The Uncommon Market
Application Information
37th Annual Northwest Folklife Festival
Memorial Day weekend, May 23-26, 2008
Seattle Center

Four days of ethnic and folk music, dance and food.

The Northwest Folklife Festival has two different marketing areas for vendors of handmade products. The Crafts Marketplace is restricted to artisans who personally make and sell their own goods. The Uncommon Market includes a variety of products, seeking always to present goods that are appropriate to the Northwest Folklife Festival.

Appropriate products for the Uncommon Market:

  • Imported handcrafted gifts, accessories and clothing
  • Unique gifts, accessories and clothing manufactured in the US , for ex. Bonsai trees,
    musical instruments, etc.
  • Specialty packaged foods, such as sauces, olives, preserves, dried fruit, nuts, honey, etc.
  • Handcrafted items from local ethnic groups (rather than individual artisans)
  • Henna art

Inappropriate products:

     • T-shirts, sunglasses, books, periodicals, souvenir items and goods manufactured in large volumes and sold by sales representatives, etc.

Items must be of high quality. Northwest Folklife is interested in showing a strong representation of imported goods in a distinctive way. Vendors who represent one country or region have a better chance of acceptance than those representing an international collection.

Applications are juried by a selection committee.

The Uncommon Market booths are located in several different areas of the Seattle Center. See grounds map at http://www.nwfolklife.org/P_F/Map.html. Uncommon Market areas are denoted in yellow.

See The Uncommon Market Information Sheet on the back of this page for further details regarding fees, locations, the application process and deadlines.
Questions? Call the Merchant Coordinator, (206) 684-7327 or email merchants@nwfolklife.org.

2008 NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL
UNCOMMON MARKET INFORMATION SHEET

Locations and Hours:
Friday, May 23 - Monday, May 26, from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Note: closing times may vary.

  • Bagley Roadway: Between the Bagley Wright Theatre and the Intiman Playhouse
  • Fisher Terrace: Above Fisher Pavilion, west of Center House
  • Mural Amphitheatre: South side of the Mural Amphitheatre.

Saturday, May 24– Monday, May 26 from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Closing time on Monday may vary.

  • Northwest Court: Upper court area located at the Northwest corner of Seattle Center.

Fees: See application.
Payment: All booth fees are due upon acceptance.

Technical Information:

  • Canopies are available for rent: vinyl canopy 10' deep x 10' front x 8' tall (with back and side walls) is $300, plus Washington State Excise Tax. Canopy 10' deep x 20' front (with back and side walls) is $450, plus tax. A front wall can be ordered at additional cost.
  • Electricity is not available.
  • Each area has a storage facility where merchants can store valuables overnight.
  • Participants must use a covered booth structure, either by renting one from Northwest Folklife, or by providing their own.
  • Rental information will be sent with acceptance materials.


Jury Process:

  • Product literature and a price list must accompany all applications.
  • All applications must be accompanied by 3-6 photos, slides or digital images on a disk of your merchandise. New applicants only: send a photo of your booth in addition to product images.
  • Only Specialty Foods Category applicants must send a sample of their product.
  • A jury will review all applicants and make the final selection of approximately 60 participants.
  • If you would like your materials returned, send a self-addressed stamped envelope with your application.
  • The jury takes place in early February. You will be notified of its decision after mid-February.
  • Please do not send money with your application.

Helpful Hints for Submitting your Application:

  • Include a detailed description of the images on the back of your application along with the prices of the items.
  • Close-ups of small groups of items are better than distant group shots.
  • Put your name on the back of any photos or slides that you send.
  • Your retail price list is essential and must be included. This does not need to be an entire catalog, but should include a representative sample of your goods. The jury cannot properly judge your application without prices.
  • Booths that represent one country or region have a better chance of acceptance than those trying to represent a whole continent.

Specialty Food category applicants only: Please send samples of your products. Without these samples, it is impossible for the jury to assess your application. See shipping or delivery information below.

Mail to: Northwest Folklife, Attn: TUM, 305 Harrison St. Seattle, WA 98109-4623. We do not accept certified mail.
Hand deliveries or delivery service (Fed Ex, UPS) only to: 158 Thomas St. #32 Seattle, WA 98109-4623
Questions? Please call Corrine Anderson, at (206) 684-7327 or email to corrine@nwfolklife.org.

Applications must be submitted online, postmarked by,
or hand delivered by 4:00 PM on January 18 to the Folklife Office