🎨 Makerfest 2026 Seeks Local Vendors in Upper Cumberland — Final Call for Booth Spots

Makerfest is shaping up to be one of the region’s signature summer celebrations of local creativity and entrepreneurship, and organizers are making a final push to fill remaining vendor spots before the application deadline closes this weekend. The two-day event reflects a growing Upper Cumberland appetite for showcasing homegrown makers, artists, and small businesses in one energetic community gathering.

🗓️ When: Makerfest 2026 takes place July 18–19 at the Old Putnam County Fairgrounds (located off Jefferson). If you’ve been considering a vendor booth, the time to apply is now—organizers say spots are limited, and once the layout is finalized, squeezing in additional vendors becomes much harder.

📍 Where: The Old Putnam County Fairgrounds will host the full two-day experience, with space for vendors, food trucks, live music, demonstrations, races, a Motor Show, and kids’ activities all in one location.

✨ Who Should Apply

Makerfest is actively recruiting vendors from across the Upper Cumberland region. The event welcomes makers and artists 🎨, food vendors and food trucks 🍔, handmade goods sellers, small businesses, nonprofits, and kid-owned businesses (sometimes called “kid-trepreneurs”). If you create, make, or sell something locally, there may be a place for you at this event.

Special incentive: Discount vendor fees are available for kid-trepreneurs and nonprofits, making it more accessible for young entrepreneurs and community organizations to participate and share their work.

🎟️ How to Apply

Interested vendors can apply through a Google Form at https://forms.gle/tH27UFf3HpXiNGZN6. The application deadline is this weekend, so vendors should submit their information soon to secure a spot before the vendor list closes.

💡 Why This Matters for the Community

Makerfest represents more than just a summer event—it’s an opportunity for local makers and small business owners to reach their neighbors and build visibility for their work. 🌟 For families and community members, it’s a chance to discover what’s being created right here in the Upper Cumberland, support local entrepreneurs, and experience live entertainment and activities all in one place.

The event also supports a larger mission: vendor fees and event proceeds help fund UC Makerspace, a community resource that provides tools, workspace, and learning opportunities for makers and creators across the region. When you shop with a local vendor at Makerfest, you’re investing in both individual businesses and the broader maker ecosystem that strengthens the community.

🤝 Community Connections

Makerfest draws together several threads of Upper Cumberland community life: local makers and artists who need platforms to share their work, small business owners seeking direct customer connections, families looking for summer activities, nonprofits seeking fundraising and visibility opportunities, and young entrepreneurs building their first ventures. The event also connects to broader regional pride in local craftsmanship and creativity—values that define much of what makes the Sequatchie Valley distinctive.

❓ Questions Worth Thinking About

As Makerfest takes shape, community members might consider: What local makers or artists do you know who should have a booth? Are there young entrepreneurs in your family or circle who might benefit from vendor discount fees? What would you most want to see or experience at a two-day maker event? How might supporting local vendors at Makerfest strengthen your connections to neighbors and local businesses?

If you’re a maker, artist, food vendor, small business owner, or nonprofit in the Upper Cumberland, mark your calendar and submit your vendor application this weekend. 📋 Makerfest is building something special for the community—and there’s still room for your work to be part of it. Bring a friend, plan to attend July 18–19, and discover what your neighbors are creating.