Best Craft Fairs in Iowa 2026: Top Shows for Vendors & Shoppers
Iowa punches above its weight when it comes to craft fairs. The state's strong community culture, small-town charm, and a metro area in Des Moines that keeps growing all add up to a healthy calendar of shows for vendors and shoppers alike. Whether you're working the Iowa State Fairgrounds or setting up in a historic Amana Colony building, there's a craft fair scene here worth paying attention to.
We pulled together the top craft fairs happening across Iowa in 2026, drawing from our database of 80 Iowa craft fairs on TheCraftMap. Here are the shows worth putting on your calendar.
Des Moines Metro: The Main Stage
Des Moines is Iowa's biggest market and home to several of the state's largest craft shows. The metro area has over 700,000 people, and the fairgrounds and convention spaces here can hold massive events. If you want volume, start here.
Iowa's largest show, with over 300 talented exhibitors from 7 states presenting and selling the Midwest's finest handcrafts. Over 80,000 square feet of space featuring oak furniture, pottery, jewelry, clothing, floral wreaths, stained glass, food items, lawn and garden art, and much more.
This is the big one. Three hundred exhibitors across 80,000 square feet, drawing vendors from seven states. Callahan Promotions runs this show and they know what they're doing. If you can only do one Iowa show all year, this is the one to apply for. The March timing is perfect for spring shopping and catches buyers before the outdoor festival season pulls their attention elsewhere.
Named one of Country Living's 7 flea markets you don't want to miss. A curated vintage, antique, and handmade market drawing vendors and shoppers from across the Midwest.
When Country Living names you one of seven flea markets in the country worth visiting, that's not a small thing. Junk Jubilee blends vintage finds with handmade goods, and the curation is what sets it apart. It's juried, so the quality bar stays high. If your work has a rustic, farmhouse, or vintage-inspired aesthetic, this crowd is your people.
Shop your favorite stores all in the same place. A vendor and craft show with a wide range of booth options to fit different budgets.
Ottumwa's vendor show is worth noting for its low entry barrier. Booth fees start at just $25, making it one of the most affordable options in the state. It's a solid choice for newer vendors who want to test their products and booth setup without a huge financial commitment.
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Eastern Iowa: Cedar Rapids, Davenport & the Quad Cities
Eastern Iowa has its own craft fair ecosystem centered around the Cedar Rapids and Quad Cities corridors. These shows tend to have a more arts-focused feel, and the college towns in the area bring in younger, creative shoppers.
73rd year for this Mother's Day tradition in Davenport. Free admission, free parking, Friday setup, booth sitters, and breakfast provided. First place awarded in each category ($50), Best of Show receives $250. All proceeds donated to the Figge Art Museum.
Seventy-three years running and still going strong. The Beaux Arts Fair is a Mother's Day weekend tradition that draws generations of families. Free admission means high foot traffic, and the fact that they provide booth sitters, breakfast, and a Friday setup day shows how much they value their vendors. All proceeds go to the Figge Art Museum, which gives the event a quality reputation that attracts serious buyers.
An upscale, vintage-inspired, indoor/outdoor market featuring original art, antiques, clothing, jewelry, handmade treasures, home decor, outdoor furnishings, consumable yummies, seasonal plantings, and more.
Vintage Market Days is a national franchise that operates across the country, and the Cedar Rapids edition benefits from that built-in brand recognition. The "upscale vintage" positioning attracts shoppers who are ready to spend on quality. If your products have a curated, Instagram-worthy look, this is a natural fit.
One of the area's largest shows with over 100 talented exhibitors. Located near Iowa City and the University of Iowa campus.
Coralville sits right next to Iowa City and the University of Iowa campus. That college-town energy brings a younger demographic to this show, which is great if your products appeal to the 20-something crowd. Over 100 exhibitors means it's big enough to draw a crowd but not so massive that you get lost in the shuffle.
Vendor Tips: Working the Iowa Circuit
Iowa has some quirks that out-of-state vendors should know about before committing to shows here:
- Weather swings are real. March in Iowa can be 60 degrees or 20 degrees with ice. If you're doing early spring outdoor shows, pack for both extremes. Indoor shows are safer bets early in the season.
- Small towns deliver. Don't underestimate markets in places like Pella, Amana, or Geneva. Iowans will drive 30-45 minutes for a good craft fair, and small-town events often have loyal, repeat customers.
- Midwest pricing. Iowa shoppers appreciate handmade goods but expect Midwest-friendly prices. Have items at multiple price points, especially under $25 for impulse buys.
- The Iowa State Fair in August. While not on our spring list, the Iowa State Fair is the granddaddy of them all. Keep it on your radar for late summer planning.
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The Amana Colonies: A Craft Fair Destination
The Amana Colonies deserve their own section. This cluster of seven historic villages in eastern Iowa has been a destination for handcrafted goods since the 1800s. The communities were founded as a communal society, and that tradition of skilled craftsmanship carries forward today. Craft fairs here feel different from anywhere else in the state.
A special weekend to highlight Amana's amazing antique shops, art galleries, and local artists. Features the Vintage Stroll through antique shops, artist studio tours, and special sales. Antiques, vintage, collectibles, handcrafts, fine art, and folk art all represented.
Arts and Antiques Weekend turns the entire Amana Colonies into one big market. Artists open their studios, antique shops run special sales, and visitors can stroll through the historic villages at their own pace. If you're a crafter who also makes soap, tools like Soaply can help you perfect your recipes before show season hits.
Northern Iowa & Small-Town Gems
Northern Iowa and the state's smaller communities host some surprisingly strong shows. These markets may not have the raw numbers of a Des Moines event, but they make up for it with loyal customers, lower costs, and a community feel that's hard to beat.
Hosted by the Pella Business Women for over 10 years. Stroll through West Market Park and enjoy 100+ booths filled with craft, food, and beverage stands during the annual Tulip Time festival.
Pella's Tulip Time festival draws visitors from across the Midwest, and the Dutch Market is one of its highlights. Over 100 booths in West Market Park, set against the backdrop of Pella's Dutch architecture and thousands of tulips in bloom. The $195 booth fee is reasonable for a multi-day show with this kind of built-in foot traffic.
One of the most spectacular fine art fairs in the area. 35,000-45,000 daily festival visitors with approximately 7,500 attending ArtBurst. 44 visual artists selected by jury to exhibit on the Sioux County Courthouse lawn. In its 81st year.
At $50 for a booth fee and 35,000 to 45,000 daily festival visitors, ArtBurst is one of the best value propositions in the state. The juried format keeps quality high, and the 81-year history means this event has deep community roots. Orange City is small, but the Tulip Festival puts it on the map every May.
Northern Iowa's largest shopping event of its kind. A nonprofit fundraising event with up to 200 spaces featuring antiques, vintage, handcrafted, handmade, and boutique clothing.
Two hundred vendor spaces makes the Geneva Market a major event by any state's standards. The nonprofit angle gives it a community spirit, and "Northern Iowa's Largest Shopping Event" is the kind of branding that draws a crowd from across the region.
Consistently ranked in the top tier of fine art events nationwide. Named among the Top 25 festivals in the country, the #1 show featuring 100 artists or fewer, and the best one-day event in the nation. In its 34th year. Apply on Zapplication.
Top 25 in the country. Best one-day event in the nation. Number one show with 100 or fewer artists. Those aren't marketing claims you see every day. The Marion Arts Festival has earned its reputation over 34 years. The $250 booth fee reflects the prestige, and applications go through Zapplication, which tells you this is a professional-tier show. If your work is at that level, this one belongs on your shortlist.
Two days of shopping local with vintage, antique, repurposed, boutique, artisan, and handcrafted vendors from all over Iowa and beyond.
Waterloo's Homestead Market brings together vintage collectors and modern makers under one roof. The mix works well because it attracts shoppers who appreciate handmade quality whether it's a 50-year-old find or something you poured last week. For candle and soap vendors, events like this are a sweet spot. If you're a candle maker looking to manage your costs as you grow your show schedule, WickSuite can help you keep your numbers straight.
Planning Your Iowa Craft Fair Season
Iowa's craft fair season follows a predictable rhythm. Indoor shows dominate February and March when the weather is still unpredictable. By April, the Amana Colonies and smaller towns start hosting outdoor events. May is peak season with the tulip festivals, art fairs, and the transition to summer markets. The Iowa State Fair in August is the state's biggest event overall, and fall brings harvest festivals and early holiday shopping shows.
One advantage of Iowa's craft fair circuit: the state is compact enough that you can realistically hit shows in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and the Quad Cities without epic drives. Des Moines to Cedar Rapids is about two hours. Cedar Rapids to Davenport is under an hour. You can build a solid regional schedule without burning your entire gas budget.
Browse all 80 Iowa craft fairs on TheCraftMap to find shows that fit your schedule and budget. New events are added regularly as we scrape and verify listings across the state.
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