Retail & Community Exhibitors Application
Booksellers, Publishers, Retailers & Community Organizations
Booksellers of all sizes and kinds will be a vibrant part of our event! Book shops, used/antique book sellers and publishers are invited to sell their titles directly to readers.
Bookish artisans, makers and vendors of fun gifts for readers will find eager shoppers at the Columbus Book Festival.
Literary service providers for aspiring authors, publications and direct-to-consumer reading services are welcome to showcase and sell to a captive bookworm audience.
Libraries, reading services, literary organizations and local or national nonprofits promoting reading or hosting book-related activities are invited to be part of the Columbus Book Festival.
Nonprofit and community organizations dedicated to promoting literacy are welcome to exhibit and share their work with festival attendees.
Readers of all ages will visit your exhibit booths and participate in fun activities.
single booth: $500
10'x10'
- 10’x10′ frame tent with side walls
- Two 6’ tables; two chairs
- Two vendor credentials
- Booth identification sign
- Vendor listing on the festival website – includes 50-word description and website link
- Vendor listing in the printed festival program
- Reserved garage parking pass
double booth: $1,250
10'x20'
- 10’x20′ frame tent with side walls
- Four 6’ tables; four chairs
- Four vendor credentials
- Booth identification sign
- Vendor listing on the festival website – includes 50-word description and website link
- Vendor listing in the printed festival program
- Reserved garage parking pass
Sponsor Opportunities
All sponsors receive a 10′ X 10′ exhibitor booth, tickets to the Friday night Festival Preview Party and additional recognition. Sponsorships start at $2,500 and can be found at columbusbookfestival.org/opportunities.
PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES
To reserve an exhibit booth or to vend at the Columbus Book Festival, you must either sell or promote books or book related products/services, promote reading, or perform a literary or education-based activity.
- Materials must be professionally presented
- Participation during both festival days is required.
- Vendors will bring and set up their own supplies (display items, payment system, etc).
- Payment and a completed exhibitor contract are required to guarantee space.
SPACE IS LIMITED!
Columbus Book Festival is committed to celebrating a broad range of cultures and ideas, and to providing space for merchants, book sellers and community organizations who have a variety of viewpoints. Festival exhibitors are decided by panel review, selecting a balance of merchandise categories, book genres and/or perspectives from the application pool.
- Selection is not first come, first served.
- Prior participation does not guarantee future participation.
- All exhibitor applications may not be selected.
REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS
Interested vendors must complete an application and provide a website and/or relevant social media channel for reviewers to evaluate. With the information provided on the application and relevant digital channels, a selection committee will evaluate applications using the following criteria:
- Professionally presented material
- Relevance to the vision, purpose and goals of the festival
- Relationship to other applications in the same subject field
- Relevancy of content to the community and festival attendees
- Competence, popularity, local interest and reputation of seller, author, creator, producer, performer and/or publisher
- Timeliness and importance of materials for contemporary society
- Legal definition of obscene materials
- Provides added value to the overall selection of vendors
FESTIVAL MARKETPLACE BENEFITS
Festival Scope
- 150+ bookish vendors in booths at the Festival Marketplace
- 100+ self-published and small press authors at exhibit tables in Indie Author Alley
- 125+ Featured Authors participate on panel discussions and book talks
- Multiple Entertainment Stages and Food Court
- Approximately 40,000 visits over two days
FESTIVAL MARKETPLACE Incentives
- Meet readers & customers and grow your audience during the entire festival weekend
- Selling and exhibiting opportunity for two full days
- Individual booth space that you can personalize with décor, signage to attract visitors
- You set the price for your merchandise, manage the sales (and keep the profit!)
- Exhibitor description on festival website and event program
