Unfortunately, no. This 1-day event is focused on the fine arts. Retail vendors are encouraged to look into the local Farmer's Market, or apply for craft and vendor shows. Here are the rules and regulations: Artists may only display and sell original artwork in the categories in which they are accepted and must be present for the duration of the festival. An artist may also sell print reproductions of original artwork. Please note that this is a juried fine art show. There is no Arts and Crafts category to which to apply. Commercially manufactured items, import items, food, commercially cast jewelry, or works of art from molds and kits are NOT acceptable. All artwork must be designed and executed by the artist completing the application. The sale of any items not created by the applicant is strictly prohibited. All applicants must submit images and comply with rules and regulations, regardless of past participation.

All participating artists MUST have an Iowa tax permit. Please visit the Iowa Department of Revenue website to register. Create a login, and then select "Register a New Business" to get started. If you have registered, and are awaiting your permit/ID number, you can STILL APPLY for Art-a-Fest! Please indicate "permit pending" in the Tax ID # field. Once you've received your permit ID, please contact us at charlescityartafest@gmail.com or call 641-228-6284 to send us the number. Please note- it takes up to 6 weeks to receive your permit number.

Unfortunately, no. We stopped accepting paper applications in 2025 for a few reasons, including the following: - Digital files are needed for our jury process and event marketing, among other things. Therefore, paper applications have to be uploaded into our computer system manually by staff and volunteers, and images have to be scanned and optimized for resolution. We are a small group with limited resources at our disposal, and this just isn't efficient. - Sometimes it's hard to decipher information on paper copies because of handwriting or ink smudges- Ilegible names and/or contact info is a logistical nightmare when trying to accurately and respectfully represent our participating artists. - It's easy to forget a spot on the application when filling it out by hand, or even miss a whole page when squishing it into an envelope! This creates a lot of uneccessesary back and forth. The online application will not allow you to submit until ALL required info is included. - Sometimes things get lost in the mail 🤷‍♀️ We understand that some artists may have limitations when it comes to computers and/or submitting an application online. If you need help, please contact us to arrange for assistance. We can walk you through it over the phone, or meet with you at the Charles City Arts Center and arrange access to the resources you'll need.

If your application is getting 'stuck' when you hit submit, something might be preventing it from progressing to payment and submission. Here are a few things to check: 1. **Pop-up Blocker:** Ensure your pop-up blocker is turned off in your settings. 2. **Required Fields:** Make sure all required fields are filled out. Missing fields will be outlined in red. Required fields include: - Full name - Email - Street Address - City - State - ZIP - Category/Medium - Tax ID - Agree to the terms and conditions (checkbox) - Consent to the use of images (checkbox) - Select item and proceed to checkout (checkbox- either entry fee, or entry fee + canopy tent rental) 3. **Internet Speed:** Slow internet speed can affect the upload of images. Give it some additional time if the connection is slow. If none of these solutions work, please contact us for further assistance.

All artwork exhibited and for sale during Art-a-Fest must be created by the artist. Selling artwork for others out of your booth is not allowed.

Sadly, we were forced to make the hard decision to increase application fees in 2025 by $10 in order to offset increased operational costs. Our ultimate goal is to support artists, but we also need to ensure we have the proper funds to make Art-a-Fest successful. It's a balancing act.... Charles City Art-a-Fest still boasts one of the lowest application/booth fees in the state of Iowa for a juried fine arts show, even after this increase! We are striving to keep it as low as possible moving forward without compromising event quality. P.S. Most juried fine arts shows have separate application and booth fees - ours is a flat fee that covers both application and booth real estate for the show.

This is only allowed when two (or more) artists are filed jointly for a tax permit number, under one business name. Otherwise, each artist needs to apply separately with their own tax permit numbers. That's our policy in order to keep it fair for all applicants, as well as for compliance with state tax laws.

The application fee for accepted vendors and artists is non-refundable.

Donate to Art-a-Fest Our annual event flourishes due to the generous financial support from local businesses and individuals. We recognize the current uncertainties in today’s economy, and deeply appreciate every charitable donation that sustains Art-a-Fest - one of the longest running art festivals in Iowa. This invaluable support guarantees the event’s success, attracting large crowds and encouraging artists to return each year. All monetary donations are tax deductible, too! Become a Volunteer Each year we rely on volunteers to help with setup, organization of the kids' activities, interactions with festival goers, and more. Whether you have a couple hours to spare, or want to spend the whole day with us- we'd LOVE to have you. Simply put, volunteers are the heart of our operation. There's no way we could pull off this event without our amazing volunteers. P.S. Community service (volunteering) looks great on any resume or application! Every contribution, big or small, helps ensure the continuity of Art-a-Fest. We couldn't do it without your help!

There are! Below is a list of several available options. Airbnb - Studio Apartment North Grand Ave, Charles City Iowa (0.4 Miles from Art-a-Fest) Sherman House Bed & Breakfast 800 Gilbert Street, Charles City Iowa (0.4 Miles from Art-a-Fest) R Campground 1910 Clark Street, Charles City Iowa (1.4 Miles from Art-a-Fest) Super 8 1411 South Grand Avenue, Charles City Iowa (1.7 Miles from Art-a-Fest) Sleep Inn & Suites 1416 South Grand Avenue, Charles City Iowa (1.9 Miles from Art-a-Fest) Cedar Springs Camp 1260 River Road, Floyd Iowa (10.9 Miles from Art-a-Fest)