Apply to Vend

Chicago Stationery Fest is Chicago’s premier weekend festival for journaling, snail mail, and stationery lovers. Now in its third year, CSF attracts thousands of enthusiastic attendees from around the world.

WHO VENDS AT CHICAGO STATIONERY FEST…

  • Independent artists and makers who focus on creating stationery products.

  • Retailers who offer high-quality stationery goods for purchase.

  • Distributors and brands who sell stationery supplies.

YOU’RE A GOOD FIT FOR CHICAGO STATIONERY FEST IF…

  • At least 80% of the products you plan to bring to the event are stationery (stickers, washi tape, notebooks, journals, planners, greeting cards, letter-writing supplies, pens, inks, art supplies & tools, etc.).

  • You only sell items featuring artwork that you create yourself or you properly license or commission.

YOU’RE NOT A GOOD FIT FOR CHICAGO STATIONERY FEST IF…

  • Your inventory consists of items that we do not consider stationery.

  • You use generative AI to create, modify, or alter any of the artwork for products you sell in your business or the marketing materials you use for your business. Brands that use generative AI for artwork creation in any form for any product or marketing are not allowed to participate in Chicago Stationery Fest.

WHY YOU SHOULD VEND AT CSF 2027…

  • Gain access to approximately 2,000 engaged and excited stationery-loving customers during the 3-day event.

  • Participate in an event that prioritizes both the vendor and customer experiences, ensuring an enjoyable shopping experience for attendees and a well-supported vendor experience for brands, businesses, and artists. We do this by…

    • Booking an aesthetically-pleasing venue - with historical charm - that is designed for large-scale events and in the city limits of Chicago with easy access to transit, lodging, and local neighborhood amenities.

    • Thoughtfully setting ticket limits and properly managing venue capacity to prevent overcrowding and ensure a safe and enjoyable shopping experience.

    • Employing a dedicated staff team to support your planning for the event through regular vendor communication, an easily accessible pre-event vendor information portal, and virtual onboarding training.

    • Employing a team of staff and volunteers to support you during event with load-in, setup, and teardown as well as managing attendee flow and venue access.

  • Event fees include table setup and breakdown, chairs, tablecloths, and access to a private lounge for Vendors and staff.

  • Your brand will be highlighted on our brand social media channels and website leading up the event.

  • CSF has continued to evolve and improve and we plan to continue improving the vendor and attendee experience in 2027. 1,600+ tickets to CSF 2026 sold out in under 30 minutes and the event saw an 88% show-up rate.

  • Chicago Stationery Fest is presented by Paper & Pencil — one of Chicago’s most popular stationery shops — with an engaged social media following and supportive customer base.

VENDOR APPLICATION DETAILS…

Applications for vendors close at 11:59 pm CT on Friday, July 10, 2026

Please read below before applying…

  • All vendors must complete the application in full to be considered.

  • The application will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

  • What you’ll need to apply…

    • Your business details.

    • Details on who will be representing your business at the event.

    • Information about the products you plan to bring to CSF.

    • Your business logo and photos of your products and any previous vending setups.

    • Details on previous experiences vending at marketplace-style events.

    • A Google/Gmail account.

  • CSF 2027 is Friday - Sunday, May 14 - 16, 2027 at Artifact Events - North located at 4325 N. Ravenswood Avenue, Chicago, IL 60613. Vendor setup will take place on Friday with the event marketplace open on Friday evening and all day Saturday and Sunday and event teardown on Sunday evening.

  • No vendors will be considered without a completed application on file!

  • If accepted, there will be follow-up actions and dates communicated via email. Please keep an eye on your inbox for information from our team as we will provide deadlines for actions to guarantee your spot — missed deadlines could lead to losing your vendor spot!

  • We will communicate all acceptances or outcomes to all applicants by the end of the day July 31, 2026.

APPLY TO VEND AT CSF 2027