With this year’s San José Craft Holiday Fair quickly approaching, below you will find a final guide of information about vending at the event, including but not limited to: your booth space, load-in dates/times and what to expect leading up to the event.
Additionally, we'll be also using this page to communicate updates to all the vendors. We recommend checking the page every so often (perhaps every Wednesday leading up to the event) to see if there are any new updates.
MOST RECENT UPDATES:
- Nov. 22, 2022 at 7 AM - Updated Layout & Lineup
Table of Contents
Scroll down to read through all the information or click the quick links below:
General Event Info
Event Name:
- SJMADE Holiday Fair 2022
Event Page for Attendees:
Event Dates & Times:
- Friday, Nov 25, 2022: 11 am to 7 pm
- Saturday, Nov 26, 2022: 11 am to 7 pm
Location:
- Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, CA 95054 (view on Google Maps)
Vending Information:
- We are currently sold out of vendor booth spaces for the SJMADE Holiday Fair 2022.
- Anyone interested in joining the Vendor Waitlist, should go here to apply for a spot on the Waitlist: https://www.sanjosemade.com/products/holiday-fair-2022-waitlist
Pet Policy:
- Service animals only. The venue staff will ask you to leave (even if you're a vendor) if they see you with your pet and it's not a verifiable service animal. This is the venue's policy, not ours.
Event Details:
- This event is free admission for attendees.
- There is free on-site parking available for both vendors and attendees.
- Appropriate for all ages.
- No outside food & beverage will be allowed into the event.
- There is no 49ers game during our event this year so nobody has to worry about the traffic issues and street closures that happen during those games. NOTE: There is a 49ers game on Sunday but the event only goes through Saturday.
COVID Policy:
- All attendees, staff and vendors will be encouraged to wear face masks (properly) at all times during the event except when eating and drinking.
Security:
- The venue has extensive security and surveillance.
- Additionally the venue will be completely locked to the public overnight starting one hour after the conclusion of each day's event (our staff will be on-site until then and nobody from the public will be allowed in the venue during that time; just our staff and vendors).
- In the past, most vendors have kept their items on-site overnight without experiencing any issues. As always, we recommend taking home any personal belongings, cash and electronics at the conclusion of each day.
On-Site Contacts
If you text or email any of us during the event, please provide your Name, Business Name and Booth Number so our staff can best respond to your inquiry. SJMADE Staff will be wearing SJMADE t-shirts and staff lanyards.
- Kevin Biggers - kbiggers@sanjosemade.com - (408) 755-0676
- Mia Biagini - mia@sanjosemade.com
- Paulo Candido - paulo@mvbl.co
- SJMADE Staff - At least two (2) staff members can be found at all times at the Info Booth located just outside the doors near the Front Entrance
Venue Hours for Vendors & Staff Only
- On Wednesday, Nov. 23, the venue will be open to vendors & staff only from 1 PM to 8 PM.
- On Thursday, Nov. 24, the venue will be closed all day.
- On Friday, Nov. 25, the venue will be open to vendors & staff only from 7 AM to 10:59 AM. Doors will open to the public from 11 AM to 7 PM. The venue will be open to vendors & staff only from 7 PM to 8 PM. The venue will be closed at 8 PM.
- On Saturday, Nov. 26, the venue will be open to vendors & staff only from 8 AM to 10:59 AM. Doors will open to the public from 11 AM to 7 PM. The venue will be open to vendors & staff only from 7 PM onward.
Wifi
- We strongly recommend using mobile data from your devices at the event.
- The venue's in-house wifi options are fairly expensive (view pricing here) so we strongly suggest using mobile data to process transactions.
- There is free wifi in the lobby areas outside of the exhibitor halls.
- Most vendors were able to use mobile data without any issues last year on Friday and Saturday. The only day they ran into issues was on Sunday during the 49ers game but our event is not on Sunday this year.
More About Your Vendor Booth + Booth Amenities
Pipe & Drape Backdrop
Each 10'x10' booth space comes with a pipe and drape backdrop (white drape) that is about 8' tall and 10' wide. Unlike previous years, we will not have our decorator set up a 3' tall pipe and drape divider separating each 10'x10' booth space from its neighboring space. Instead, tape on the ground will demarcate each booth space from one another.
Signs & Banners
Each booth space will have a sign with the booth number on it. However, unlike last year, the business name will NOT be printed on the sign. We recommend bringing your own banner(s) / sign(s). The pipe from the pipe and drape backdrop at the back of your booth should provide sufficient stability to hang a light banner or sign.
Tables & Chairs
Vendors are responsible for bringing their own table(s) & chair(s).
However if a vendor would like to rent a table(s), chair(s) and/or table linen(s) and skirt (black skirt) from the venue, you can rent them from the venue. The cost to rent a table is $40 per table. The cost to rent a chair is $2 per chair. The cost to rent a package which includes a table, a chair and table linen & skirt is $50. We pass along these fees entirely to the venue as that is their specified cost for renting these.
The deadline to purchase access to electricity for the SJMADE Holiday Fair 2022 is Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 11:59 AM PST.
Purchase these rentals here:
Access to Electricity
Access to electricity costs an additional $110. Purchasing access to electricity will provide your booth at the upcoming SJMADE Holiday Fair 2022 with access to one (1) 500-watt electrical outlet for both event days. Once purchased, our team will send a confirmation email. The electrical outlet will be setup at your booth by the time you arrive to the venue. These costs cover the electrician and production team setting up the event.
The deadline to purchase access to electricity for the SJMADE Holiday Fair 2022 is Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 11:59 AM PST.
Purchase access to electricity here:
Load-In
You have two options for loading in your booth materials and products:
- Wednesday, Nov. 23: 1 pm to 8 pm
- Friday, Nov. 25: 7 am to 10:30 am
- NOTE: The loading docks will be available to use on Saturday morning for any Day 2 load-ins. The doors and docks will open on Saturday morning to vendors and staff only at 8 AM.
Wednesday Nov 23 Load-In (1 pm to 8 pm)
Recommend using the loading dock
We are strongly recommending that EVERYONE uses the loading dock to load in their booth materials and products. The elevators and escalators taking you from the third floor of the parking lot to the ground level where the event is located are insufficient for heavy loads of stuff. The loading dock is large enough to accommodate a lot of vendors simultaneously, so please plan to use the loading dock when you arrive.
Note about carrying your stuff from the vendor parking lot
If you only have a small amount of stuff to carry into the venue, you can still load-in from the lot. We just don't want people with large or heavy batches of stuff to cart their stuff into the venue from third floor of the parking lot and then find that the elevators / escalators are insufficient for loading in their stuff.
Sign up for a loading dock time slot
The venue features several loading docks. If you'd like to use a loading dock, you will need to sign up using the sheet below for a loading dock time. Each time slot is for 30 mins. In the sheet, find your preferred time slot and enter your business name into the corresponding cell:
Please remove your vehicle from the loading dock BEFORE you start setting up your booth
After bringing your items to your booth space, you must park your car in the venue's parking lot on the third floor. Out of courtesy of your fellow vendors, please leave the loading dock and park your vehicle BEFORE starting to setup your booth. We will be locking and leaving the venue at 8:15 PM sharp so please give yourself sufficient time to load-in if you will be loading in on Wednesday, Nov. 23.
Bring your own dollies and carts
If you are using the loading dock, we still recommend you bring your own carts and dollies to transport your stuff from your vehicle to your space. We will NOT have any carts or dollies available for vendors to use.
Locating the loading dock
View the image below to navigate your way to the loading dock area, which is located in the rear of the Convention Center. We recommend using these coordinates on your Google Maps to navigate your way to this specific area: https://goo.gl/maps/7WAtKgvCktKN45kCA.
Click the image or here for full view
Friday Nov 25 Load-In (7 am to 10:30 am)
Recommend using the loading dock
We are strongly recommending that EVERYONE uses the loading dock to load in their booth materials and products. The elevators and escalators taking you from the third floor of the parking lot to the ground level where the event is located are insufficient for heavy loads of stuff. The loading dock is large enough to accommodate a lot of vendors simultaneously, so please plan to use the loading dock when you arrive.
Note about carrying your stuff from the vendor parking lot
If you only have a small amount of stuff to carry into the venue, you can still load-in from the lot. We just don't want people with large or heavy batches of stuff to cart their stuff into the venue from third floor of the parking lot and then find that the elevators / escalators are insufficient for loading in their stuff.
Sign up for a loading dock time slot
The venue features several loading docks. If you'd like to use a loading dock, you will need to sign up using the sheet below for a loading dock time. Each time slot is for 30 mins. In the sheet, find your preferred time slot and enter your business name into the corresponding cell:
Please remove your vehicle from the loading dock BEFORE you start setting up your booth
After bringing your items to your booth space, you must park your car in the venue's parking lot on the third floor. Out of courtesy of your fellow vendors, please leave the loading dock and park your vehicle BEFORE starting to setup your booth. We will be locking and leaving the venue at 8:15 PM sharp so please give yourself sufficient time to load-in if you will be loading in on Wednesday, Nov. 23.
Bring your own dollies and carts
If you are using the loading dock, we still recommend you bring your own carts and dollies to transport your stuff from your vehicle to your space. We will NOT have any carts or dollies available for vendors to use.
Locating the loading dock
View the image below to navigate your way to the loading dock area, which is located in the rear of the Convention Center. We recommend using these coordinates on your Google Maps to navigate your way to this specific area: https://goo.gl/maps/7WAtKgvCktKN45kCA.
Click the image or here for full view
Parking
There are about 1,800 free on-site parking spaces available at the Santa Clara Convention Center's Parking Lot as well as its Secondary Parking Lot on Tasman Drive.
For vendors, we strongly recommend parking on the third floor of the Santa Clara Convention Center's Parking Lot as it offers a direct bridge into the venue and right to the venue's stairs, escalators and elevators. Vendors will have access to free parking on Wednesday (Nov. 23), Friday (Nov. 25) and Saturday (Nov. 26).
Additional Parking Notes:
- There are a few PERMIT ONLY entrances on the ground level of the parking lot. You will NOT be able to access the lot from these entrances. If you see these PERMIT ONLY entrances, please continue circling the lot until you find the main entrance (if you're looking at the image below, the main entrance to the lot is on the middle-left side of the pink oval).
- Vendors should NOT park on the second floor (no direct bridge into the venue) and the first floor (there are some spots marked for the Hyatt Hotel's Valet Parking; your vehicle will be towed if it is parked in one of these spots).
- You will NOT need a parking pass in order to receive free parking. Just find a spot on the third floor of the parking garage (the top level) and park.
- Accessibility parking is located in front of the Santa Clara Convention Center building on the ground level near the Main Entrance. The accessibility parking area is separate from the on-site parking garage. The accessibility parking area is closer to the actual building where the event takes place.
Click the image or here for full view
Load Out
Recommend using the loading dock
We are strongly recommending that EVERYONE uses the loading dock to load out their booth materials and products. The elevators and escalators taking you from the ground level to the third floor of the parking lot (i.e. the vendor parking lot) are insufficient for heavy loads of stuff. The loading dock is large enough to accommodate a lot of vendors simultaneously, so please plan to use the loading dock for load out.
Note about carrying your stuff to the vendor parking lot
If you only have a small amount of stuff to carry from the venue, you can load-out from the lot. We just don't want people with large or heavy batches of stuff to cart their stuff from the ground level to the third floor.
Bring your own dollies and carts
If you are using the loading dock, we still recommend you bring your own carts and dollies to transport your stuff to your vehicle from your booth space. We will NOT have any carts or dollies available for vendors to use.
Locating the loading dock
View the image below to navigate your way to the loading dock area, which is located in the rear of the Convention Center building. We recommend using these coordinates on your Google Maps to navigate your way to this specific area: https://goo.gl/maps/7WAtKgvCktKN45kCA.
Load-out schedule
Between 7 PM and 7:15 PM, the loading dock doors will remain closed. We encourage all vendors during this time to pack up your booth materials and products. At 7:15 PM we will open the loading dock doors. Vendors will be able to use the loading dock area HOWEVER please keep in mind that there will be 400+ vendors trying to load out at this time. Please be patient while waiting to bring your vehicle into the loading dock area. Please drive slowly and carefully.
Remove trash from your booth space before leaving
We ask that you please do not leave any trash behind in your booth. Due to this new venue's recently implemented rules, the event organizer (us) will be responsible for any trash left on-site at the conclusion of the event. While we have rented a dumpster for the duration of the event, once that dumpster is full, we are responsible for removing the rest of the trash ourselves. We ask as a courtesy to us that each vendor takes any non-food/drink trash (e.g. empty cardboard boxes) back home with them to dispose of. Thank you!
Fire Marshal Warning
We've been notified by the venue that one of the event's potential city fire marshal may be overly strict when it comes to their evaluation of the event. While we don't expect anything too extreme given the straightforward nature of the event, we wanted to give everyone a heads up to make sure any booth decor (beyond their products, standing displays and table displays) is fire rated or can be sprayed with fire retardant spray at the event upon the marshal's inspection.
Anyone who is using their canopy frame WITH the canopy cover should be prepared to either show the fire marshal the fire rated documentation of their canopy cover and/or be prepared to spray the cover down with fire retardant spray. As always, we strongly recommend not using the canopy cover if you are using the canopy frame as this is an indoors event.
Additionally, please keep your booth materials, booth displays and products within the confines of your booth space. Any items outside of your booth space that are in the walkways will be considered blocking the walkways. We will ask or the fire marshal will ask you to move the items back into the confines of your space.
On-Site Food & Drink
The full on-site food and drink concessions booth can be found near the secondary entrance just outside of Halls C & D. An additional on-site food and drink concessions booth can be found near the main entrance just outside of Hall A. The booth will open 45 minutes prior to the event start on both Friday and Saturday. These stands will offer sandwiches, salads, coffee, tea, soft drinks, beer and wine.
Seller's Permit
If you applied without listing a valid seller's permit number on your application, please email Kevin (kbiggers@sanjosemade.com) a valid seller's permit number before the event.
If you have not yet obtained one, we recommend obtaining a temporary seller's permit. You can learn more about temporary seller's permits here.
To register for a temporary seller's permit, click here (once you click on the link, find the tab that says Registration on it and click there and then find the button that says Get Started and click there):
Temporary seller's permits are free to obtain and you should receive a valid number upon submitting your registration. Once you've obtained a valid seller's permit number, please email it to Kevin (kbiggers@sanjosemade.com).
Liability Insurance
Participant represents that it has, or will have at the time of the Event, appropriate insurance to cover liability for the types of activities Participant will conduct at the Event. Participant covenants to be fully responsible for any of its liabilities, actions, or omissions, and will indemnify, defend, and hold San José Made (and its officers, employees, agents, vendors, affiliates, and representatives) harmless against any claims related to Participant’s liabilities, actions, or omissions.
If you do not have liability insurance for doing events, we recommend looking into single event liability coverage. An example is the type ACT Insurance provides (view here). There are other providers who provide similar single event coverage.
In the past, some vendors have needed to list San José Made and its contact information when they applied for liability insurance for a single event. Our info is San José Made, 2160 Tully Road, San Jose, CA 95122. Our office number is 408-800-6825.
Shared Booths
We will be requiring all Shared Booths to follow the configuration in this diagram below UNLESS there is explicit consent from both vendors sharing the booth PRIOR to the event.
Each Shared Booth vendor will be notified via email of their shared booth-mate and will be provided with an email contact to reach out to them beforehand.
Promotional Materials
If you'd like to share our event with your followers, first off, wow, thank you so much! Secondly, feel free to use the materials below to help communicate the event to your audience. We'll be updating this section as we finalize more of our marketing materials.
Poster
Caption
- The SJMADE Holiday Fair–the largest holiday craft fair in the South Bay Area– returns this year on Nov. 25-26, 2022, aka Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. Featuring San José Made's largest vendor lineup ever: 425+ makers, artists and creators all together in a fun, festive and friendly #shopsmall experience. Located at the Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, CA 95054. Free admission. Free parking available on-site. All ages. Open from 11 AM to 7 PM each day. More info available at sanjosemade.com/pages/holiday-fair-2022. Poster artwork by @tiny_egger_cheeser.
Info Guide
- Coming soon...
Booth Map Image for Social Media Use
- Coming soon...
- Please do NOT share on social media the booth layout map below. We will be uploading a more visually friendly vendor layout map for social media very shortly.
Vendor Booths Layout - Sorted by Alphabetical Order
Click the image or here for a larger view
VIEW BOOTH ASSIGNMENTS HERE
Vendor Booths Layout - Sorted by Numerical Order
Click the image or here for a larger view
VIEW BOOTH ASSIGNMENTS HERE