Vendor Events in Monterey, CA

25 spots open

The Monterey County Fair is an annual five-day county fair featuring carnival rides, live entertainment, rodeos, motorcycle races, agricultural exhibits, and fair food. Food vendors, craft sellers, and commercial exhibitors participate through a formal application process. The fair attracts families and visitors seeking traditional fair experiences including shopping, games, petting zoos, and community celebrations. Located at the 22-acre Monterey County Fair & Event Center in downtown Monterey, the fairgrounds offer two outdoor stages, concession kitchens, and barns. The venue is easily accessible off Highway 1 or 68, just minutes from local tourist attractions and a short drive to Cannery Row and downtown Monterey. The September timing captures early fall attendance before peak tourist season transitions.

25 spots open

Held over Labor Day weekend in September, the Monterey Jazz Festival brings together one of the most prestigious gatherings of jazz talent in North America. Taking place in Monterey, California, this three-day festival on September 25-27, 2026 attracts serious jazz enthusiasts, casual music lovers, and cultural tourists from across the country and beyond. The event draws crowds of thousands who come to experience performances from legendary musicians, rising contemporary artists, and innovative composers all celebrating the art form that has deep roots in American music history. As a major festival rather than a typical craft fair or farmers market, the Monterey Jazz Festival operates on a larger scale with multiple performance venues, stages, and programming throughout the weekend. Vendors at an event like this typically go beyond traditional crafts to include music-related merchandise, art, specialty foods, beverages, and locally-sourced goods that appeal to the culturally engaged audiences who attend. The festival atmosphere draws attendees looking for curated experiences, quality products, and items that connect to jazz culture, California coastal living, and artisanal craftsmanship. September in Monterey offers pleasant late-summer weather, making it ideal for outdoor festival activities and extended shopping experiences. The setting combines the prestige of an international music event with the appeal of a charming coastal California destination, drawing visitors who might combine their festival attendance with exploring the local area. For vendors, this presents an opportunity to connect with an engaged, music-loving demographic with disposable income and interest in quality goods that complement their festival experience.

50 spots open

During peak maple syrup season in the Appalachian highlands, this annual festival takes over Main Street in Monterey, a picturesque mountain village nestled in Virginia's Little Switzerland region. The Hot Springs Highland County Maple Festival Craft Walk spans two weekends in mid-March, giving vendors and visitors flexible timing to experience the event. This is a working festival focused on celebrating the region's deep maple syrup heritage and traditional mountain craftsmanship, not just a marketplace, you'll find active demonstrations alongside vendors selling their goods. The craft walk draws a mix of vendors typical to rural Appalachian festivals: maple syrup producers selling everything from pure syrup to maple cream and sugar candy, woodworkers offering handcrafted items, local artisans with heritage crafts, and vendors dealing in seasonal preserves, baked goods, and regional foods. Because this event happens during the actual maple sugar season, many vendors are actively involved in the harvest, and you'll often see demonstrations of traditional and modern syrup-making techniques. Appalachian crafts like quilting, pottery, metalwork, and fiber arts are staples here, reflecting both the area's cultural traditions and the maker community that thrives in these mountain towns. The remote, rural location on Main Street in Monterey means this attracts both serious craft enthusiasts and visitors seeking authentic mountain culture rather than large tourist crowds. Spring weather in the highlands can be variable, but the timing catches the tail end of winter and early spring, when people are eager to get outside after the cold months. This is the kind of event where attendees often have genuine interest in where products come from and the stories behind them, they're not rushing through, but rather exploring at a slower pace typical of small-town mountain festivals. For vendors, the two-weekend format offers an opportunity to test the market or build relationships with repeat customers across both dates.

20 spots open

Each March, Highland County in Monterey, Virginia comes alive with the traditions and tastes of maple season at this annual two-weekend festival. The Highland County Maple Festival spans March 14-15 and 21-22, 2026, celebrating the region's deep heritage of maple syrup production and the broader crafts culture that thrives in the Appalachian foothills. This is a food festival with real roots, where visitors come to experience the seasonal intersection of agricultural tradition and artisan commerce. The festival draws over 100 juried vendors selling everything from maple-focused specialty foods to handmade crafts, creating the kind of curated marketplace that attracts both serious shoppers and casual visitors. Vendors set up across multiple venues including the Highland County Public School gyms and The Highland Center Artisans' Market, giving the festival space and organization that makes it easy to browse. For food vendors and maple producers especially, this event pulls customers who are specifically seeking out regional specialties and value-added products. The two-weekend format means flexibility for vendors choosing which dates work best and helps distribute foot traffic across the spring season. Beyond vendor booths, the festival includes working sugar camp tours where visitors can watch syrup production firsthand, creating an educational backdrop that drives attendance from families and food enthusiasts. The presence of maple donuts, pancakes, and live music throughout both weekends sets a festive, community-focused tone that keeps people on-site longer and encourages repeat visits across the two weekends. This kind of experiential programming differentiates the Highland County Maple Festival from typical craft fairs and creates multiple reasons for visitors to stick around and browse vendor offerings. It's the kind of event where attendees arrive for the syrup but end up discovering local artisans, baked goods, and handcrafted items they didn't expect to find.

25 spots open

The 7th Annual Monterey Bay Jade Festival is a three-day vendor market event held at Custom House Plaza in Monterey State Historic Park. The festival features over 40 jade vendors from around the world selling nephrite and jadeite in multiple forms including rough stones, jewelry, carvings, and sculptures. It attracts collectors, enthusiasts, and professionals in the jade industry. The festival is free admission and includes the Georg Schmerholz Jade Carving Exhibition at nearby Stanton Center, plus the International Jade Summit featuring jade professionals and speakers. Vendors must have at least 51 percent jade content to be accepted, with booth fees at $545 for a 10-by-10 space. The festival supports local schools and the Monterey History and Art Association through net proceeds from vendor booth fees.

25 spots open

Taking place Memorial Day weekend at the Monterey County Fair & Event Center in Monterey, California, this craft fair brings together live music performances and independent artisans in a celebration of roots music and handmade culture. The three-day event running May 22-24, 2026 creates an ideal setting for vendors working in handmade crafts to connect with music lovers and art enthusiasts who are drawn to authentic, locally-made goods. The timing during late May means you'll catch attendees in the mood for outdoor events and community gatherings as summer approaches, making it a strong weekend for craft sales. The California Roots Music and Arts Festival operates as a craft fair where the atmosphere centers on artistic expression and live entertainment rather than purely commercial transactions. This blend attracts a particular crowd: people who value handcrafted goods, support independent makers, and see shopping as part of a larger cultural experience. Vendors at festivals like this typically include jewelry makers, woodworkers, textile artists, ceramicists, leather crafters, and other artisans whose work reflects the "roots" aesthetic and commitment to quality over mass production. The music component creates extended dwell time on the fairgrounds, giving shoppers reason to linger, explore vendor booths, and make impulse purchases they might skip at a purely commercial market. The Monterey County location, set in California's Central Coast region, draws from both local artist communities and travelers visiting the area. The fairground venue provides established infrastructure and foot traffic that benefits vendor visibility. For makers of handmade crafts, this festival represents a chance to reach engaged shoppers who specifically seek out events celebrating artisanal work and cultural expression. The memorial day weekend timing also captures people traveling for the holiday, expanding your potential customer base beyond local residents. If your work aligns with roots music culture or appeals to attendees looking for authentic, handcrafted pieces, this three-day craft fair offers a meaningful selling opportunity.