56+ Craft Fair Booth Setup Ideas & Tips for Your Next Show

August 13, 2024

So you're preparing for your next craft fair, and you want to put together the perfect booth so you can attract more customers and sell more of your creations.

We've been in your shoes before, and that's why we've put together this collection of craft fair booth setup ideas to inspire you.

First, we've collected more than a dozen craft fair booth layout ideas, including DIY and affordable displays that you can try for your next booth. And we've included 33 of our best craft fair booth tips to make sure you have the absolute best experience.

All of our tips and ideas come from years of experience in craft fairs, trade shows, and vendor events, and we're excited to share them with you!

This is part of a larger craft fair series, and we'll link those articles here when they're ready. For now, you can find 10x10 craft booth layout ideas and tips for selling more at craft fairs here.

Now, let's jump into the list!

What's inside:

23+ Craft Fair Booth Setup Ideas to Inspire You
33 Pro Tips for a Better Booth Experience
Final Thoughts
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means that we may receive a commission if you make a purchase using third-party links.

23+ Craft Fair Booth Setup Ideas to Inspire You

Booth Setup Ideas from the MakerFlo Community

We've collected some real-life examples from our awesome crafting community!

This outdoor booth setup by MakerFlo Crafter DeeDee Tabani of Gamma Dees Designs ✨

outdoor booth setup idea by deedee tabani

This outdoor booth by MakerFlo Crafter Jessica Wissler of Wissler's Crafty Wonders:

outdoor craft booth setup by Jessica Wissler

And these two booth setups from MakerFlo Crafter Jessica Eichner of Camo n Hairbows:

Booth Setup Ideas from TikTok

Next, discover more ideas from crafters on TikTok:

This booth by @shopgoogoogoods that features display items from Amazon:

Booth ideas from @rememberable_resin:

Market display hacks by @tenbyten.art:

An awesome booth setup by @thepeachfuzz.co:

This booth featuring custom tumblers by @hollybeezcreationz:

A successful tumbler display by @rigmaidencreations:

A tumbler display rack made with wooden crates by @kellygarciacreations:

Craft booth ideas from @phoebel.sherman:

A simple but cute display from @connieomg:

This outdoor booth setup by @simply_katy1:

A custom t-shirt booth by @lexilouscraftingco:

DIY, Cheap, and/or Simple Booth Setup Ideas

Beautiful gazebo net lights:

Dollar Tree finds:

How to make a DIY checkout stand:

DIY displays from Walmart items:

A DIY peg board from IKEA items:

Target finds for your craft booth:

Unusual items you can use for craft displays:

33 Pro Tips for a Better Booth Experience

#1 - Stay fed

Make sure to pack a cooler with snacks, drinks, and food so you don't have to worry about running out of energy during the show.

#2 - Use folding chairs

We recommend bringing folding chairs for seating. You can use them to sit down when you need a break. When you're done, you can fold and store them so they don't take up precious booth space.

#3 - Pre-order meals

You might be serving customers nonstop, which makes it hard to leave your booth. That's why it's nice to have your meals taken care of by a delivery service like Postmates, Uber Eats, or DoorDash.

#4 - Use the buddy system

If you can, bring a friend with you to help you work your booth! It's tough to be on duty all day long. It's really hard to set up and pack down your booth, take breaks, and help each customer if you have no one else to work with.

#5 - Pre-plan your booth layout

Plan out your layout on grid paper or a design software like Canva, so you know exactly how everything will fit!

#6 - Think about signage

If you haven't yet, now is the time to start thinking about signage and marketing materials. You can design things like posters, table runners, table signs, or other images in Canva. Use brand colors and include your shop name and what you sell. This is something you want to be working on 4 weeks ahead if you can.

#7 - Take credit cards

Cash is great, but you don't want to have to turn down customers who don't have cash on them or didn't plan to spend a lot. Something like Square, Shopify POS, or PayPal POS can help people make purchases with whatever they have. On top of that, adding Cash App and Zelle payments to your shop will give your customers even more options!

#8 - Collect leads

Not everyone who visits your booth will come to buy. But you can still get their contact info as a future lead. Create a signup sheet for emails in exchange for emails or a chance to win something. Then you can reach out to later when they might be ready to buy.

#9 - Hold an interactive experience

Booths aren't only for selling! Try running a make-and-take event or other interactive craft or activity to bring in new customers and interest them in what you sell.

#10 - Make an announcement

Ask the craft show staff if they call out announcements over the intercom. If they do, you could announce a deal, special, or time sale at your booth and get more traffic that way.

#11 - Prepare packaging

Make sure you have an attractive way to package your items after they're sold. The customer experience doesn't end at the sale--packaging is also part of it! MakerFlo tumblers, for example, come with beautiful packaging that you can use right away.

makerflo sublimation tumbler and holographic packaging

#12 - Have enough change

Preparing to take cash? Make sure you have plenty of change and a way to get more if you run out. There's nothing worse than turning down a sale because you don't have enough quarters!

#13 - Think about transportation

Having a truck, trailer, or van is always a great option for carrying your furniture and gear. You could ask around if someone could lend you or give you a ride, or look at renting for the duration of the event. A wagon or cart is also helpful.

#14 - Power up your booth

You can power your booth with electricity, whether it's from an outlet in the event space, a battery pack, or a portable power station like Jackery. You can hang lights, charge your phone or payment processor, or connect a fan or heater for temperature control.

#15 - Streamline your storage

Make sure that the boxes and equipment you plan to store out of sight will fit under your tables or behind other items in your booth. Keeping these fully hidden will create a cleaner look for your booth.

#16 - Cover your tables

Choose table covers that fit into your color scheme and brand design. You can also hang vinyl signs from tables to add more signage. Just make sure the text on the front part is readable from far away.

#17 - Make products visible

Don't place products flat on a table. Use vertical stands and other display items so each item can be seen from far away.

#18 - Position your most eye-catching products at the front

You must attract people to your booth if you want them to come closer. So place your most interesting, colorful, or attractive items at the very front of your booth to draw people in.

#19 - Plan out your customer flow

Make a plan for how customers will enter and walk through your booth. Where will they come from? What will they see first? How will they go through the experience from start to finish? Organize your booth accordingly.

#20 - Brand everything

Everything in your booth can be branded or fit into your brand theme. When all the little details are consistent, and everything plays into your overall branded experience, people get so much more enjoyment from your shop and feel more trust in your business overall.

#21 - Add your brand story

When did you start your business, and why? How did you get to where you are today? Create a little video or a printed page outlining your brand story. People love reading stories, and they build interest in your business and products. You can print out a poster with your story or a QR code that leads to a brand story video or landing page.

#22 - Go beyond tables

Tables are great, easy to set up, and an affordable option. But you can go beyond tables! Things like pegboards, shelves, vertical racks, side tables, lecterns, and other tall furniture create visual interest and make products more visible than a low, flat table.

#23 - Elevate tables

Some crafters raise their tables with 6" risers to 36" high, which is said to be a more comfortable viewing height.

#24 - Consider a rug

If you're opening your booth to customers, a nice rug that's slightly smaller than your booth space can tie in the decor and make it more inviting.

#25 - Make vinyl banners

Vinyl banners are a more affordable way to add signage to your booth. You can design and order them and then hang them from your booth drapes. Or consider a pop-up display from a vendor like Easy Signs or table-top banners like this one from BannerBuzz.

#26 - Bring flyers

Bring flyers, business cards, or other branded trinkets that you can hand out to customers. You could even print out referral cards that they can give to friends to get a discount. Things like chapstick, keychains, magnets, bottle openers, and hand sanitizers are popular.

#27 - Plan for nighttime

Are you running an outdoor booth? Consider how late the show will run and if you need some lights for the end of the day. Portable wireless lights like camping lanterns work great, and they can be hung.

#28 - Be a billboard

Your own clothing can help you stand out and fit in with your branding. Choose something comfortable, of course, but think about how you can wear your brand colors or something that will play nicely with the look of your booth. Add on some branded shirts, hats, or gear that can advertise your shop wherever you go.

#29 - Wear comfortable shoes

Whatever you choose to wear, make sure your shoes are comfortable, as you'll be on your feet most of the time.

#30 - Say hi!

Don't sit and wait for people to come to you. Stand up and greet people as they come close to your booth. Go out and engage with people, and they will be more likely to come to you.

#31 - Give samples

Offer samples, let people touch and feel your products, and let them know about offers and show specials you currently have running. Give them a little taste of what you offer and they'll have more of a reason to stop and check out your wares.

#32 - Play games

Host a spin-the-wheel game, bingo, or lottery draw for people to get deals on your products or fun gifts! Here's a chalkboard prize wheel you can try from Amazon (affiliate link).

#33 - Use sturdy bins

Keep your booth items in durable and stackable bins that won't break after lots of use (like this one from Home Depot). And try a foldable flat bed cart for transporting them (affiliate link).

Final Thoughts

How do you feel about your craft booth setup now? We hope you're feeling inspired and ready to crush your next craft fair with the ultimate booth setup!

Have more questions? Share them with us in our MakerFlo Official Facebook Community and get answers from us and many other crafters just like you!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do you attract customers to your booth at a craft fair?

Here are six ideas to try: 1) Arrange your booth to have your most eye- catching and attractive products right up at the front. 2) Use vertical displays to make your products visible from far away. 3) Use signage to show people what you sell. 4) Make sure you're standing at your booth with a big smile, greeting people. 5) Have product samples, flyers, or a game they can play for the chance to win a freebie. 6) Host a make-and-take or interactive crafting experience using your items.

How do you make a craft booth stand out?

First of all, brand your booth with a color scheme and look and feel. Don't let your branding distract from the products, but create a cohesive background. Keep your products up high with vertical displays so they are visible from far away. And use table covers and signage printed with your name and what you sell. Finally, standing at the front of your booth with a big smile will do more to attract people than any kind of branding and design.

What's the best way to display prices at a craft fair?

If you have a simple pricing scheme, you can print out pricing posters and display them around your booth so people can quickly figure out prices. If each item is unique, you can create little price tags on each item or little display cards to show the price, but this will take more time to set up.

How many items should you sell at a craft fair?

A common goal people set is to sell 10x more than the booth fee. But for your first fair, you might just want to focus on doing your best and seeing what you can sell rather than having a strict goal. Whatever happens, take it as a learning experience and enjoy every moment! You will figure it out over time.