Festival Vendor and Collector Information

Thanks for being part of the 2023 International Sea Glass Festival. The festival will be held at Mystic Seaport Museum on Saturday and Sunday, July 29–30, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you have questions, please contact Festival Director Roxann Williams at (724) 456-7844 or festival@seaglassassociation.org.

✅ Booth Setup and Tear Down

  • We are finalizing booth and tent locations and will notify you of your location when the layout is ready. All booth spaces are final and you should not set up in a different location unless you clear it with Festival Director Roxann Williams.
  • Booth load in will be on Friday, July 28, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, July 29, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
  • You must be ready to have visitors at 10 a.m. sharp and you must stay until 5 p.m. both days.
  • Vendors and Collectors must enter and leave during all load-in and tear-down times through the Museum Store Parking Lot, whether driving or on foot. Press the button next to the gate to alert Security to open it. If there are any issues, please call (860) 572-5310. Download map and directions ›
  • There are no carts for load-in, so plan on bringing your own carts or use rolling bags.
  • Please drive your car off the Museum grounds as soon as you are done unloading as there is limited space for cars along the Village Green. All vehicles should leave the grounds by 9:30 a.m. Please park in the South Parking Lot after unloading.
  • Linens, table coverings, and pipe and drape will not be available. You must provide your own linens.
  • The only way for free admission to the Mystic Seaport Museum grounds on Saturday and Sunday is to have a Museum wristband. Each vendor will receive two (2) wristbands during set up from Festival Director Roxann Williams. Each collector will receive one (1) wristband. Text Roxann at (724) 456-7844 if you cannot locate her to receive your wristbands.
  • If you are bringing your own tent, be sure to stake and weigh down the corners. It can get very windy in the location where we are setting up for the festival so you must make sure your tent is very securely tied and weighed down. Each evening, your tent must be lowered to half-height overnight.
  • The Museum provides security for the buildings and grounds but there is no one assigned to the festival area. We recommend that you do not leave valuables on the grounds overnight.
  • Booth tear down will be on Sunday, July 30, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Leave it as you found it! You are responsible for clearing your booth area after the show, including removing trash, recycling, supplies, etc. Mystic Seaport Museum will charge for anything left behind on Sunday night, so please pack everything out.

✅ During the Show

  • ISGA will provide name tags/lanyards for each vendor and one booth assistant. ISGA will provide one name tag for each collector.
  • Mystic Seaport Museum will provide free Wi-Fi for exhibitors to use. The password is myst1cs3aport.
  • There is no electricity in the booths, however there will be an unmonitored charging station. Bring a battery backup for your phone if you are worried about it running out of juice.
  • If you have electric lights in your booth, they must be battery operated. No generators are allowed on the grounds.
  • There are several restaurants on the museum grounds, and you are welcome to bring in your own food.
  • This is a self-representing show and you must be there in person and sell only products that you have created or had a part in creating.
  • The Collectors Showcase is a no-sell zone. Collectors may not display products or sell anything during the show.
  • This is a sea glass festival so at least 75% of your products must be sea and beach glass related.
  • We will be monitoring the booths throughout the show and if your booth doesn’t meet requirements or if your work includes artificial sea glass, you will be asked to leave.
  • By attending the festival you give us permission to use your likeness in photos and videos in print and online.

✅ Questions

If you have questions, please contact Festival Director Roxann Williams at (724) 456-7844 or festival@seaglassassociation.org.

✅ Volunteer and Community Member Gifts

We would love your help in providing a small gift for our volunteers and Community Members. And what’s a better gift than sea glass? Please bring a small collection of sea glass (10-20 pieces) that we will divide up and give to the volunteers and Community Members as a thank you for their support. It doesn’t have to be your very best glass, but something that they will enjoy adding to their collections. Thank you!

✅ Member Discounts

Offering a show special on festival weekend is a great way for you to encourage customers to shop at your booth or website.

If you would like to offer a discount to Mystic Seaport Museum and ISGA members during festival weekend, we will provide you with a small sign to include on your booth indicating you are offering a member discount. You can offer a percentage off, a dollar amount off, or a special gift to anyone that is a member of the Museum or ISGA.

Please use code MYSTIC23 if you would like to offer a discount in your online shop during Festival weekend.

✅ Sea Glass Contest

We will have a vendor category in this year’s Sea Glass Contest so don’t forget to bring your favorite find of the year to enter!

✅ Promotion

The ISGA Festival Committee will be promoting the festival on social media and in ads throughout the Mystic area, including local print media, online advertising, and advertising on the ferries that serve the region. You can help drive interest and participation to make this event successful.

  • Let your customers, friends, and followers know that you will be at the festival through social media and email, This can be a major factor in your success at the show. 
  • Download festival graphics you can use on your website and social media. Please request additional sizes and formats by emailing communications@seaglassassociation.org.
  • Please tag @seaglassassociation and #isgafestival in your posts so we can like and share your posts.
  • Be sure to like and share the festival posts that ISGA makes on Instagram and Facebook.
  • RSVP on the Facebook event page and invite your friends and customers.
  • Mail the Sea Glass Festival postcard to your current and prospective customers with a note to attend the show. You can order free 2023 Festival postcards to include in your packages, hand out at shows, and mail to your contacts.
  • Mail the “Genuine vs. Artificial” postcard to your current and prospective customers with a note to attend the show. You can order free Genuine Sea Glass postcards to include in your packages, hand out at shows, and mail to your contacts.
  • Please do not use the Mystic Seaport Museum logo in any of your advertising or promotions. Thanks!

Visit the festival page for the festival schedule.

Please make careful note of the following information and eligibility requirements.

✅ Festival Eligibility Requirements

  • Every vendor must be an ISGA Professional Member in good standing.
  • All artwork, jewelry, images, displays, and products must contain only genuine sea and/or beach glass — no artificially altered sea or beach glass will be allowed. It is up to the exhibitor to verify that the sea or beach glass used is authentic.
  • At least 75% of the artwork, jewelry, images, and products must be made from or related to genuine sea or beach glass.
  • Every piece for sale at your booth must be handcrafted by you or your employees, under your direct creative supervision. Merchandise such as books, photography, artwork, stickers, accessories, and other items such as clothing and hats must feature the exhibitor’s original work and be sea or beach glass related. Only self-representing artisans, photographers, and authors will be accepted. Absolutely no buy/resell items allowed — no products designed or made by someone else and no outsourcing.
  • One artist/one company/one collector per booth — no booth sharing.
  • All artists must be present (no reps). Exhibitors must be in attendance throughout the festival hours.
  • Only work described in your application may be sold/exhibited at the festival.
  • All vendors must comply with state sales tax regulations. Collectors may not sell at the festival.
  • ISGA reserves the right to close the booth of any vendor or collector violating any of the Festival Eligibility Requirements, the ISGA Mission, or the ISGA Member Agreement. ISGA will require the exhibitor to leave the festival immediately and the exhibitor will forfeit all paid fees.

✅ ISGA Mission

  • Educate the collector, consumer, and retailer as to the properties and benefits of genuine, pure, natural, unaltered sea and beach glass.
  • Maintain the value of genuine sea and beach glass through education.
  • Provide a forum and knowledge base for sea and beach glass enthusiasts to communicate with other individuals who share their passion for genuine sea and beach glass.
  • Sponsor festivals that will benefit sea and beach glass collectors, retailers, and artisans.
  • Support the work of protecting and restoring waterways and coastlines around the world, by mobilizing members, making donations, and educating the public.
  • ISGA members agree that they will not create or sell imitation sea or beach glass.

✅ ISGA Member Agreement

All International Sea Glass Association members agree not to create, buy, or sell imitation sea or beach glass in person or online, including at ISGA festivals, other shows and markets, nor in online shops and social media sites. 

International Sea Glass Association members agree to leave sea and beach glass in its natural state. Sea and beach glass and regular glass will not be altered in any way to artificially replicate or change the shape, patina, size, or color of genuine sea or beach glass. Members will not use any techniques to alter the glass or its appearance, including: 

  • Grinding
  • Acid etching
  • Sand blasting
  • Tumbling
  • Breaking or shaping the glass
  • Colorizing
  • Mounting on a surface that changes the color of the glass 
  • Or any other means

Members agree to present sea and beach glass in its natural state and make it possible for a knowledgeable consumer to confirm that the glass is genuine. Members will not do the following to sea or beach glass:

  • Add resin, glue, or other coating on top of the glass
  • Add a patina to the surface behind the glass to alter the appearance of the glass

Alteration of the sea or beach glass is allowed when it is clear to someone purchasing the piece that the appearance of the glass has been altered. Members can do the following to sea or beach glass:

  • Drill the glass
  • Paint images on the surface of the glass
  • Glue glass on top of a painting, if the original color of the glass is obvious.

☑️ Payment

Payment of PayPal invoices for festival and program advertising fees are due by April 1, 2023.

☑️ Description for Program and Website

Your company name, your name, location, brief description, and website will appear on the Festival Page of the website and in the printed program that is handed out at the festival. Please take a moment to check your information and let us know if you have any corrections by emailing secretary@seaglassassociation.org. Due by April 15, 2023.

☑️ Program Ads

If you purchased an ad in the program, following are the specifications. All measurements are in inches. 

  • Full page vertical: Trim: 5.5 x 8.5, Live: .5 from edge, Bleed: .125
  • Half page horizontal: 4.75 x 3.75
  • Quarter page vertical: 2.25 x 3.75

Your ad should be sent as a press-quality PDF. The resolution of all images should be a minimum of 300 dpi at final production size and should be in CMYK format. All fonts must be embedded in the PDF. Please email your finished ads or your photos, logo, and information so we can make your ad to secretary@seaglassassociation.org by April 15, 2023.

☑️ ISGA Community Member Referral Incentive Program

With each ISGA Community Member you refer who signs up by June 1, 2023, you’ll receive a $20 refund on your festival booth fee. In order to receive this credit, the new member must name you on their application form and you must offer a discount or special for ISGA Professional and Community Members.

☑️ Sales Tax Permit

In order to participate in the event, you will need to register for a Connecticut Sales and Use Tax Permit. There is a $100 fee to apply for the permit. When you have registered, please provide your permit number to Festival Director Roxann Williams at (724) 456-7844 or festival@seaglassassociation.org by June 1, 2023. Registration ›

☑️ T-Shirts

We are pleased to offer Sea Glass Association t-shirts for purchase. These white V-neck shirts with the ISGA logo are available in a range of sizes. You can purchase shirts at the festival.

☑️ Reception and Meeting

We are excited for this year’s show and the talented vendors who will be at the festival. We are planning a reception on Saturday evening during festival weekend for ISGA Professional Members, Community Members, Collectors, and volunteers on Saturday evening, July 29th, after the show. Details will be sent to all registrants.

☑️ Sponsorships

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for the festival, please contact Festival Director Roxann Williams at (724) 456-7844 or festival@seaglassassociation.org. Your sponsorship at any level supports the success of this annual event and will allow us to create members-only events at this year’s festival. Sponsors are listed in the program, website, emails, social media, and ads for the festival. Thank you!

Sponsorship Levels:

  • Admiral $1,000
  • Captain $500
  • First Mate $250
  • Crew $100

☑️ Lodging

We have secured special rates at several local hotels for a limited number of rooms. Please call to make your reservations soon, as hotels in Mystic fill up quickly in the summer. Please reserve today if you want to be at one of these hotels.

Hilton Mystic

Residence Inn by Marriott Mystic

Bellissimo Grande Hotel

  • https://www.bellissimogrande.com/
  • Phone: 860-535-0022
  • $124–$224 per night + facility fees with code “International Sea Glass Association” through July 7
  • If you prefer to book online use code 999524627160845

☑️ Member Discounts

Make your listing stand out in the program and website by offering a discount to Museum and ISGA members!

Mystic Seaport Museum will be sending emails out to its almost 10,000 members inviting them for festival weekend. We reach out to customers through our email list and our over 10,000 followers on social media.

Offering a show special on festival weekend is a great way for you to encourage customers to shop at your booth or website.

If you would like to offer a discount to Mystic Seaport Museum and ISGA members during festival weekend, we will add a special mark by your company name in the program* and on the website and provide you with a small sign to include on your booth indicating you are offering and member discount. You can offer a percentage off, a dollar amount off, or a special gift to anyone that is a member of the Museum or ISGA.

*Please let us know your offer ASAP so we can include it in the printed program.

Please use code MYSTIC23 if you would like to offer a discount in your online shop during Festival weekend.

The International Sea Glass Association reserves the right to cancel the festival in the event of extreme weather. In the event that the festival is canceled due to hazardous weather, you may receive partial refund on your registration fee. The amount returned in event of cancellation will be determined based on the expenses paid in preparation prior to the festival. Unfortunately, full refunds cannot be guaranteed, and it is possible we may not be able to make refunds at all.