September 13th & September 14th, 2025
23rd Annual Alexandria Art Festival (Alexandria, VA)
Saturday & Sunday 10 am – 5 pm
Welcome to the 23rd Annual Alexandria Art Festival! Please read all information below to help the show run as smoothly as possible.
Set up
Set up will begin on Saturday at 3:30 a.m. All vehicles must be out of the show area by 8:30 a.m. Set-up must be completed by 9:15 a.m. Please be open for business by 9:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. You must have your vehicle come into the show site THE LEGAL WAY OF TRAFFIC! If you arrive late, you may need a dolly and unload from side street. Your booth display should match the booth display picture that was submitted with your Zapp application. There are no exceptions to this rule. If you have any display changes prior to the festival, you must resubmit your booth image for approval.
We have received several complaints regarding the amount of on-site storage at many of our event locations. Cities, police, fire and merchants are all complaining of obstruction and safety. It is essential to minimize your storage space for this show and all future shows. Please place any empty packing materials, as well as “extra” back stock in your vehicle. If you require additional storage, consider configuring your booth to accommodate what you need. The properties are no longer allowing storage items, boxes, and bins scattered around. Smaller carts with fitted covers are permitted but may need to be stored away from your booth. Additionally, boxes and crates cannot have tarps or other materials draped over them. Some artists have used high quality grill covers, however be sure to measure prior to ordering. Our events take place in upscale areas, and both properties and merchants expect a tidy appearance. Please keep this in mind while setting up and only retain what is necessary for the duration of the show. For you and your neighbors’ safety, your booth, display and art must be properly weighted and secured (40lbs per leg required). If you need storage, please pull your tent out 1 foot from the curb and use the space between your tent and the curb.
Show Director
Elaine Laurent
Show Coordinators
Andrew Muckler (Booth #129 & 129A), Drew Allen (Booth #31 & #32), Sean Curran (Booth #4)
Generators
Generators must be less than 2,000 watts and the quiet type such as a Honda 2000. The refueling and storage of generators cannot be done on site. All generators are subject to onsite inspection and approval by staff.
Howard Alan Events Emergency Number
For all emergencies, please email Emergency@ArtFestival.com (monitored 24 hours a day). If you do not have access to email, please text 561-388-8313. DO NOT TEXT THIS NUMBER ASKING FOR YOUR SPACE NUMBER.
During the weekend, we communicate via text. Please be sure we have your current cell phone number on file. You will receive a text prior to the show, and you may respond with any questions or emergencies. If you do not receive the text, please let the office know ASAP so we can update your cell number. Please do not opt out of our texts as this is the way we communicate with exhibitors over the weekend.
Navigational Address
300 John Carlyle Street Alexandria, VA 22314
Port O Let Locations
Port-o-lets are located on Jamieson, across from Panera.
Breakdown
Breakdown will begin at 5 p.m. on Sunday, but vehicles will not be allowed in until the show coordinator gives the O.K., PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE AND LEAVE YOUR AREA CLEAN (i.e., cable ties, garbage, etc.). Although good security will be provided, we strongly urge you to take your items out of your booth on Saturday night. Your booth will stay up Saturday night. Everyone is responsible for cleaning up their space at breakdown (i.e., cable ties, cigarette butts and garbage). We appreciate your attention to this matter.
Tent rental recommendation
The Tent Guys
James LeBlanc
561-374-1783
The Tent Guys is a full-service tent rental company specializing in art tents and Pro Panel rentals. They eliminate the hard part of set up by taking care of the set up and break down of tents.
Parking
There is NO parking in Whole Foods, even if you buy something from them, they are still going to be monitoring their lots and length of parking very closely. You will be ticketed or towed. You may NOT park on the side streets as this is residential parking. All artists must park in the garage or oversized lot. You are responsible for all parking fees.
Daytime parking
USPTO West Parking Garage
Clearance – 8’2”
Oversized Vehicles/RV Parking/Overnight Parking- No parking until after 6PM on Friday.
2121 Eisenhower Avenue AND 2111 Eisenhower Avenue (see map on following page)
Alexandria, VA 22314
$50 per vehicle for the weekend (car/truck/RV + trailer = 2 vehicles)
You may enter after 6pm on Friday, no Sunday overnight parking. Please bring cash or a check (made payable to Howard Alan Events). A staff member will be present at the lot on Friday at 6 PM to collect payments. If the staff member is unavailable, please bring the check to set up on Saturday morning. A parking permit (included in your email confirmation) must be displayed in vehicle’s front windshield, identifying the artist. Failure to do this can result in the towing of your vehicle.
License plates
Please be sure we have your current license plate information. If you are renting a vehicle this weekend, please email us the plate number and state. We keep license plate information on file in the event we need to ask you to move your vehicle before it will be towed. If you have someone helping you with set up and breakdown and they have their own vehicle, they must abide by our rules and park in exhibitor parking. Please be sure to inform us of their license plate information as well.
