September 13th & September 14th, 2025
3rd Annual St. Armands Circle Art Festival with Craft Marketplace (Sarasota, FL)
Saturday & Sunday 10 am – 5 pm
Welcome to the 3rd Annual St. Armands Circle Art Festival with Craft Marketplace! Please read all information below to help the show run as smoothly as possible.
Set Up
IMPORTANT: The City of Sarasota is restricting the drive-in ability of all events held in St. Armands Circle Park. The city will no longer allow vehicles to drive onto the grass area of the park for load-in or load-out. For load-in and load-out, you will be able to park on the outer circle and dolly your work to and from your space.
All booths are set up in the circle, you must bring a dolly. There are no booths on the street. All exhibitors are assigned a specific time for set up for Friday. Friday check in is near space 11 & 12 (see map). Please only come in at your scheduled time as parking is very limited. Please do not come in before 11am unless you are scheduled for it. We know many come in early to get unloaded before the “rush,” but this will not be an option. Our parking for load-in will be limited to unloading only. You must move your vehicle to exhibitor parking after load in and prior to setting up your tent/fixtures. The artist parking will be available from 7am on Friday, BUT NOT BEFORE. DO NOT COME IN THURSDAY EVENING AS WE CAN LOSE THIS LOT. No late Friday night set up is permitted and security will be on site to enforce this.
Set up resumes on Saturday morning at 6am. If you are setting up on Saturday only, you may only unload from the 4 reserved parking spaces in front of N. Blvd of the Presidents. Please see staff in this area upon arrival.
To keep things moving along, we ask that you unload your vehicle as quickly as possible, dolly to your booth location, move your vehicle to artist parking and then return to set up. You must bring a dolly. The festival is set up on grass in the park; you cannot drive up to your space and no vehicles will be permitted into the show site- only on the street to unload. We ask that you please be mindful of your fellow artists; we will be working hard to free up space on the street for unloading and stay on a strict time schedule. All exhibitors should be set up and ready to conduct business by 9:30 AM on Saturday and Sunday
Please bring shims or anything else necessary to level out your booth; we also recommend floor coverings. Please be patient and be prepared to fit into unusual spaces. Awnings and feather banners are not permitted.
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 crafters 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).
Show Coordinators
Phil and Sindi Karman (booth #74)
Staff
Andy Ballard (booth #24), Sebastian Blaszkowicz (booth #54 & #55), Doug Gasher (booth #49), Josh Fradis (booth #2), Paul Cross (booth #79 & #80)
American Craft Endeavors Emergency Contacts
For all emergencies, please email Emergency@ArtFestival.com (monitored 24 hours a day). If you do not have access to email, please text 561-973-8199. 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.
Navigational address
Breakdown
Breakdown will begin at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday; you may NOT take anything off your walls or begin packing up any earlier than 5pm on Sunday. Your entire display, including canopy must be broken down and placed at the curb of the street to bring your vehicle in. A staff person must approve you to bring your vehicle in. THERE WILL BE NO VEHICLES PARKED ON THE OUTSIDE CIRCLE UNTIL THE SHOW COORDINATOR SAYS IT IS PERMITTED- NO EXCEPTIONS! You will not be permitted to save spaces by placing chairs, storage bins, etc. in open spaces. This will be strictly enforced. Show coordinators will be walking around the Circle to make sure this is enforced. Although security will be provided, we strongly urge you to take your items out of your booth overnight. Everyone is responsible for cleaning up their space at breakdown (i.e., cable ties, cigarette butts and garbage).
Tent rental recommendation
The Tent Guys
James LeBlanc
thetentguys@att.net
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.
Port O Let Location
In circle, behind booth #1-6.
All Parking- daytime, overnight and RVs
Beginning Friday at 7AM, all parking is in the southernmost part of the Lido Beach Pavilion parking lot. Located ½ a mile from the show site just north of the Lido Beach Resort. RVs must stack and take up as little room as possible. All trailers must be detached! DO NOT COME IN THURSDAY EVENING AS WE CAN LOSE THIS LOT.
No box trucks, RVs or trailers parked on South Boulevard of the Presidents.
DO NOT PARK IN THE MUNICIPAL LOT BEHIND THE MET FASHION HOUSE AND CRAB & FIN. This is the Fillmore Street parking lot.
DIRECTIONS FROM THE SHOW SITE: Follow the signs that indicate Lido Beach (which is also John Ringling Blvd) to the beach. Turn left on Ben Franklin Drive, which is the beach road to the Lido Beach Pavilion lot. PARK IN SOUTHERNMOST LOT ONLY. A parking permit (included in your email confirmation) or business card must be displayed in the vehicle’s front windshield, identifying the artist. Failure to do this can result in the towing of your vehicle.
Navigational Address for parking lot:
Trolley Information
The Bay Runner Trolley can be used for free transportation to the show site from Lido Beach pavilion. For real time location and times, download the app. The trolley runs every 20-30 minutes with inbound and outbound stops. Trolley picks up at the beach pavilion and next to Crab & Fin - look for Bay Runner Trolley signs and click here for trolley stop map. Also note if you pick up trolley on the southside near Ben & Jerry’s you will be taken downtown before lot.
Trolley hours:
Sunday-Thursday 7am-10pm
Friday & Saturday 7am-11pm
Parking Pass
A parking permit (included in your email confirmation) or business card must be displayed in the 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.
