MakerTree Park: A Goal to Modernize and Simplify Craft Show Planning, Organization, Registration & Communication.

   As vendors ourselves who have been fortunate enough to meet a number of wonderful people by doing so, and this largely includes other vendors, which we term our “vendor-family” giving tribute to how we all came together to meet in the first place. Since the year-early opening of MakerTree Park on Memorial Weekend this Summer, we’ve been diligently working on solutions to some of the most common things we hear from vendors of any shows, when it comes to venues and registering in general.

   Some of the more common statements were regarding venue pricing, cellular coverage for venue, difficulty or awkward experiences trying to register for an event at a venue, parking, lack of event information for vendors, knowing if another dealer for your product line is already booked for the event, etc…

   Since this is our first year for MakerTree Park as a venue, and we have an extensive list of developments we wish to make before the start of next season (and beyond), we also wanted to work on solving some other challenges that vendors much like ourselves, face in the Craft Show world.

    Before going any further, we wanted to open, but as a completely free season for vendors as an “Open-House”-like opportunity to meet, get a tour of the full Park, and to see our vision when we open the full Park next Summer 2023! Even when we begin with vendor fees Summer 2023, they’ll only be minimal fees of $25/ vendor space, to simply help minimize the chance no-show vendors, and to recover some of the base expenses associated with hosting such events.

   Another easy challenge solved, was the simple fact that all major cellular carriers get signal throughout MakerTree Park, assuring vendors & attendees both, that card payments can be processed from within our Park via cellular signal.

   First, we had to get caught up though, by at least having an online schedule for our entire season of events. This way vendors were able to plan out their season in advance. This was a spontaneous decision to open MakerTree Park this year instead of 2023, so we needed to hurry up and create the 2022 Summer schedule, get it posted online (especially on an easy to update for us, but easy to find and navigate for other vendors as well). We already had a website for our primary business, so we were able to add the Park to the website navigation and post the schedule to solve both of these simple tasks quickly.

This screenshot below shows the MakerTree Park navigation, and how to get to the Event Schedule and Vendor Registration.

   Additionally, by adding the “Vendor Product Listing” for each event on the schedule, this allows us to post each vendor as they’re confirmed (and for their specific days of attendance) which is a great resource for attendees, but also for other vendors to see if there may be a  vendor who is carrying their product line already registered for the event (or possibly for only 1 day of an event) so a more granular level of planning and communication can be shared instantly with the community.

This screenshot below shows the Event Schedule page and the link for the confirmed Vendor Product List, specific to each event date.

This next screenshot below shows an example of a Vendor Product List & and how it can help in vendor and attendee planning. The Vendor Product List for each event may be updated, up until the evening prior to the event, depending upon new vendor additions and changes.

    For quick easy access to a vendor application, at the bottom of the event schedule page (and on each event registration page), we’ve created a simple application form that new vendors can fill out at their convenience and submit for MakerTree Park vendor approval. This process only needs to be done once per vendor, and it’s simply so we know what your product(s) and/ or service(s) are for Vendor Product Listing purposes. Once a vendor application is approved, then the vendor may register for any of the listed Summer Craft Show events at MakerTree Park as they’d like. With a schedule of Craft Shows approximately every other week, there will be around (7) Craft Show events at MakerTree Park each Summer.

   MakerTree Park Craft Shows allow crafters, artists, clothing, natural bath & body care products, farmers market-type goods, antiques, food vendors, acoustic or powered music entertainers, etc… If you’re unsure about your product/ service being allowed, please feel free to email us at:

CustomerService@MakerTree3D.com

Below is a screenshot of the application for new vendors to MakerTree Park.

  Now to simplify the vendor registration process. By including a method in which vendors can select the weekend dates they want to be a vendor at MakerTree Park, review the details of the event, choose the number of vendor spaces required to suit your booth needs, vendors are able to complete the Registration Check Out process with only a few clicks. Again, the MakerTree Park Summer 2022 Craft Shows are all free for vendors to register for, as our first year “Open House” series of Craft Shows.

Below is a screenshot of the vendor registration page, specific for each Craft Show event date at MakerTree Park all season.

    Clicking on any event date listed, will display new vendor application notice (ignore the red notice if you’ve already been a vendor at MakerTree Park, or you’ve already been approved by MakerTree Park, otherwise you can fill out the Vendor Application Form for quick and easy approval response), and then will cover the details of the event day(s) and times, set up times, and all of the other details that are necessary for an easy, and fully informed vendor registration process, including inclement weather/ rain date details for each event.

Below is a screenshot of vendor space selection. Each vendor space is 12’ x 12’, so selecting a quantity of (2) would result in a vendor space of 12’ x 24’ for example.

  With regards to parking at MakerTree Park, our venue has the space to accommodate events from small, up to an estimated 90+ vendor spaces, with the parking completely on-site, and not road-side. While this first year, we've made MakerTree Park field available, though our 2023 expansion makes the field largely utilized for parking, moving the crafters under large shade trees and beautiful meandering paths for attendees.

   That sums up many of our more immediate solutions, besides the many preparations and other tasks needed to pursue the push to open MakerTree Park a year earlier than originally envisioned.

   Lastly, thank you all, attendees and vendors alike! It’s every one of you, and your various perspectives and inputs that are helping us to mold Makertree Park as a venue for you and our entire community to enjoy! We hope to have you as a vendor soon too!