Friday Check-in begins at 3:00 p.m.
Booths are marked on the street. Please check-in before unloading.
North Street and Roundabout artists MUST check in at the table at the corner of Broadway and North Street. The only way to access it is by driving east on College Ave and turning right onto Broadway.
Beaufort Street Artists MUST check in at the eastern end of Beaufort St, at the corner of Beaufort and Linden. Only right turns are allowed, so you must be headed south on Linden St.
There is no access to the festival grounds via Constitution Blvd, as food trucks will be set up there beginning Friday afternoon. Likewise, the music performance stage will block the South Broadway Ave passage.
Saturday Check-in begins at 6:00 am.
On Saturday, if you arrive earlier than 6:00 a.m., identify yourself to the security officers, go ahead and set up, just come to the MCAC Booth before 9:00 a.m. for your booth packet.
The festival hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. both days. You should expect a crowd early. Last year, we had 15,000 attendees over both days, the town's cell-phone tracking data tells us.
We will have coffee and pastries at the Arts Center booth for artists. This year, the Arts Center booths are located on the west end of Beaufort, just off the Roundabout. Our business mobile number is (309)434-8899
LOAD-IN:
Artists on Beaufort Street and the Roundabout should be headed south of Linden Street and turn right (west) on Beaufort. Artists on North Street sound take College Ave, headed east, and turn right (south) on Broadway (just as you pass the library on your left). We will have volunteers positioned at these locations to hand you your packs and confirm your booth location.
The streets are too narrow to park next to your spot and unload, allowing traffic to pass. We ask that you pull close to the curb and unload before setting up your booth space.
While electricity is available on the festival grounds, we are reluctant to promote it as a feature as we do not control it. The Town of Normal has 110 exterior outlets in the planter sections adjacent to the streets. It is free for artists, although you are encouraged to bring extension cords and power strips and be aware of trip hazards, cables, and responsible sharing.
Other Information:
We have hired private security on-site on both Friday and Saturday nights.
Tax forms are in your packets, and the Sales Tax rate in Normal is 8.75%
We have had a small number of booth assignment changes. These are the result of accommodations and providing access to the Uptown Businesses.
All booths are 13 feet wide. If you set your booth next to your neighbor (look for spray-painted lines), you could have a passage of several feet between every booth.
Prize Judges:
Our Judges are to be announced in advance of the event with links to their websites here. Prizes will be posted here on Saturday evening.
Our Website:
The event website is sugarcreekartsfestival.org. We will be updating these pages through the time of the event launch.
Lunches
Our volunteers will deliver lunches to your booth on both days. These do not include beverages. The Town of Normal will set up "Water Monsters” for you to fill your container at several locations. They are big, so you can’t miss them.
Bathrooms
There are port-a-potties at several locations, but the public bathrooms on the first floor of Uptown Station are very lovely. That is the building with the Big Clock on the Roundabout.
Parking
Artists' parking is indicated on the map above. Do not park in spaces marked for apartment residents.
T-Shirts
Artists who pre-ordered event shirts will have them delivered on Friday evening.
Load-Out
Load-out begins at 4:00 pm. We ask that NO VEHICLES enter the event grounds until after that time. Please use caution when driving, as people may be lingering. You are STRONGLY encouraged to break down your booths and possessions in advance of loading. Please park as close to your booth as possible to allow access for other artists to exit the venue. Exit paths are the same as during load-in.
Artists are reminded to be courteous to others as everyone is understandably tired.
Be sure to submit your tax forms from your packets promptly to the State of Illinois.