Market and Craft Fair Booth Display Ideas

As someone who’s been creating items and selling locally for several years, I’m always on the lookout for fresh vintage market and craft fair booth ideas.

Whether I’m marketing my Girl in the Garage business with refinished furniture and home decor – or my Thread and Cloth Studio biz with handmade animal dolls and other fiber arts projects – my booth display needs to always look amazing to attract shoppers and make a lasting impression.

Of course the first step is to get selected as a vendor!  Read tips here for how to get chosen as a craft fair or vintage market vendor.

Next, especially if you’re a new vendor, I can’t stress enough how important it is to practice setting up your booth in advance.  Move your display pieces around in your house or your driveway, see what works best where, and snap a few photos so you remember.  Below I was trying out my setup for the first vintage market I did (read about it here)…

For outdoor fairs and events, you’ll definitely want a sturdy tent and tent weights – learn about some of the best options here.

And here I am below at my very first market – I ended up switching my display around some since I was on a corner but it definitely helped knowing where to put the bigger pieces in advance.

Friend, let me just tell you – lugging heavy, bulky display pieces around is exhausting and often unnecessary. Read all about the most useful and creative portable display ideas for markets and fairs here.

Below I’m at an indoor spring event and my space is jam-packed with furniture and decor, while making the best use of my space by stacking smalls on top of bigger pieces, filling shelves, and keeping people’s attention pretty much anywhere they look from the floor to eye-level.

Also be sure to keep an open walkway for people to move through your space.

I’m a big believer in using textures to add softness to hard spaces or some natural and wood elements for dimension in mostly soft/fabric spaces, like in the photos of my past markets below.

I love working with furniture and decor in mostly neutrals, but I also appreciate using my creativity in different ways like when I can spend time at the sewing machine making pretty, colorful things. Let your space be a reflection of your personality but also keep the overall colors and theme aligned. 

{All the shelving, the table, and backdrop stand below fold flat for easy storage and transportation. The big flowers are hooked onto hardware cloth and hung with S hooks.}

A few themes to think about:  fun and playful – calm and relaxing – hip and modern – masculine or feminine – rustic vintage – farmhouse chic.  These ideas can help guide you when you design your display, create more products, and visualize your ideal customer that you’re trying to appeal to.

Here are several more creative booth display ideas you can use for inspiration

Here’s a lovely outdoor market booth space by Jessica Jane Handmade – two different table heights under one tablecloth, folding display shelves for small products, an easel for hanging items, and a colorful umbrella for shade/attention.

Chicago-area maker Tall Skinny Pine makes sure her handmade leather goods are openly displayed on shelving modified from IKEA pieces. She also uses a raised folding table for a checkout stand and packaging purchases.

Indianapolis-based Laundry Girl Jewelry uses louvered doors to display some of the jewelry she makes from recycled leather.

Stone Crow Studios used a standard white 10×10 tent with added burlap fabric at the entrance and draped inside, and a black/white/tan theme throughout.

When you sell small items and your booth only fits one table, use colorful clever displays to make the most of your space like Hello Fletcher! A sign hanging overhead grabs attention from across the venue, and a mirror helps so shoppers can see how necklaces look on them.

Through the Porthole always has unique primitive treasures and really amazing market displays.  The “Follow us on Instagram” sign is a great way to grow your following and stay in contact for future events and new products.

Satchel & Sage displays their paper goods and textiles on neutral tiered crates, baskets, and a vintage suitcase.

Brooke from Start at Home sadly doesn’t make signs anymore, but this setup from one of her past markets is gorgeous. She used tattered pieces of wallpaper on a freestanding wall she built as a backdrop.

The Silver Craftsman has his small goods hanging and leaning so they’re easily seen from the aisle. The creative backdrop, hanging lighting, and banners complete the memorable display.

Fellow northwest Indiana maker The Paper Shutter displays her colorful totes and handbags so that they’re easy to spot from far away.

Vintage crates and risers for displaying colorful paint jars (would also be great for candles) – via Vintage News Junkie (now known as Rusted Roots).

Inexpensive shutter easels for art display – by Lana Manis Designs

An eye-catching display and awesome use of tiered shelves for maximum visibility – by Cheltenham Road.

Friend, I hope these creative market and craft fair photos have given you some fun new booth display ideas for your handmade or vintage business.  To learn even more about starting and growing your creative business, click the image below for lots of helpful articles.

Best wishes to you for a successful vintage market or craft fair! – Jen