FESTIVAL VENDOR RULES & REGULATIONS

The 2025 Benton Christmas on the Square Festival and Parade will be held on Saturday, December 6th, 2025. The Festival times will be 10:00AM to 5:00PM. This is a one day marketplace outdoor event held rain or shine. Booth spaces are located around Heritage Village Square, the Bossier Parish School Board and the Simpson Street Park with paved streets, historical buildings open for tour, live entertainment, and varied kids activities. All activities are free to the public. Attendance varies from 2000 – 3500 people. 
To apply to participate in the parade, please click on the parade app and info & route link at the top of the page.  
 
How to Apply to the Benton Christmas on the Square Festival:
                   -  Fill Out Application Here
 
Product & Exhibit
                  1. All products and products offered for sale at the Festival must be made by the vendor or by the person listed on the vendor application.
                  2. Selections will be from the primary classifications –
                                    Accessories (hair bows, scarves, hats, handbags), Artist’s Prints & Unlimited Reproductions,
                                    Artwork (drawing, painting), Clay (hand thrown ceramics, pottery, porcelain), Clothing (adult, children,             
                                    Mother/Daughter), Dolls (fabric, fiber, fur, porcelain, wood, etc), Floral (arranged, dried, live, pressed,                                    
                                    silk), Food Concessions, Food Gifts (must be sealed in decorative packaging), Food Mixes (must require  
                                    additional preparation for consumption), Furniture (painted/stained: household, lawn/garden, child-               
                                    size), Games/Toys, Glass (blown, cut, fused, mosaic, sculpture, stained), Herbal (soaps, potpourri, oils,       
                                    candles), Jewelry (beads, clay, fabric, fiber, leather, metals, paper, wood), Leather (accessories, bags,         
                                    clothing, belts), Metal (cast, embossed, forged, punched, sculpture, aluminum, brass, copper, iron,      
                                    pewter, tin, etc.), Miscellaneous (acrylic, bread dough, egg art, rubber, shells, etc.), Mixed media        
                                    (combination of various media), Musical (instruments, music boxes, NO cds), Paper (calligraphy, cast,                    
​                                    cutting, maps, paper-mache, quilling), Photography (unlimited prints), Plants, Wood (painted/stained:                            
                                    lawn/garden, household, sculptures, sports, toys)         
                  3.  Exhibitors may only show and sell work from the category in which they have been accepted.
                  4.  To ensure balance and fairness to all exhibitors, each classification has a limited number of openings.         
                 
Booth Display & Set-Up
                  1.  Arts/Crafts Vendor spaces are 10' x 10'.  Food Truck spaces will be 10' x 30'.  All spaces will be assigned by Benton Christmas on the                                 Square Festival Committee.
                  2.  Arts/Crafts Vendor are required to provide Tent, Tables, and any style lights that are powered by batteries only. If electricity is needed for                           a specific craft, please include this information on your application.  You will need to provide your own extension cord.
                       Portable display tables, card tables, etc. must be covered/skirted.  All tents must be weighted down.  No stakes allowed.
                  3.  Vendors are responsible for set-up and clean up.  Set-up begins at 8:00am; all vendors must be set-up no later than 9:30am.
                       All trailered displays or concessions must be set-up by 9:30am.  (​All vehicles must be moved off site).
                  4.  Vendors and Food Trucks must remain on site for the entire Festival (10:00 am - 5:00 pm). 
                  5.  Please be prepared for inclement weather; this is an outdoor festival that goes on rain or shine!
                  6.  Once selected, exhibitors may display and sell ONLY the type of work which was juried.
                 
Food Concessions
                 Food Trucks are required to be self-contained.  It is the food vendor's responsibility to be in compliance with the local and state                                         requirements of the La. Dept. of Health and Hospitals.  Food Trucks will need to check in and park on Friday no later than
                 7:00pm. If you are not able to park on Friday, please arrive at the festival site on Saturday no later than 8:00am to begin set up.
                 
                
Non-Profit Organizations
                  The Benton Christmas on the Square Festival may accept a limited number of local non-profit organizations as exhibitors. No political                                  organizations will be considered.  Informational and interactive exhibits are encouraged.                
 
Application Requirements
                  All applicants are required to submit the following items:
                  A completed and signed application form with your name and business name as would like them to appear on our website and/or Facebook                           page.  Three (3) images that are representative of the work you propose to sell.  If you are accepted into the Festival, we may use your     
                  images to accompany press releases, online promotion, and advertisements to promote the Festival.  Of course, we will only use your             
                  images if you are accepted as a vendor.
                  All Vendor fess are due and payable upon notification of successful jury selection.
                  Vendor fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
                  Print images submitted to the jury will not be returned.
 
Vendor Fees & Payment
                  1. All vendor fees are due NO LATER than 10 days after submission of acceptance. 
                  2. Do not send payment until you have been notified of your acceptance.
                  3. 1 - 10’ x 10’ Vendor Space - $45
                  4. 2 - 10’ x 10’ Vendor Space - $80
                  5. 1 - 10' x 30' Food Truck Space - $65
 
No electric heaters are allowed.  Propane heaters are acceptable. Be prepared for outdoor weather. No electricity provided unless permission is granted.

Pets are not allowed in the Festival area at any time unless they are certified service animals.  

The festival committee reserves the right to have vendors remove unacceptable or inappropriate items, or to relocate or dismiss any participant.  No alcoholic beverages are permitted within the festival.

I understand that the Town of Benton, the Town of Benton Festival Committee, Benton Rotary Club and/or Sponsors are not responsible for damages caused by extenuating circumstances such as weather or acts of nature. Also, these parties mentioned above will not be liable in any way for damage or loss of inventory or work, or injury to persons participating.  If insurance is desired, it must be secured by the individual vendor.

An accepted application is a commitment to the festival.  No refunds will be made for cancellations.  There is no substitute rain date.  The booth fees will not be refunded in that event or other cause which could not be avoided by the Town of Benton or the Town of Benton Festival Committee. Return Check Fee: $35.00.
 
Accepted vendors will be notified by email. Upon notification, vendor has 7 business days to submit payment or forfeit spot.
 
Email: [email protected]
Mailing address is PO Box 1390, Benton, LA  71006