Holiday Craft Fair Checklist: What to Bring to Your Booth

Holiday markets are the busiest weekends of the year for most makers, and they come back to back. A checklist you reuse every weekend keeps you from discovering at 7 a.m. that the card reader is still on the kitchen counter.

Copy this list, cross off what doesn't apply to your booth, and add your own.

Two weeks before

• Confirm load-in time, booth number and size, and whether electricity is available.
• Check the market's rules: tent weights, table covers, sales tax collection, any permit you need to display.
• Count inventory and plan restock — holiday shoppers buy multiples, so bring more of your best sellers than usual.
• Price every item, or make clear price signs for each group of items.
• Prepare gift-ready options: small bundles, gift tags, a few price points under $20.

Display and booth setup

• Table(s) plus floor-length table covers to hide storage bins.
• Risers, crates or shelves to give the display height.
• Battery LED lights — many holiday markets run into the evening or are indoors with dim corners.
• Tent, sidewalls and weights for outdoor shows.
• A mirror if you sell jewelry or wearables.

Payments

• Card reader, fully charged, plus a charging cable and a power bank.
• A plan for weak signal: check whether your card app has an offline mode and how it works before you need it.
• Cash float in small bills, kept in a closed box or apron.
• A printed sign with your Venmo, Cash App and card-payment QR codes so shoppers can pay from their own phones.
• Bags, tissue paper, and a way to send or print receipts.

Signs and labels

• Your booth name, large enough to read from the aisle.
• Prices that shoppers can see without asking.
• Your payment sign at the checkout spot.
• A QR code that leads to your products and upcoming shows, so shoppers can find you again after the market.
• Holiday signs that help people decide: "Gifts under $20", "Stocking stuffers", "Custom orders".

Comfort, weather and supplies

• Layers, hand warmers and a folding chair.
• Water and snacks you can eat with one hand.
• Extension cord and power strip if you have electricity.
• Tape, zip ties, clips, scissors, pens, a marker and a small notebook.
• Cleaning wipes and paper towels.

After the show

• Write down what sold and what didn't while you still remember.
• Restock your best sellers for next weekend.
• Update your booth page with your next show date so anyone who scanned your QR knows where to find you.