2023 Vendor Application
Secure Online Event Registration
The Colorado Black Arts Festival is excited to present the best visual and performing arts to celebrate its 37th annual festival on July 7-9, 2023, in historic Denver City Park West. This year's festival theme, "Celebrating Our Roots" looks back to our founding to reflect on why CBAF was created as a means to bring a community together in celebration of the African diaspora arts and culture in Colorado.
With nearly 30,000 visitors over the three-day event, the Colorado Black Arts Festival is an incredible opportunity to sell products or services, engage festival-goers and promote your business or organization. The Watu Sakoni (People's Marketplace) is a highly anticipated part of the festival where visitors can get unique finds from as far away as Africa to handcrafted items made by local artisans and vendors. Professional and emerging visual artists showcase an array of works to an audience who appreciate art centered on the African diaspora. Non-profits and Special Exhibitors round out the offerings to visitors.
BEFORE COMPLETING THIS APPLICATION, BE AWARE THAT YOU ARE APPLYING TO BE CONSIDERED TO BECOME A VENDOR. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE STATED OR IMPLIED THAT YOU WILL BE ACCEPTED ONCE YOU'VE SUBMITTED THIS VENDOR APPLICATION.
A NON-REFUNDABLE $25 APPLICATION FEE WILL APPLY.
ALL PROSPECTIVE VENDORS WILL BE NOTIFIED WITHIN 5 BUSINESS DAYS OF THEIR SUBMISSION WHETHER THE VENDOR COMMITTEE HAS APPROVED THEM. ACCEPTED VENDORS WILL BE ALLOWED TO COMPLETE THE VENDOR APPLICATION PROCESS BY PAYING THE VENDOR FEE.
IMPORTANT: FOR 2023 CONCERNING BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS THAT SELL PRODUCTS: IF ACCEPTED, YOU WILL NEED TO SHOW COMPLIANCE WITH ALL DENVER SPECIAL EVENT SALES TAX FILING REQUIREMENTS BEFORE BEING ALLOWED TO COMPLETE YOUR 2023 VENDOR FEE PROCESS.
**Due to the ongoing risk of COVID, we may observe increased distancing for all vendor booth assignments. Therefore, there may be limited vendor space for Festival 2023. A completed vendor application and vendor fee payment are required to reserve a spot.
APPLICATION DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, JUNE 9, 2023, at 11:59 P.M.
THE VENDOR APPLICATION WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL JUNE 9, 2023, AT 11:59 P.M. OR WHEN WE REACH OUR 2023 VENDOR CAPACITY, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST.
Contact [email protected] if you have any questions.
Select what vendor category you would like to apply.
The brief descriptions listed here are not all inclusive, but a mere guide to help vendors determine the best fit category to participate. Please refer to colbaf.org for more detailed information of the various vendor categories.
The vendor committee will review all applications for appropriateness of both participation and classification in the various categories.
This category features professional and emerging African American artists who are selected based on their artistic talents.
Artists' work must be original and entirely written by the artist in the medium of poetry,novels, essays, etc. Publishers, book stores, book clubs, or dealers are not considered in this category.
This category includes any person or business that sells or displays artwork not of their own craftsmanship.
This category is for special event vendors and retail establishments that sell food to the public. Water or other beverage sales are prohibited.
This category is for mobile food trucks. Water or other beverage sales are prohibited. Larger trucks >20' will incur an additional fee.
This category is for food vendors that sell snack-type items such as popcorn, roasted nuts, pickles, candy, cotton candy, etc. If you are sampling items from your business for people to take home (e.g. BBQ sauce, hot sauce, jams/jellies, etc.), please complete the Special Exhibitor category.
This category includes anyone selling the following: Any qulality made manufactured items, clothing, headgear, fabric, handbags, hair care products, home decor, etc. Copyrighted or pirated goods will not be allowed to be sold.
This category is for organizations engaged in promoting the civic and social interest of their members. (e.g. alumni associations, car clubs, travel clubs, booster clubs, ethnic associations, social clubs, Greek organizations, religious organizations (including churches, health screening/education, etc.) This is not an exhaustive list of qualified groups/organizations. This category does not cover non-profit businesses who are promoting a business or services.You will need to provide proof of 501(c)3 or 501(c)4 status.
Vendors in this category can only sell personally handcrafted items elusively made by the exhibitor. This category excludes any vendor that sells clothing regardless of the manufacturing method. Any vendor who sells both hand-crafted items and manufactured products are considered a Marketplace Vendor.
Establishments primarily engaged in promoting the interests of national, state, or local political parties or candidates. (Examples: campaign organizations, political clubs or organizations, political parties, etc.) CBAF is an arts and cultural organization and does not endorse any political party or issue. CBAF merely provides a venue for campaigning regardless of political affiliation as long as there is no conflict with the mission and goals of the CBAF.
This category is for businesses or corporations wishing to promote and/sell their products or services. (Examples: franchised businesses, home improvement businesses, hospitals and health services organizations [for profit and non-profit], chiropractors, insurance companies, universities and colleges [for-profit and non-profit]). See our website for more examples.
Please email [email protected] with information about the youth and what they will sell. Very limited availability
This optional fee is for 1 (one) 120V drop. Vendors are NOT allowed power strips with this power option. You must request electricity with your initial application. On-site requests for power will not be considered due to strategic layout of all vendors PRIOR to the festival. The availability of electricity is based on demand for Festival 2023.
This optional fee is for 2 (two) 120V drops. You must request electricity with your initial application. On-site requests for power will not be considered due to strategic layout of all vendors PRIOR to the festival. The availability of electricity is based on demand for Festival 2023.
For those businesses that wish to do sampling/experiential of food based products there is an additional sampling fee and sampling size requirement - contact the vendor coordinator at [email protected]
**Past participation does not guarantee acceptance in subsequent years.
Upload at least 2 photos representing your artwork (artists), wares (marketplace), or booth set-up (food vendors). Civic and Social organizations please upload proof of your 501(c)3 or 501(c) 4. Tip: Please review category descriptions to verify which category you are qualified to apply to.
Omission of required photos or document may disqualify your application from being considered. If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at [email protected]
If you checked the Civic and Social Organizations category above, your application fee will be waived at check-out.
Please note, the non-refundable application fee will not be applied to reduce your vendor fee.
