How to apply for a Christmas market stall: deadlines, portfolio and photos

At the best-known Christmas markets there are usually more applications than pitches, and organisers have to choose. Signing up isn't enough: you have to present your products well. This guide explains when to apply, what to prepare and what selectors usually look at. If you already have a pitch, you'll want our guide on preparing your Christmas market stall.

When applications open

There's no single date. Large markets run by councils or companies often open applications between spring and the end of summer. Smaller neighbourhood, association or community-centre markets may open in October or even November.

The best clue is the previous edition: if you know when applications opened last year, set a reminder a few weeks earlier this year. In our Christmas market guides by city we list the announced dates and the previous edition of each market, and we say so when a date isn't confirmed.

If you're too late for the big ones this year, don't give up on everything: look for smaller markets and note next year's dates now.

What organisers look at

Every market has its own criteria, but these come up again and again:

• That your product fits the market: crafts, local food, Christmas decorations, gifts.
• That it's your own: many markets favour handmade or self-produced goods over resale.
• Variety: they don't want ten stalls with the same product. If you make something different, say so.
• Presentation: what your stall will look like. A photo of a previous stall helps a lot.
• Paperwork in order: business registration, public liability insurance and, for food, the relevant hygiene registrations. Check what each call asks for.

Your portfolio: what to include

A portfolio is a short document (one or two pages, or a link) that presents your work. Include:

1. Who you are in two or three sentences: what you make, where and since when.
2. What you'll sell, with a rough price range.
3. How you make it: materials and process, especially if it's handmade.
4. Product photos (see below) and, if you have one, a photo of your stall at another fair.
5. Stall needs: size, whether you need power, whether you bring your own gazebo.
6. Contact and social links: phone, email and a link to your catalogue.

Many calls use an online form. Keep your texts ready to copy and adapt them to what each one asks.

Photos that help you get chosen

Photos are the first thing selectors look at. Some guidelines:

• Natural light and a neutral background. Avoid dark photos or the phone flash.
• One photo per product from the front and a few close-ups, so the quality shows.
• A group shot of your collection, so it's clear what you'll sell.
• Consistency: if your photos share a style, your work looks more polished.

More tips in our product photo checklist.

A link instead of a heavy PDF

Many organisers prefer a link to a large file. A catalogue with your products, prices and photos that opens on a phone does the same job as a portfolio, and you can also show it at the market itself. With Mercader, your storefront at your-shop.mercader.app does exactly that: send it with your application, then put it on a QR code at your stall.

After you apply

• Note what you sent and when.
• If you haven't heard back by the announced date, write once, briefly.
• If you're selected, confirm quickly and ask for the set-up times and what the pitch includes in writing.
• If you're not selected, ask whether they can tell you why. It will help next year.

Once you have a pitch, check whether it will pay off with is this craft fair worth it? and plan the day with the market day checklist. If you want a catalogue for your application, you can create your storefront with a 14-day trial.