Set-up occurs on Friday, July 26th
There are 4 waves of set-up. Due to limited space for vehicles, each vehicle is permitted for approximately 1 hour for unloading.
1. Early Bird A: load-in occurs from 10:30a-12:00p (sign-up and confirmation necessary). 35 spots available.
2. Early Bird B: load-in occurs from 12:00p-1:30p (sign-up and confirmation necessary). 35 spots available.
2. Early Bird C: load-in occurs from 1:30-3:00 (sign-up and confirmation necessary). 35 spots available.
3. Primary: 3:00-7:00 The rest of the nest (that's you if you're not a confirmed 'early bird') arrive after 3:00p., If you do not sign up or early spots are full, this is the slot you will be placed in. Each vehicle is permitted within the site for 1 hour and must move when their load-in is complete.
**SET-UP OCCURS ON FRIDAY. FINISHING TOUCHES ONLY ARE ALLOWED ON SATURDAY MORNING, NO FULL SET-UPS. VEHICLE TRAFFIC MUST BE KEPT TO A QUICK MINIMUM ON SATURDAY MORNING AS THE PARK IS ACTIVE WITH PEDESTRIANS AND SHADE STRUCTURES START GOING UP, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO MOVE THROUGH THE LAYOUT. ARTISTS WHO HAVE NOT CALLED OR CHECKED IN BY 5:30 ON FRIDAY WILL BE CONSIDERED A NO-SHOW AND WILL FORFEIT THEIR BOOTH. IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY AND CANNOT MAKE SET-UP DAY, PLEASE CALL 505-550-2471.**
How it works:
Vehicles will enter the site of the park from the intersection of 8th Avenue and N. Williams, which is on the south side of the park. The park road will be made into a one-way street during set-up. All artist vehicles must enter from 8th Avenue and face the proper direction, even when parked. Our artist check-in crew will be right there to greet you when you enter the park and show you the way to your booth.
Upon entering the park, you will find that the booths are lining one side of the street at a time. The opposite side of the street is where you will be allowed to parallel park, (first-come, first-served for proximity to booth) and the center of the road must be left clear for through-traffic. Once parked, you will have 1 hour to unload and move vehicles beyond the site. There is plenty of parking elsewhere within the park, and set-up can continue until sundown! Security will be onsite, as well as volunteers to help as needed, but we just require that unloading happens within one hour.
What's an Early Bird?
Artists who sign up for a 'Early Bird Load-In' time slots must unload and move their vehicle beyond the festival site within their specified time window. If you have a very large vehicle, you may be asked to sign up for a certain time. This plan is intended to prevent traffic jams in certain booth sections (for example if section D already has 3 sign-ups for Early Bird A, a 4th person would not be confirmed). At the end of an artist's specified time slot, once vehicle is moved, the artist may stay onsite and continue to set up their booth as long as necessary. This set-up plan allows for each artist to pull their vehicles as close to their booths as possible with minimal traffic within the park!
VIEW ASSIGNMENTS (no longer taking sign-ups
What to do if you're an early bird and you're actually late...
Artists who sign up for an early bird time slot and are running late enough to miss their window must check in by calling or texting 505-273-7363 so another arrival time can be approved.
If you'd like to rent a tent and have it set up by our rental company before your arrival, this is certainly an option! Use this form to order and pay for your rentals, and they will be included with our delivery! Rental Form
Stay true to your application!
While we expect that you will bring a range of your work as well as new work, we expect that your application accurately reflects the body of work shown in your application. Exhibitors may only show & sell the category/medium of work that they represented to the jury, and that the jury accepted into the show. You cannot represent another category unless you were chosen for it. Every category is balanced intentionally for a fair amount of competition between artists and the overall variety and appeal of the festival to customers. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about this rule!
All items must stay in booth.
All of your belongings are expected to fit within your space. Minimal storage may be behind booth, but must be kept tidy and covered. No spreading out displays onto the grass. Please do not put props or any items in the aisle, be cognizant of your neighbors. One chair is permitted in the aisle, refrain from adding a cooler, table, boxes, etc. or we will request that it is moved. Please do not use festival rentals intended for customers (benches, chairs, tables) for yourself or to store personal items.
Artist must be present.
Representatives are not permitted to attend in place of the artist.
Reproduced items are regulated.
Functional items with reproductions of the artists' work on them (art tiles, totes, mugs, etc.) may not take up more than 20% of the display space in the booth and cannot include t-shirts, caps, or clothing items. Prints and giclees are allowed but must be represented as such.
Buy-sell will not be tolerated.
If you didn't make it, paint it, sculpt it, bead it, you name it - don't bring it! (Any imports, manufactured items, or work that has been produced from kits, plans, prefabricated forms or other commercial means can be expected to be removed). Manufactured products that play a subordinate role and are not sold separately may be included with a purchase (frame, necklace chain, etc.). Items that do not comply with rules will be removed. If an exhibitor does not comply with the rules or is found to have falsely represented their work in the jury process, festival staff reserves the right to ask them to leave.
Media Release.
Upon acceptance, one image of each artist's work will be selected for representation on our website. If you do not approve any of your work to be represented on the website or used for social media or festival promotion, please let us know right away. The featured festival artist will be notified upon selection!
Gotta love the gov.
Exhibitors participating in the show must have a Colorado and Denver Sales Tax License. Artists are responsible for collecting and reporting taxes. Info / instructions provided under another tab on the Artist Resources page. It's actually easy!
Thank you for your cooperation!
- Booth spaces are specifically 10x10 or 10x20. In-line booths are side-by-side, so outer side walls of tent are not functional for display. Many artists open part of the back of their tent for light and air-flow, which is encouraged! The outside back wall of the tent is also often used for additional display space.
- Artists are responsible for providing their own covered, weighted, white tent and displays which should be sufficiently sturdy to withstand weather. Display height should not exceed 10' to clear tree branches (if it is taller than this, please let us know so we can make sure branches will not be an issue).
- Booths will be placed on streets within the park, not on grass, so weights are necessary and staking into grass is prohibited.
- Cheesman Park Arts Fest staff will do everything possible to accommodate booth requests, but may deny a request or change an artist's space if it is deemed necessary for the show. Sometimes a last-minute change in the layout may shift your space away from your request - which we attempt to avoid but ask for your cooperation should there be a change.
- The layout of the show is sandwiched by food booths and music is centrally located, so being 'away from both food and music' is not an easy request to satisfy. Please note that the food is kept at a comfortable distance from artist booths, and the small music stage has very moderate low-key volume and acoustic performances. Food and music is meant to compliment this event, not to compete with the artwork.
- Displays must be professional and aesthetically pleasing. Work that is presented attractively can be an important factor in sales as well as a positive contribution to the overall appearance of the show. Please plan your booth carefully and make sure it's attracative and easy for customers to come in and look at your work.
- Tables must be covered or skirted to the floor on all sides showing, with a suitable, professional looking cover.
- Booth displays should rely on natural light, as electricity is not provided. Generators must be pre-approved, as an application to the fire department is required, any approved generators must be whisper generators.
- Exhibitors should be prepared to adapt to outdoor exhibiting. Storage behind booths is limited and must be kept tidy, covered, and visually appealing. The reason our tents are on the asphault is because Denver Parks and Rec does not want heavy items weighing on the grass, (they take beautiful care of this place!) and so we will ask you to move storage or artwork if it's not within reason. At night, it is advised to store all items within a closed booth.
- Upon check-in, you will receive an artist booth sign that has your name, booth number, city and state. Please display this in your booth!
- No 'Sale' or 'Discount' signs. Any signs used should look professional. No advertisements, signs or flyers for other shows or businesses.
- Cheesman Park Art Fest staff will visit all displays at intervals throughout the show to ensure that exhibitors comply with all rules. It is our exclusive right and responsibility to remove work that is not in compliance.
**Using the parking lot & shuttle is REQUIRED for exhibitors, unless you choose to walk, Uber, Lyft, or get dropped off.** Please do not put this event at risk by parking in the neighborhood. The neighbors are sensitive to large events and this is the only multi-day event that is allowed to happen in this park, therefore it's very important that we all respect the few requests of the neighborhood associations. If you do not respect this rule you risk future invitations. If you need any more convincing, these shuttles are SUPER fancy & fly... plus this year it's where you get your morning coffee fix! ;)
Artist Parking
Our designated artist parking lot is at a nearby high school – East High School. A complimentary commercial shuttle with a professional driver will run in the mornings from East High School to the park, which is approximately a 7 minute drive, and will pick up again after the show to return to East High School.
Parking lot location: Northeast intersection of 16th and Josephine - 1600 City Park Esplanade, Denver, CO 80206
Should you choose to park overnight at the artist parking lot, we do not technically condone this and you do risk an inner-city camping fine. That being said, many folks do choose this option.
Directions to & from parking lot / park: Click Here.
Shuttle Schedule
Morning Times:
On Saturday morning, one 28 person shuttle will run from 6:30-10:00 (show opens at 9), picking up at the parking lot at the northeast corner of 16th and Josephine approximately every 20 minutes. The shuttles do not run all day, as they are only for getting to-and-from the show before open & after close.
On Sunday morning, one 28 person shuttle will run from 6:30-10:00 (show opens at 9), picking up approximately every 20 minutes.
Evening Times:
On Saturday evening, two 28 person shuttles will run after the show closes, beginning at 5:30 pm (show closes at 6, you can send a helper to retrieve car but cannot close booth early.
On Sunday evening, one 28 person shuttle will run for 3 hours, once the show closes, so artists may retrieve their vehicle for tear-down when their booth has been completely torn down. Vehicles still may not be brought into the festival site without approval from section leader during tear-down (see tear-down).
RV Parking Options
Dakota Ridge RV Park (located west of Denver)
17800 West Colfax Ave.
Golden CO 80401
303.279.1625 or 800.398.1625
dakotaridgerv.com
Approx. 13 miles – 20-25 minutes light traffic
The Prospect RV Park (located west of Denver)
11600 West 44th Ave.
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
303.424.4414
prospectrv.com
Approx. 13 miles – 25 minutes light traffic
Barr Lake RV Park (located east of Denver)
17180 E. 136th Ave.
Brighton CO 80601
303.659.6180 or 800.655.9234
barrlakervpark.com
Approx. 22 miles – 35 minutes light traffic
Should you choose to park overnight at the artist parking lot, we do not technically condone this and you do risk an inner-city camping fine. That being said, many folks do choose this option.
Mornings: In the mornings, you can drive through and do a drop off, but no vehicles can be within the festival boundaries after 8am. It is a public park and it is very active with bikers and pedestrians well before the show starts so with the booths it can be a bit tricky driving through safely. Keep in mind, all artist traffic through the park will enter at 8th and Williams (same as set-up day) and we will treat the park road as a one-way. If you enter a different way and drive the wrong way, you will find yourself up against an unfortunate traffic jam. It definitely has happened, so don't be 'that guy'!
Saturday evening: You will be able to retrieve your vehicle and park closer to the festival after the shuttle is running. You can drive into the festival gates after hours (6pm) to retrieve your work / add inventory. The armed guards will secure the premise at 7pm, so you’ll need to be out of the park by then.
Room Blocks
Hilton Garden Inn: Denver/Cherry Creek
600 South Colorado Blvd Denver, CO 80246
12 minute drive to Cheesman Park
Available between Wednesday July 24 - Monday July 29
Rate: $149/night - Book before June 12!
Call 1(877) 782-9444 for "Cheesman Park Art Fest"
Or book online!
Ramada Downtown Denver
1150 East Colfax Denver, CO 80218
5 minute drive to Cheesman Park
Available between Wednesday July 24 - Monday July 29
Rate: $95/night - Book before July 10!
Call 720-707-5196 for "Cheesman Park Art Fest"
Follow us on Instagram & Facebook! Be sure to RSVP to the Facebook event as well!
If you have any images or videos you would like to have shared, please send to our social media gal, Jackie.
TAX RATE: 8.31%(4.31% city of Denver, 2.9% State, 1.1% Special / RTD
BEFORE THE FESTIVAL:
For the State:
All vendors are required to obtain a Special Events Sales Tax License prior to the event. The application to fill out BEFORE festival is here: DR0589
For the City:
Download this vendor tax document: click here.
Fill out the “Denver Sales Tax Special Event Application”
You now have two options:
- Opt 1: Mail it to our tax representative in advance with a $5.00 check.
Attn: Evette Romero – Cheesman Park Art Fest
Department of Finance
201 W. Colfax Ave Department 1009 MC 405
Denver, CO 80202
- Opt 2: Email your form to: evette.romero@denvergov.org, & mail a $5.00 check to the address above with “Cheesman Park Art Fest” in the subject line (save copy so you can prove it onsite).
Please note that the city does require a list of participating vendors.
AFTER THE FESTIVAL
For the State
Following the show, there is a tax return to fill out reporting sales. The form is due by August 20th, and can be found here: DR0098
For the City
Fill out the second half of the form you filled out before the festival: (click here to revisit again and scroll down to the ‘Return’, and send it in by August 20th to avoid any fees!
When the show is over...
Tear-down occurs on July 28th after close at 5p. Artists or booth assistants can take a shuttle to retrieve their vehicles for load-out purposes. One shuttle will run every 20 minutes starting at 4:30 (show closes at 5, do not close your booth early). You can relax and focus on tear-down and go get their vehicle when you're ready to leave, or may also retrieve their vehicle right away and street park in the neighborhood until you’re ready to load out. Exhibitors are responsible for take-down of booth, general clean-up, and removal of ALL trash from their booth at the end of the day on Sunday. Please break down any boxes and throw in dumpsters.
Vendor vehicles may be street parked in the neighborhood after show hours, but vendors may only pull into the festival site once they are packed and ready to load their vehicle. Around 4:30 on Sunday, you will meet a volunteer who is your ‘Section Leader’. Each Section Leader is in charge of 12 booths. When you have packed up as much of your booth as possible, you can get approval and vehicle pass from the Section Leader to pull into the site and load your booth. The street will be one way again, as it was during set-up, so everyone must enter from 8th and Williams.
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