Philadelphia Zoo Art Festival
Celebrate summer in full color at the Philadelphia Zoo!
Discover art and handmade treasures inspired by the beauty of nature, enjoy live music and interactive activities, and support over thirty local artists and makers–including the Zoo’s very own animals–at the wildest art festival in the city! This rain-or-shine event is perfect for the whole family.
Artists and makers interested in applying to exhibit at the festival may refer to the Application Info tab above for more information.
The Philadelphia Zoo is excited to announce its inaugural Art Festival! Featuring works highlighting the beauty of the natural world around us, this art festival and maker’s market celebrates flora and fauna through a curated collection of fine art, photography, and handmade goods. Featuring interactive activities and live music with the Zoo as our canvas, we’ll celebrate the joy of art and creation in full color!
Ready to join us at the wildest art festival in Philadelphia? Please review the following prior to submitting an application.
General Information
What to Expect: The Philadelphia Zoo Art Festival will host over thirty vendors on Philadelphia Zoo’s Impala Lawn underneath a large festival tent. Marketed by the Philadelphia Zoo through various outlets and social media accounts of over one million followers combined, vendors can expect crowds of as many as ten thousand guests on a sunny weekend of August. Guests are all ages and will visit the festival throughout the day from 11:00am-4:00pm. Accepted artists will be provided with a limited discounted admission ticket code to share with their audiences to promote their work at the festival and generate additional traffic.
Location: Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Application Fee: $25.00 non-refundable fee; submitting an application and fee does not guarantee a space at the festival
Booth Fee: $100.00; $25.00 application fee to be applied to booth fee upon festival acceptance. The Zoo does not collect commission on sales.
Festival Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026
Application Deadline: Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Regulations
All art and handmade goods must be original and available for sale for under $150.00 per item. All items must be produced in the same style, medium, and quality as represented in vendor application. Acceptable items include fine art, photography, sculpture, and handmade goods such as pottery, jewelry, or clothing. Unacceptable items include any edible items for consumption, machine-made or mass-produced goods, and non-family friendly items with offensive language or graphics. Misrepresented or unapproved items will result in dismissal from the festival and forfeiture of all fees.
Each vendor must complete the online application – one vendor per application. Five images of the vendor’s work must be submitted with application, with one image strongly suggested to be a professional booth display consistent with the work represented in the other four images. All applications will be juried by Caroline Stoughton, Philadelphia Zoo Art Festival Juror and Curator. Jury decision is based on quality, individuality, professionalism, and alignment with the theme of nature in tandem with the Philadelphia Zoo’s mission and values. Artists will be notified of their acceptance on July 15, 2026. Artists placed on the waitlist will be notified on a rolling basis. Due to the volume of applications, non-acceptances will not be communicated. Accepted vendors must submit their confirmation and booth fee within five days of acceptance to guarantee their participation. Vendors that do not submit within five days will be moved to the waitlist and re-accepted on a rolling basis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Set-Up, Load-In, Check-In, Load-Out
Vendors must load in via vendor-provided manual hand truck/cart only. The Zoo will not provide assistance with load-in or load-out of materials. Vendors will check in at vendor registration table to receive a black wristband and their booth assignment. The festival space (Impala Lawn) is a three-minute walk from the designated loading zone. All vendors must be loaded in by 10:30am for an 11:00am festival opening. No vehicles are permitted on campus.
Displays must be contained to assigned 10’x10’x10’ booth space and be consistent with images represented in vendor application. All additional supplies, storage boxes, etc must be kept out of sight and the booth must remain tidy and presentable. Electricity is not provided and generators or other equipment are not permitted onsite – battery-powered devices only.
Load-out will occur from 4:00-5:00pm. Vendors are expected to have their booths opened and staffed for the duration of the festival from 11:00am-4:00pm. Vendors that leave their booth or begin breakdown prior to the end of the event will not be permitted to return for future festivals. Vendors are responsible for all trash disposal and product removal. The booth space must be returned in the same condition as it was on arrival.
What does the Zoo provide?
What do vendors provide?
Security
Marketing & Conduct
Upon acceptance to the festival, vendors will be provided with a limited discounted admission ticket code to share with their audiences to promote their work at the festival.
While on Philadelphia Zoo campus, all participants must conduct themselves in alignment with the Philadelphia Zoo’s mission and values. We are committed to providing an environment suitable for all ages free from discrimination or harassment and ask all festival participants to conduct themselves in a manner befitting the Philadelphia Zoo. The Zoo does not permit smoking on grounds. Unacceptable behavior may result in dismissal from the festival and forfeiture of all fees.
Refunds & Required Taxes
All vendors are responsible for City and State taxes. Your state and city tax identification numbers as well as your W9 are required to apply as a festival vendor. Visit the link here for more information.
Terms & Conditions
Indemnification. Vendor shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Zoological Society of Philadelphia and its officers, trustees, employees, shareholders, representatives, agents, assignees, licenses and their successors-in-interest (the “Indemnified Parties”) from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, liabilities and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or related to: (a) Vendor’s participation in the Event; (b) Vendor’s products, artwork, or services; (c) Vendor’s negligence or willful misconduct; or (d) Vendor’s breach of this Agreement, even for, and if caused in whole or in part by any act, omission, negligence or strict liability of the Indemnified Parties.
Assumption of the Risk. Vendor acknowledges and assumes all risks associated with participation in the Event, including but not limited to damage to or loss of property, weather conditions, theft, and interaction with the public.
Property Damage Disclaimer. The Zoo shall not be responsible for any loss, theft, or damage to Vendor’s artwork, equipment, displays, or other property, regardless of cause.
Force Majeure. The Zoo shall not be liable for failure to perform its obligations due to events beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, severe weather, government orders, or emergencies.
No Bailment. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to create a bailment or custodial relationship. Vendor retains sole responsibility for the care, custody, and control of its property at all times.