ATTENTION ALL MAKERS!! APPS ARE NOW OPEN!
ATTENTION ALL MAKERS!! APPS ARE NOW OPEN!
"It's the holiday market of all holiday markets."
- Milwaukee Magazine
Hover Craft wouldn’t exist without the incredible artists, designers, and makers who bring it to life.
If you’re passionate about what you create and want to be part of a community that values handmade, we’d love to see your work. Whether you're just starting out or have been at it for years, consider applying—we’re always excited to discover what Milwaukee is making.
Have you always dreamed of selling your creations at a market but hesitated because of start-up costs? We’re here to help you take that leap.
Launch Pad: Emerging Artist Scholarship Program, presented in partnership with Bliffert Lumber, is designed to give inspired makers the chance to vend at their very first craft fair without the barrier of a significant booth fee. Whether you create art, design, or handmade goods, this is your opportunity to share your work, connect with customers, and take the next step in building your creative business.
We’re looking for fresh talent who are ready to join the vibrant community of artists, crafters, makers, and designers that make our markets so special.
If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to start, this is it.
APPS ARE DUE BEFORE MIDNIGHT ON AUGUST 31.
Scroll to learn all about the event >>
We have over 120 artists, crafters, makers, and creatives of all sorts selling unique items for you to browse.
A collection of illustrated posters and prints with humorous and whimsical themes on a display table, including phrases like 'All my friends are witches,' 'Bless these buns,' 'Astrology,' and 'All butts are good butts,' featuring drawings of witches, animals, and astrological signs.
You'll find emerging and established vendors when you come shop.
Many of our vendors have been making things for many years, which means the quality of their work is unmatched.
Many of our vendors are new so you might discover something amazing and unexpected.
A woman wearing large green glasses, a black cap worn backwards, a leather jacket, and gold teeth, smiling in front of a display of small animal-shaped candles at a market booth.
A lot of our vendors only sell at Hover Craft, which means you'll come across unique things you won't find at other craft fairs.
Some makers offer custom work on the spot, so you can purchase the perfect piece or experience their craft first hand.
Each year, Hover Craft invites many new vendors to join in, so every shopper will find new things to check out - even if they come year after year.
Everyone who is a vendor makes the work they are selling.
Hover Craft is located in the beautiful and historic Pritzlaff Building. It's centrally located near downtown Milwaukee and the beautiful 3rd Ward Neighborhood.
We are proud to offer a range of bites, snacks, and drinks at the event. Colectivo Coffee will be serving up the best coffee in town. The Pritzlaff bar will be open for sodas, beers, and bloody mary's. There will be a selection of food vendors throughout the event for shoppers to grab a bite.
Hover Craft is a busy place, but to manage the crowd and make the shopping experience as pleasant as possible, we sell timed tickets for people to come to shop.
Two people standing behind a table of books and greeting cards at an indoor market or fair, smiling at the camera.
Where you can find perfectly unique and high quality handmade gifts for everyone on your list - while you support local creatives and strengthen our local economy.
Two women sitting at a jewelry booth, selling necklaces, earrings, and rings at a craft fair or market. The booth has necklaces displayed on jewelry mannequins and various jewelry pieces on tables decorated with fairy lights and small decorative trees.
Person hanging a Christmas ornament onto a Christmas tree decorated with paper bags labeled with black X's.
People at a social gathering or event, smiling and engaged in conversation under red and white decorations with a sign that reads 'Dulcel Dulce'.
Smiling woman and man at a table with handmade pottery and holiday decor, indoors with decorative lights and people in the background
A wooden display shelf holding various ceramic vases, bowls, cups, and small decorative birdhouses inside a store with curtains and windows in the background.
Woman working at a stall with jars of mustard on display, with next to a sign that says "Mustard Queens".
Colorful tassel keychains with alphabet blocks hanging from a rustic wooden display at a market stall.
A woman selling various colorful crafts and accessories at a market stall, set up against a brick wall.
A young girl at a holiday event talking to a booth operator about a cash or gemstones game, with festive decorations and a colorful umbrella overhead.
Two women shopping at a store called Good Hound; one woman is wearing a Christmas sweater and brown beanie, smiling as she looks at cash, while the other woman, with glasses and a bun, is showing her a card or ticket.
A woman smiling at a jewelry and art booth at an indoor market, with various necklaces, art prints, and handmade items displayed.
HOVER CRAFT FAQs
I applied! When do I find out if I am included in the event?
Dates vendors should have on their radar are as follows:
Accepted Vendors will be emailed on September 15. We will send a note to vendors who are not accepted that day as well. Those vendors will have the option to join the waitlist.
Vendor Fees are due on Friday, September 26. Paying your vendor fee secures your spot in the event. If you cannot pay by September 26, please reply to the acceptance email to outline a payment plan with the organizers.
We will announce the vendors publicly on October 1.
When and where is the event?
Hover Craft will be on December 7 from 12 - 6 at the Historic Pritzlaff Building in downtown Milwaukee.
What is Hover Craft like?
Hover Craft brings the best of Milwaukee’s creative community together for an afternoon of handmade decadence. Find over 120 vendors with high-quality and unique items that are perfect for that special someone on your gifting list. Beyond that, there is excellent coffee, delicious bites, bloody marys, and many happy people bouncing around to good music. The day is grand and it’ll bring a smile to your face to join us.
Who should apply?
If you are an artist, crafter, maker, or designer and want to sell your work to an enthusiastic audience, you should apply. Hover Craft looks for creatives who do not make their work from pre-existing patterns, recipes, designs, etc. We want the lineup to be as unique as you are. All wild ideas are welcome.
Who gets in?
Hover Craft is a juried show. The goal is to create a collection of vendors who make unique items so each guest at the event can find as many surprises as we have vendors.
Mostly, we want to encourage creativity. If you are making something that no one else makes, it is very likely you will get in.
What sizes are the booths?
Hover Craft offers full booths and half booths. Each full booth will be larger than 7 x 7 and in most cases, larger than that.
Half booths are smaller and will be at least 5’ wide and 5’ deep.
Half booths are perfect for anyone trying out an idea or selling something small.
How many people come to shop?
We expect about 2,500 - 3,000 people to visit Hover Craft every year.
How much does it cost to vend?
Vendor Fee: $200 for full-sized booths, $125 for half-sized booths
Give me more event details!
Date: Sunday, December 7, 2025
Location: The Pritzlaff Building, 333 N Plankinton Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53203
Load In: 10 AM-11 AM
Set Up: 11 AM-12 PM
Vend: 12 PM-6 PM
Load Out: Immediately Following, everyone must be out by 7 PM
Info + Inspo:
Tirelessly promoting handmade in Milwaukee since 2009.
Hover Craft started in 2009 when Ashley, Cortney, and Vanessa came together to create something that gave back to the creative community they were part of. Milwaukee had given them so many chances to grow and explore as artists, and this was their way of returning the favor.
Hover Craft isn’t their job—it’s something they do because they care about keeping Milwaukee’s creative scene strong. We believe that when artists, designers, crafters, and makers have opportunities to show and sell their work, our city becomes more vibrant and more interesting. When people can make a living doing what they love, they’re more likely to stick around and keep building that energy.
Each year, we put together a one-day market that acts like a pop-up storefront for local talent. It’s a space where people can connect directly with makers, see what’s being created in their own neighborhoods, and support that work in a real, tangible way.
We think showing up in person matters. We think spending money on something handmade matters. And we know from experience that a kind word, a thoughtful question, or a purchase can go a long way toward helping someone keep making.
Who is Hover Craft?
Vanessa Andrew
Vanessa Andrew is a Milwaukee-based fiber artist, illustrator, community arts educator, and clothing designer. She runs Madam Chino, a West Allis-based boutique that sells handmade and vintage clothing, and offers custom sewing and alterations. Her approach to clothing and textiles raises awareness about conservation and child labor issues in consumer society. Vanessa is a co-founder of Hover Craft.
Ashley Smith
Ashley Smith is a small business owner and community organizer. She is the co-founder of Hover Craft, Girls Rock MKE, and One Trick Pony. She is also the owner of Alive and Fine vintage store that doubles as a pop-up gallery space.
Cortney Heimerl
Cortney Heimerl is a co-founder of Hover Craft. Over the past two decades, she has produced many events to promote Milwaukee’s creative community including the Wearable Sculpture Fashion Show, the NEWaukee Night Market, Maker Sessions, Maker Market, and many more. When she is not producing opportunities for local makers, she is directing marketing, communications, and design at the Milwaukee Art Museum, or making ceramics at Tooth and Nail in Bay View.
