Savannah Craft on the River - (November 2026) Rousakis Riverfront Plaza

Summary

Join us for Savannah Crafts on the River, a distinctive outdoor arts and crafts market held along Savannah's historic riverfront at Rousakis Riverfront Plaza.

Set in the heart of one of the Southeast's most visited destinations, Crafts on the River brings together talented artists, craftspeople, makers, and creative entrepreneurs for a weekend of original art, handcrafted work, and direct connection with the public.

Savannah's River Street provides a setting unlike almost any other. With its historic architecture, cobblestone streets, hotels, restaurants, shops, river traffic, and steady flow of visitors, the waterfront creates a natural marketplace where artists can meet customers from Savannah and from across the country.

Crafts on the River is about the people who make the work. We are looking for artists and craftspeople who create, design, and produce what they sell. The event emphasizes handmade work, originality, quality, and the opportunity for customers to meet the individuals behind the work.

Our goal is simple: create a professionally managed waterfront marketplace where artists can sell their work, visitors can discover something they won't find everywhere else, and Savannah's creative community remains an important part of the River Street experience.

Bring your work. Meet the public. Spend the weekend on the river.

Welcome to Crafts on the River.

General information

Event Dates: November 20-22, 2026

Load In Dates: November 20, 2026 (Friday morning)

Festival Hours: Friday 11/20/26 10 AM - 6 PM, Saturday 11/21/26 10AM - 6 PM, Sunday 11/22/26 10AM - 4PM

Late applications may be accepted at the discretion of the Director and included on the Wait List.

Required licenses: (First time attendees) City of Savannah Business License required ($85, good for 1 calendar year). Artists living in a county that immediately surrounds Chatham county are exempt from this requirement. Artists should list the event address as their business address.

Categories

• 2-D Mixed Media: Includes more than one type of physical material such as collage, papermaking, encaustic, pen and ink, paint, pencil, watercolor, or photography. The finished art is suitable for wall mounting.
• 3-D Mixed Media: Includes more than one type of physical material such as mosaic, papier mache, clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, or any other 3-dimensional objects.
• Ceramics: Original shaped and fired clay including earthenware, porcelain, and raku.
• Digital Art: Two-dimensional works from which the original image is manipulated by the artist using a computer using programs such as Drawing, Illustrator, Paint, or other software applications.
• Drawing & Printmaking: Original drawings made with pen, pencil, charcoal, pastels, or chalk. The printmaking process may include pulled plates, linoleum prints, etching, engraving, silkscreen, or lithography. All prints must be signed and numbered by the artist. Photocopies are not permitted.
• Edibles: Handmade items such as jam, sauce, baked goods, etc. that are pre-packaged and not prepared on-site.
• Fiber: Works created from fibers including basketry, batik, weaving, papermaking, knitting, and quilting. An embellishment of manufactured materials is not permitted.
• Glass: An object made of glass including blown, fused, stained, cast, and molded. An embellishment of manufactured materials is not permitted.
• Handcraft: Handmade items made by the artist from manufactured, recycled, or repurposed materials transforming the combined materials into a unique product into a cohesive collection. A complete description of items is required.
• Jewelry: All Jewelry is crafted from metal, glass, stone, clay, or other materials. Commercial molds or casts are not permitted. At least 50% of the organic materials in the finished product used must be produced by the artist.
• Metal: Functional and non-sculptural works incorporating metal.
• Painting: The use of oils, acrylics, watercolors, and tempera suitable for hanging.
• Photography: Prints, transparencies, or digital images made from the artist's original negative or taken with a digital camera that has been processed by the artist.
• Sculpture: Three-dimensional work is done in any individual medium.
• Wood & Furniture: Original works in wood that are built, turned, carved, or tooled. Embellished manufactured wood items are not permitted.

Booth information and fees

Application fee: $30 (Non-Refundable Processing fee)

Standard booth fee: $500

Double booth fee: $1000 (limited availability)

Corner upgrade: $100 (limited availability)

Electricity: $50.00 (limited availability)

Assigned Booth spaces are approximately 10' deep and 11' wide or greater. Double booths are also available. Please note that the festival route is along a street with some areas that are not level. All work exhibited must be confined to the assigned space(s). Artists are responsible for providing their own means of displaying their work. All artist tents must be weighted with a minimum of 40/45 pounds PER leg with a white canopy, and be no larger than 10'x11'.

Jury details

Average number of applications submitted each year: 100

Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event: 70

Average number of exempt from jury artists who are invited to participate in the event: 3

Jurors score applications using a 1-10 scale; 3 jurors score separately from various locations; images are viewed on a computer monitor in random order within each medium category. The jury process is closed.

Applications are reviewed by a single jury panel that scores all medium categories. Images are viewed on a computer monitor, sorted in random order within each medium category, and scored separately by three jurors on a scale of 1 to 10. On average, 100 applications are submitted each year, with about 70 artists selected by the jury and 3 additional jury-exempt artists invited to participate. The jury process is closed to observers, and social media presence is considered.