The Chattanooga Market is very proud to share that we have partnered with the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) to organize and manage the Arts & Crafts Vendor Market during their World of Bluegrass events to be held in Chattanooga on September 19-20, 2025. We specifically are managing the vendor market held during the IBMA Bluegrass Live!® music festival portion of their week-long event; participants interested in the indoor business expo at the convention center should contact the IBMA directly.
This will be the first year of the festival in Chattanooga, having most recently moved from Raleigh, NC where it had a very successful run for over a decade. Some event details and logistics are still being confirmed with FEMA and other safety and security organizations, but most of the fun stuff can be found on the IBMA website at World of Bluegrass. A crowd of 12-16,000 is expected this year.
For prospective Arts & Crafts Vendors, we are opening a Waiting List which you can start today. A few important details before you begin:
* We are only managing the Arts & Crafts Vendors.
* If you are a food truck, business expo partner or marketing sponsor - we are not your point of contact. Those individuals should consult the IBMA websites for more information.
* The Arts & Crafts selection process will begin now, with strong favor given to producer/artisans who make and sell products which intuitively feel like a great fit for world-class bluegrass festival. The patrons will be in a bluegrass festival mood; your offerings should be a complimentary fit.
* Vendor Setup will begin on Thursday, September 18 - likely in the afternoon. 24-hour onsite security will be provided until Sunday evening.
* Festival Hours will be both Friday (9/19) and Saturday (9/20) from 10am-10pm
* Joining the waiting list is at no charge; if you are selected, there will be a $20 application fee to verify your insurance, business permits and any other legal requirement as mandated by city, county, state and federal statute. We do require that all insurance, permits and similar documents be current and verified prior to festival participation.
* Festival fees are $50 setup per day, plus 10% of sales commission, due daily. All setup fees must be paid prior to your booth being added to the festival map/lineup.
* Vendor capacity will be limited; we do not know the exact space available yet, as it depends on the final approved festival safety plan, but we anticipate 30-40 booths max. This may change as festival approvals and permits are issued, and we will not collect any fees until we are certain of availability.
To begin the process, click on the "Join Waiting List Button" and fill out the information form. No responses will be sent until we are able to move forward with the final confirmation and scheduling process.
Anticipated Timeline:
* June 1: waiting list opens
* July 1: confirmation and scheduling process begins
* August 1: setup fees due
* September 1: booth assignments completed, maps confirmed and festival times finalized.
