Maker Application

Mermade Market is a truly unique shopping experience, and we’re thrilled that you’re interested in becoming one of our official makers.

Our upcoming Fall 2026 show will take place November 13-15, 2026 at the Dana Point Community House, a beautiful coastal venue just steps from the ocean. We work hard to curate an incredible mix of talented makers and passionate shoppers, creating an atmosphere that is both inspiring and profitable for you.

Our team prides itself on being organized, thorough and supportive, from the application process all the way through market weekend. We actively promote our makers on social media before, during, and after the show, and we do everything we can to bring the right audience through the doors.

Whether you’re looking to grow your brand, meet other makers, or have a fantastic sales weekend, Mermade Market is built to help you do all three. And if you’re not here to make some extra money, you’ll certainly leave with meaningful connections and a lot of new friends.

Because our show operates a bit differently than many traditional markets, we want to make sure every maker understands exactly how things work and what will be expected. That’s why our application is a bit detailed, so hang with us, it’s worth it.

Don’t worry if you don’t have every answer right away. If you’re accepted, we’ll provide a full maker packet with all the details you’ll need. You can also explore additional information throughout our site under “Indoor Makers” and “Outdoor Makers.”

For reference, we typically welcome around 5,000 to 6,000 visitors over the course of the weekend, making Mermade Market one of the most vibrant maker events in South Orange County.

Thank you so much for applying. We can’t wait to see what you’re creating.

Our mission is to bring our customers the freshest goods so they can feel great about buying for themselves and gifting to everyone they love! We work to keep it the cool place to shop. We like keeping our market curated and approachable so you aren’t overwhelmed with too many options. We avoid having multiple shops with similar product. Customers and makers alike don’t like having seven jewelry shops at the same market and we’ve taken note! We also don't feature tired styles that we've seen a lot at craft shows.

While carefully reviewing applications, we will be selecting a few makers (maybe even just one!) within each category. For instance, if we get 15 applications from shops selling leather goods, we will choose 1 or 2 makers in this category. It is tried and true - the best way to highlight our makers! Customers get bored and quickly shop through duplicate products from makers, rather than taking their time to take in each individual and unique shop. It also makes each maker have a successful turnout! In additional, our selection is based on customer demand. Fresh & innovative, always!

Shop space fees are due no later than 48 hours of being accepted & invoiced. If you do not pay, we will give your space to another willing maker. We always have a waitlist of makers that we are eager to offer space to! See above for pricing for inside & outside maker shop spaces. Because we offer so many different types of spaces, note the variations in pricing options!

The inside space is register/retail style so you will not physically stand at your space to sell. We take 20% of each sale from our inside makers. Customers shop with a basket provided by Mermade and check out with our team at one exit point.

For the outside market space, you are right there - farmers market style - and you collect 100% of your sales via your preferred payment methods.

They are only open for 14 full days. Once they’re closed, they remain closed until the following show. We get an abundance of amazing makers and the review process starts the moment applications open. By day 15-18, we have a pretty good idea of what makers have made the cut and the official acceptance process starts soon after. You are welcome to join the waitlist, although it's rare we glance at it once the ball gets rolling.

Because we get hundreds applications, we can only accept a certain number for our specific vibe and market size. There may be multiple reasons we may not choose you for this particular market: there may not be enough space or you’re a veteran maker and we gotta let someone else give Mermade a try! Perhaps your product doesn’t quite fit with our aesthetic & our customer’s style or your brand isn’t fully solidified yet. We do take into consideration at your social media presence/vibe and website. If you’ve been selling at markets for years and do really well, but might be lacking beautiful pictures and a strong online presence to show it, we highly advise you brush up on it all before you submit an application.

Please look at non-acceptance as a chance to learn, grow, and move forward. There’s always the possibly to try again in the future! We love growth and especially love when we see makers re-apply with a stronger brand and product in the future. It can always be looked at as part of the process of owning a business, as motivation to get grow! Our standards are high and our vision - very curated and precise. Our biggest goal is to bring the very best products to our customers and for our fantastic makers to have their shop showcased amongst other equally amazing makers. If you have a question about why you weren’t approved and are open to feedback, we would love to chat with you!

YES. The Health Department requires us to gather applications & fees from each maker. Click this link to see what it will entail. You will print & mail your application to them in Santa Ana or go in person.

Deadline for submitting this permit will be enclosed in your application. Note, there are shared kitchens if you search in your area! Sometimes local shops/restaurants will let you use their kitchen, info, and address. Just check in with your local restaurant owners!

If you are making your food at home and not using a commercial kitchen, you need a “cottage” food license. Here is the link for Orange County: http://www.ocfoodinfo.com/cottage. You must get your cottage license on your own, as it sets you up for one year of use and you will be able to do many events with this license.

We send your payment 7-10 days after the last date of market with a detailed sales report.

Want to promote your business by offering a free activity during the show? Click here to apply!