CONTRACT: CRAFT EAST BUYERS’ EXPO
Please read carefully before submitting your registration
The Craft East Buyers’ Expo (dba Craft East) will take place on March 8-10, 2026 at the Halifax Convention Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. All potential exhibitors are advised that Craft East is for the wholesale/retail trade only and all applicants must have the capability to produce in sufficient volume to meet market demands.
Craft East reserves the right to refuse an application from potential and previous exhibitors who have demonstrated unethical business practices in dealing with Retailers. All complaints from Retailers will be investigated before a decision is rendered.
All exhibitors’ products must meet product review requirements to be admitted to the show. If you are a new exhibitor attending Craft East for the first time, please refer to our application newsletter for more details on submitting new product for product review, or read the FAQs on our website. All exhibitors for the Craft East Buyers’ Expo will also be required to register a profile on the Craft Alliance web portal (www.craftalliance.ca); a tutorial for this process is also available online.
A business may qualify as an Atlantic exhibitor only if its head office is located in Atlantic Canada, and all exhibited products must be substantially produced in Atlantic Canada. Atlantic exhibitors receive the benefit of provincial government funding assistance for the trade show. Craft East is a project of Craft Alliance Atlantic Association. The Craft Alliance Board of Directors reserves the right to refuse applications and changes received after the Craft East deadline.
The Exhibitor shall indemnify and save harmless; Craft Alliance Atlantic Association and the Craft East Buyers’ Expo and its contractors from any and all claims, damages and expenses arising out of the Exhibitors participation in the Craft East Buyers’ Expo, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, from any and all claims and liabilities, caused by negligence or otherwise, for: any loss, damage, theft or destruction whatsoever and howsoever caused to any property belonging to the Exhibitor or for which the Exhibitor is responsible; and, any damage, bodily injury or death suffered by the Exhibitor or his servants or any other person.
If, for any reason whatsoever, the Craft East Buyers’ Expo in which the Applicant contracted to participate cannot be held, this Agreement shall become null and void, and the amount of money paid by the Exhibitor shall be refunded; and the Exhibitor hereby waives any claim against the Craft East Buyers’ Expo and its parent organization Craft Alliance Atlantic Association, its Board of Directors and its related government funding partners for any compensation of loss or profit or any other claim as a result of the cancelled trade show.
PRODUCT REVIEW – The show will continue to feature quality crafts, giftware and apparel, from producers having the capacity to meet market requirements. Exhibitors who have previously exhibited in the Craft East Buyers’ Expo are not required to have their product reviewed again, provided no product line changes have been made. Should a new product line be introduced, the product review rules apply and Product Images must be submitted via the online portal for review. Any exhibitor displaying a product which has not been reviewed will be asked by Craft East to remove the non-juried items.
BOOTH SPACES @ Craft East Expo – Standard booths are approximately 100 sq ft (10’x 10’). Craft East Buyers’ Expo requires exhibitors to occupy the minimum of a full booth. Larger booth spaces may be available, please inquire. Each booth will be made up of the following: 8′ high curtain back and sides (white). Electrical service, tables, chairs and other display requirements are available at an additional cost. Please note: Move-In and Move-Out procedures as noted in the official Craft East Exhibitor Rules and Procedures contained in the Exhibitor Kit. Electricity service is NOT included. Additional lighting is not provided; exhibitors are able to bring their own lighting or reserve equipment with our official show contractor. (See equipment price list included in the Exhibitor Kit).
SHARING of BOOTH SPACES – Our new trade show location has limited numbers of booths available. For exhibitors interested in sharing a booth with another producer, the minimum space requirement is a 1.5 booth space (10’x 15′) space. Shared spaces are on a first-come, first served basis and cannot be guaranteed, depending on spaces already sold in the show. An additional fee is charged to the company who is sharing, to have a separate listing in the Craft East Show Guide. All companies in shared spaces must be Product reviewed and approved. The second company must also apply via the Craft East Portal. A maximum of two companies per shared booth.
Booth spaces cannot be transferred, assigned, sublet, shared, or split with anyone else without prior written consent of Craft East Management. Please note that space is limited and available on a first come, first served basis.
Exhibitors are required to display their products in a manner as to present a professional appearance. You are solely responsible for procuring all materials, display items and labor for construction and dismantling of your suite displays or booths, whichever the case may be. Craft East will supply draping (conference booths only) and other items as indicated in the Craft East Rules & Procedures contained in the exhibitors show kit.
Exhibitors are required to complete the set-up of their display within the time period specified in the exhibitor’s kit. If your space remains unoccupied one hour prior to the show opening we may reassign it without compensation to you. You must not disassemble, pack up or remove any part of your display before the official closing time of the last day of the show. Exhibitors are required to remove all goods and display materials and all other property from the facility within the specified time period as noted in the exhibitor kit, or in the failure to do so, the exhibitor agrees to pay for such additional costs as may be incurred.
Craft East has the absolute right to determine the selection and allocation of your location in the show and the absolute right at any time to relocate exhibits which may be affected by a change in floor plan or in the interest of optimum traffic control or exhibit exposure. All exhibits and display materials must remain within your assigned display area. No signs, partitions, shelving, etc. may extend beyond the set booth boundaries.
APPLICATIONS – Each exhibitor occupying a booth in the Craft East Buyers Expo must complete an online application form in its entirety through the Craft Alliance website (www.craftalliance.ca). Exhibitors must occupy a minimum of one (1) full booth or in the case of a shared booth, one and a half booths (1.5 space).
Applications will not be processed without the non-refundable $250. deposit + HST (due at time of application) and the credit card or e-Transfer for the balance of fees due (exhibitors may opt for automatic debiting of the fee balance on December 5th, 2025). An automatic reminder will be sent in advance of final payment, prior to the December 5th balance payment deadline to all registrations with unpaid balances. All applications received after the Deadline date require payment in full at time of application. Cheques for payment are accepted – All NSF cheques are subject to a $60.00 service charge. Any applicant with a balance of fees owing from a current and/or previous year shall be barred from participation in current and future events until such time that all monies owed have been paid in full. A LATE FEE will apply for any applications received after the December 5th final deadline.
Exhibitors will agree to comply with all procedural guidelines as set out in the exhibitor’s rules and procedures in the exhibitor kit. Exhibitors agree to allow Craft East to use their Name, Contact Information, Product Description, and Photograph (if provided) for the following purposes: official show guide, show official website(s) including the Craft Alliance web portal, use on social media and for purposes of marketing the show to potential buyers and to buyers who call the office for information. Craft Alliance is given Express Consent to contact Exhibitors in future for the purpose of providing future Craft East show and craft industry information via newsletters and social media. Exhibitors can unsubscribe to any communications at any time.
Exhibitors are liable for any damage they may cause to the building or to our property. The use of paint, lacquer, adhesive or other coatings while in the building is strictly prohibited. The use of any materials to affix displays or materials to walls or floors is strictly prohibited.
Exhibitors must comply with all federal and provincial laws and municipal by-laws that may apply to the use of the facility (Halifax Convention Centre, Halifax, NS) for the show, including but not limited to; convention centre policies, non-smoking regulations and any other procedures as set out in the Craft East exhibitor kit or by Halifax Convention Centre.
The use of musical instruments or equipment, radios, television, laptops, tablets, iPods or MP3 devices, CD/DVD players, record or tape players, movie equipment, loud speakers, sound amplifiers, or any other mechanical, electrical, electronic, or other means of sounds reproduction must have prior approval of the Craft East Management.
Exhibitors may not enter another Exhibitors Booth without first receiving permission from the participating Exhibitor.
Exhibitor understand that there is no video or photography of other producers, products or booths at any time, without express permission, as per the Rules and Regulations of the Craft East Buyers’ Expo.
DIGITAL LIABILITY – In participating in the Craft East Buyers Expo, all exhibitors agree to have their juried products displayed on an online business profile at www.craftalliance.ca. Craft Alliance accepts no responsibility for transactions occurring as a result of exhibitors being contacted through any Craft Alliance/Craft East digital channels. By signing this contract, you also confirm that you consent to our terms of use (www.craftalliance.ca/terms).
WITHDRAWAL / CANCELLATION – All withdrawals and cancellations must be submitted in writing to the Craft East office before the final deadline of December 5, 2025. Applicants who withdraw/cancel before December 5, 2025 shall receive a refund of all monies paid to date, less the $250 deposit, which is non-refundable. Applicants who withdraw/cancel after the December 5, 2025 shall forfeit all monies paid.
The Exhibitor agrees to complete a show survey and provide the Craft Alliance Board with their Gross Sales figure from orders taken at the show. Sales figures are provided to our government funders as total show sales figures and reports generated are for government reporting purposes.
The Exhibitor agrees that completing the registration for Craft East Buyers’ Expo comprises an agreement of digital signature of these terms and conditions. The Exhibitor by their signature witnesses that they have fully read and understand the terms, conditions and provisions herein set forth, and agrees to abide and conform to all of the said terms, conditions and provisions noted above and contained in the Exhibitor Rules and Procedures.