid delays and frustration.
N. Main St.
18 N. Main St, Doylestown, PA 18901
S. Main St.
16 S. Main St, Doylestown, PA 18901
W. State St.
81 W. State St, Doylestown, PA 18901
E. State St.
20 E. State St, Doylestown, PA 18901
Hamilton St. / Parking Lot
39 S. Hamilton St, Doylestown, PA 18901
Oakland Ave
143 W. Oakland Ave, Doylestown, PA 18901
Please also review the road closures and recommended entry points above in this section for successful navigation.
Load-in is between 6:00am and 7:30am. Plan to arrive between 6:00am-7:00am for best results regardless of how long it takes you to set up.
Earlier setup is not permitted, as our volunteers will be preparing the festival grounds. Please allow us this critical time without interruption to ensure the morning runs smoothly.
Cars will likely not be allowed to enter after 8:00am. After this time you will need to walk/cart your materials in. This is not advised.
Your car must be moved off the festival grounds no later than 8:00am on both Saturday and Sunday.
Please locate your spot, unload your equipment and materials, and then move your car to a parking area before setting up. Please do not block the road/traffic longer than absolutely necessary. This creates traffic jams and leads to delays for you and your fellow vendors.
All booth numbers will be marked in chalk on the street. Be sure to double-check your assigned booth space before arriving.
When you pull your car up, please park across the street from your booth space so a driving aisle remains in the middle of the road.
Do not block neighboring booth spaces or traffic with your vehicle.
Do not bring more than 1 vehicle into the festival grounds at a time.
Be cautious when driving to avoid damaging displays, property, or injuring pedestrians on the festival grounds.
Vendors located at Hamilton Street Parking Lot should consider parking outside the lot to load-in and breakdown if possible to help reduce congestion in the parking lot.
If you are not inside the festival grounds before 7:30am on Sunday, you may not be allowed to enter the festival with your vehicle due to the safety of the cyclists participating in the Bucks County Classic. If you are running late you may park outside the festival and walk/cart your supplies in.
Even if you have an overnight space, do not delay in arriving early on Sunday. Many additional roads, entrances and intersections will be closed for the Bike Race. Traffic will be more disruptive.
Our dedicated artist parking is located at the Justice Center. This gated lot is FREE to park in. The parking lot is located behind the new Court House and is accessible off of Union Street. The parking lot entrance is directly across the street from the metered parking garage. The parking lot gates will be open from 6am-9am only. You may exit at anytime but entrance will be limited to this time range each day.
To get here via GPS, we recommend using this address: 107 Union Street, Doylestown, PA 18901
All artists will be provided (by email) with a parking pass to allow you to park here. You may leave vehicles here overnight. Be advised that large trailers/trucks may not fit and will need to seek alternate parking.
There is a ramp and sidewalk that will lead you right up to Court Street near the intersection at N. Main Street to return to the festival grounds. Account for a ten-minute walk.
In addition to the Justice Center, there are several public parking options that include two parking garages (paid parking) and street parking. We discourage street parking as it often leads to tickets so if this is the route you choose, please be mindful of permit areas and other parking restrictions. You can view these parking options on our parking page.
If you have mobility issues or a handicap placard, we have a limited number of accessible parking options. We will send an email out over the summer asking for those who need this option to identify themselves. A special parking pass will be provided to allow you access to the handicap-accessible parking areas. You can view these in advance on our parking page.
Setup begins at the same time as load-in, 6am, and must be completed by 9:30am. Although the festival opens at 10am, we often see local visitors earlier.
Set up only in your designated booth space. If you are having any issues with setup, please locate a festival volunteer (look for the blue shirts). We will be happy to mediate any issues.
Setups exceeding the designated space or other non-approved layouts will be corrected by volunteers.
Each vendor space is a 10’x10’ with a designated gap on each side. Please do not use the space outside your marked booth space for any reason.
You are responsible for providing your entire setup including tables, chairs, tent, supplies, etc. We provide a blank 10x10 canvas for you to work in.
Awnings are permitted on the front of your tent, with a maximum size of 2'. We highly recommend mounting them after 9am to avoid the possibility of the awning being struck by a vehicle - which can cause devastating damage to your booth. Our roads are old and narrow! Otherwise, please ensure it is secured safely.
Volunteers will distribute a booth number card to each vendor. These numbers must be displayed throughout the festival.
Tents must be secured/weighed down with weights or sandbags. Stakes will not work as we are on paved streets.
All tables must be covered to the ground. Packing materials, supplies, and extra inventory should be stored out of sight.
Do not block sidewalks or handicap ramps with materials or chairs.
Music, amplifiers, light-up signs, and other disruptive elements are strongly discouraged. If it interferes with other vendors of festival activities a volunteer will ask for it to be removed or turned down.
Volunteers will distribute name tags to
each vendor. These must be worn by all vendors throughout the festival
to aid in quick identification in the case of emergency communications.We will provide the print and the lanyard for you.
We will accept edit requests from August 1, 2024 through August 15, 2024. Name tags will be printed in late August but we need to order lanyards in advance. Please be certain all of your required name tags are account for and reflect you preferred spelling and pronouns (optional).
Please do not print these at home, they will be provided to you Saturday morning at the start of the festival.
Over the years we have observed a wide array of tent issues and failures. Here are some tips and tricks we recommend to ensure a successful weekend.
Yes, you must bring a tent. This will protect you from sun, rain, and whatever mother nature throws at us. It also helps to keep the festival presentation professional.
White tents are recommended to cut down the heat, but white is not required. If you have a colorful or branded tent, you are welcome to use it as long as it fits in your space.
For single spaces, a 10x10 tent is required. If you have a double or triple space you are welcome to use a 10x20 or 10x30 tent. Otherwise, you may connect 2-3 individual 10x10 tents. Be mindful in this case that water can easily sneak between the tents from above in the case of rain.
Test your tents a week ahead of the festival. Do not wait until the day before or the day of. Broken frames, canopies with holes, and missing parts are the most common reason vendors drop out at the last minute. Leave yourself time to replace a tent if needed.
Tent styles matter. Avoid slanted legs and frame tops. Straight-leg, solid frames will hold up best to wind and water. Steel frames are stronger than aluminum.
To weigh your tents down, we recommend Canopy Plates such as these. We've also seen sand/rock bags which tend to work well. Stakes will not work as we are on paved streets with little to no grass adjacent.
We do not have any spare tents and cannot repair or replace broken tents.
If rain is in the forecast, we have found that a broom stick is a great tool to both push pooled water out of your space, and to prevent build up on top of your canopy.
Pool noodles can also be used to reinforce the corners of your canopy in the case of wind or rain.
Because we're on public streets you may find you have small potholes, uneven ground, or even a sewer grate in your space. We recommend bringing some flat boards and materials to cover uneven areas. This is not an issue for most vendors, but it is always better to be prepared.
Here are some common supplies we recommend having on hand:
Battery power fan(s), Battery Charger & Cables, Towels, Scissors, Business Cards, Pad & Pen, Cash Lockbox, Duct Tape - hey, you never know.
Early breakdown is not permitted unless explicitly instructed by the organizers or in the case of a personal emergency. Vendors who breakdown/leave early without cause will not be invited back.
Organizers will only instruct early breakdown in the case of an emergency or weather complications.
In the case of an early breakdown due to a personal emergency, please notify organizers after the fact by email.
Breakdown begins promptly at 5pm each day and must be completed by 6:30pm.
As of show close (5pm) the roads will reopen so you can bring your vehicles in to load up. We strongly recommend packing your booth up first, then going for your vehicle, to avoid traffic jams. Please do not block roads longer than necessary.
All cars and booths must be off the street by 6:30pm.
Any space that is not in an overnight area is required to fully break down Saturday night and set up again on Sunday.
This is due to the festival taking place on both State roads and Emergency Routes and is out of our control.
See additional overnight booth details further below.
On Sunday all booths break down and load out at the end of the festival.
During breakdown, please be aware that attendees, volunteers, and municipal workers will still be in the streets. In addition, other vendors will be packing up and moving their vehicles. Drive carefully and slowly.
If you require assistance, volunteers will be available to help but may be limited in availability.
Property left behind may be taken or removed.
Please do not leave trash or materials on the streets or sidewalks, volunteers are required to stay late until the streets are clear. If you’re unsure how to dispose of something during breakdown, please ask a volunteer for assistance.
Overnight booths are specifically reserved during our application process and are typically allotted to artists with mobility issues or particularly time-consuming setups. Unlike booths on State & Main Streets, these booths do not breakdown overnight between Saturday and Sunday.
The following areas of the festival are considered overnight spaces:
Hamilton Street
Oakland Avenue
Hamilton Street Parking Lot
While you may leave all of your work and materials we do not recommend this. If you choose to leave valuables we recommend they are fully insured.
We do not have any security overnight. The police regularly patrol and monitor but anything left overnight is at your own risk.
Do not sleep in your tent.
Vehicles may not be moved into overnight areas.
Avoid leaving any fragile materials on the ground, as unexpected moisture/water runoff can occur.
If possible, lower and zip your tent closed to protect against winds and deter unauthorized entrance. Tents must remain weighted down overnight.
The roads and lot will remain closed to vehicular traffic overnight.
Setup may begin in overnight areas earlier than 6am on Sunday since the roads will still be closed.
Your booth must be staffed or monitored at all times. Do not leave your booth unattended. If you need to leave your booth for a food/water/bathroom break, request assistance from a volunteer or neighboring artist before leaving.
We pride ourselves on the quality of our volunteers at the Doylestown Arts Festival. Fondly referred to as the "blue shirts" our bright blue volunteer shirts make us easy to find. Our entire 80+ person weekend crew (and organizers) are unpaid volunteers. We are here to help you however we can and to create a great experience.
Restrooms are available in two satellite locations which are noted on our festival map. Those locations are the Dommel Way Parking Lot (behind Starbucks) and the Pine Street Parking Lot (at the corner of E. State and Pine Streets).
There will also be a smaller bathroom area in the Hamilton Street Parking Lot, which will not be advertised to the public.
Hand sanitizing stations will be available in the same locations.
Water will be available at the Festival HQ tent at the corner of W. State & Main Streets. Please bring a reusable bottle as we will have a small filling station to cut down on single-use bottles. Vendors should plan to bring water to stay hydrated over the weekend as we will have limited supplies for distribution.
Additional food and drinks will be available for purchase in our food court which is located on Hamilton Street between Court and State Streets.
We also encourage you to patronize our many local restaurants.
Please be kind to your neighbors and our volunteers. We're all working together to make it a great event.
Avoid encroaching on your neighbor's space.
Avoid encroaching on neighboring business properties.
Avoid blocking sidewalks and handicap-accessible ramps.
If you experience an issue with an attendee, fellow vendor, or anyone else, please locate a volunteer to mitigate the situation.
Demonstrations, live art, and activities are strongly encouraged and are proven to drive traffic to your booth.
Loud music, megaphones, speakers, and other noise is not permitted.
Generators are permitted but must be quiet and tucked behind your booth. If the noise disturbs a neighboring vendor, a volunteer will ask you to shut it down.
Electricity and running water are not available.
Public wifi is not available and cell signals can become weak due to volume.
Failure to follow any and all of the guidelines listed on this page and/or to take direction from festival volunteers will result in removal from the festival without a refund.
Be advised that there is a ban on single use plastic bags in the Borough of Doylestown.
The Doylestown Arts Festival is committed to reducing waste and the footprint of live events. The festival does not utilize single-use bags, with the notable exception of trash and recycling. As in past years, we have created festival-branded fabric bags, which were made possible this year by the Melissa Healy Group of Keller Williams Real Estate. These bags will be distributed to artists throughout the festival by our volunteers. Please note we do have a limited quantity of these bags, so it is wise to have your own supply of reusable or recycled shopping bags, pending the requirements of your items.
We ask that you plan ahead for this and consider either offering reusable or recyclable bags or no bags at all, pending on the nature of your products and requirements. Many of you are already doing this and will be ahead of the curve. If you have a product or a supply that would make it prohibitive for you to follow this ordinance, please contact us to discuss your situation.
You can read the official ordnance on the Borough of Doylestown website.
The festival is a rain-or-shine event. Come prepared for all weather.
The festival does reserve the right to end early, cancel one day, or cancel in full in the case of dangerous weather that would cause unnecessary risk to our vendors, volunteers, and attendees. This is generally based on parameters such as: the total quantity of rain, wind speeds, lightning, or extreme weather.
We, like you, wish to avoid cancellations. Our team monitors weather through local meteorologist consultants and professional weather apps up to the moment the festival begins. Any changes or alerts will be communicated via email in real-time.
We understand that some works and mediums are more sensitive to damage than others. If you feel you are unable to safely participate due to weather predictions, we ask you to notify us via email. Failure to notify us will result in your booth being marked as a no-show, which may disqualify you from future participation.
In the case of a weather related cancellation, no refunds are guaranteed.
Last updated: 9/5/24, 11:00 AM
We have had a careful eye on the weather forecast. As a reminder, the Doylestown Arts Festival is a rain or shine event. We are currently expecting some light passing showers on Saturday, which will turn into some late evening/overnight rain. This calls for some additional safeguard preparation for our overnight booths. Sunday looks to be dry and beautiful.
To make the most of the potential weather, please be sure to prepare properly, including:
Test your tents! Patch any holes!
Consider weather sealing your canopy
Bring pool noodles or a broom stick to address any pooling on your tent
Bring extra towels
If your tent has walls, consider attaching them
Awnings are permitted on the front of your tent, with a maximum size of 2'. We highly recommend mounting them after 9am to avoid the possibility of the awning being struck by a vehicle - which can cause devastating damage to your booth. Our roads are old and narrow! Otherwise, please ensure it is secured safely.
Feel free to bring plastic wrap or extra bags to protect your wares for customers, we know your work is fragile
We've had very successful years in drizzle and light rain. Customers do come out to shop and buy! In addition, we've prepared our stages to ensure music performances and activities will remain on schedule. The show goes on!
If you experience a disagreement or issue with a fellow vendor, please do not engage and locate a volunteer to help mitigate the situation.
If you experience an issue with a member of the public, please attempt to locate a volunteer to assist. If you feel you are in danger or being made uncomfortable, police officers will be patrolling. Locate one or dial 911 in the case of an emergency.
Emergency services personnel will be on-site at the festival. If you have an emergency and cannot locate an EMS official, please dial 911.
For minor scrapes, a first aid kit will be available at the Festival HQ booth at the corner of W. State and Main Streets.
The organizers of the Doylestown Arts Festival and Bucks County Classic work closely with the Borough of Doylestown, Central Bucks Regional Police, Fire & EMS teams. In the unlikely case of an emergency evacuation, these officials will take charge and have detailed plans to keep our vendors and the public safe. Please follow their instructions. Volunteers will shift into a support role in these situations to help vendors to safety.
Our joint success depends on all of us spreading the word about the Doylestown Arts Festival far and wide! Our committee works hard throughout the year to promote the festival through a variety of mediums including our website, social media, email marketing, outdoor signage, print advertising, radio advertising, and much more. The festival draws visitors from all over the US in addition to a hyper-local crowd.
All of our artists are posted at dtownartsfestival.com. Please be sure to check out your profile. We have limited bandwidth for changes, but if you notice any errors please contact us via email and a volunteer will assist you.
Our press kit contains our logo, photos, promotional graphics, press releases, teaser videos and more! Feel free to use these materials to help promote the festival.
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