Vendor Hall Policy

Last Updated: October 20, 2025

While unlikely, all policies are subject to change without advance notice. Policy changes may occur in response to venue requirements, state or local law, or convention function requirements.

Violation of these policies may result in the termination of the vendor contract and ejection from the event without refund.

Any questions concerning these policies can be submitted via our help desk. By purchasing space or otherwise participating in the FWA Vendor Hall, you agree that you have read and understand these policies.

What’s Changed for 2026

We’ve redefined the vendor spaces utilized at FWA! Please review the new definitions and each section’s special requirements. In short, Artists Alley has been replaced by The Bazaar - now all-weekend, paid tables - and we added a new, free Commissioners Corner, each with different restrictions.

Booth and table prices were increased over last year, and we are introducing a new half-table option. We are also offering multiple table size options, slightly smaller than our booths. The new floor plans leverage both options, so select both if you wish!

Electricity is no longer free and will be available for purchase.

Vendors granted a booth/table will gain access to a vendor-only hotel block to be purchased themselves (we are not handling your reservations).

The new Commissioners Corner free tables will be partially filled by FCFS each morning of the convention. While the lottery will choose the initial artists for each day, we’ll fill the majority of no-shows with FCFS artists that arrive ready to create. The waitlist will still be in use throughout each day, as well. The modifiers for the lottery have been adjusted since last year to favor new artists each day.

A general rewrite/reorganization for clarity, but the remaining rules are unchanged.

Vendor Space Definitions

The Vendor Hall is the encompassing group that contains various areas to sell in order to best meet the needs of individual vendors. For 2026, the following vending spaces will be utilized and each space carries its own specific rules and regulations declared in respective sections. These definitions do not mean the spaces are physically separated.

Dealers Den - This is the general vending space all are accustomed to. This space provides booths and full tables, electricity available (potentially for an additional fee), and is designed for well established businesses.
Mature Market - This newly named section is the 18+ vending space, but will fit booths, full tables, and half-tables to allow for typical 18+ goods as well as mature artworks and other adult materials. (This space is 2X larger than last year, and we hope to include many smaller businesses and artists in 2026.)
The Bazaar - This space focuses on smaller businesses that do not require a full table or booth and artists with small pre-made merchandise. For 2026, all slots in The Bazaar are half-table, weekend-long, paid spaces and will be selected via a lottery system.
Commissioners Corner - New for 2026, this space offers free, half-tables each day for artists that are actively accepting and working on commissions at-con. This section is limited in availability and has very strict limitations on table setup and what can be sold.

Booth/Table Sizes and Pricing

The table/booth pricing applies to all vending spaces except for the Commissioners Corner, which is free and does not have electricity available. All tables are 8ft x 30in.

Electricity options are being evaluated given our growth. It will be available for an additional cost.

Wi-Fi is not provided by FWA. Hyatt offers a paid option via their Encore program.

Vendor spaces do not include membership/convention registration. Vendors will need to purchase registration separately for all individuals in their table/booth while the vending spaces are open to attendees.

Applications for Vendor Spaces

All artists/vendors must complete an application within the application window to be considered for an open slot. The Commissioners Corner section may open a waitlist application at a later date.

Vendor applications open mid-October (very soon!) and will close November 30. Vendor selections will be completed early December and payment due by January 6th.

The applying artist/vendor may select options from multiple vending spaces. We will fill the Dealers Den and Mature Market first, followed by the lottery for The Bazaar and then the Commissioners Corner. If an artist selects multiple vending spaces, they will be included in all subsequent spaces until they are granted a slot. (E.g. an artist that selected all sections is not selected for the DD or MM, so they are included in the Bazaar lottery and are granted a slot; they would not be included in the CC lottery since they have a spot in the Bazaar)

Applications start from myFWA, so your myFWA account information must match that of the business owner or other legally authorized representative of the business. You’ll be able to provide a contact email if it differs from your myFWA account email.

Portfolio & What We Look For

All applications require samples of works and product, and visual samples of potential display setups. The portfolio link(s) provided in the application must be publicly accessible; any content blocked behind permissions or requiring a login will be disqualified. Social media links (e.g. twitter, instagram, facebook) will not be accepted as official galleries.

Applicants will be required to estimate the percentage of each category of goods they will be selling. This will help us ensure the Vendor Hall is balanced in variety.

Each vendor or artist shall include a portfolio showcasing a selection of the goods/services planned to be offered at the convention. Adult content in portfolios is acceptable. All members of the jury/review process are of legal age and are comfortable viewing adult material for selection.

To ensure the Vendor Hall provides an excellent attendee experience, we consider the following criteria for selection:

• Quality - We want to offer the best to our attendees, so we look at the overall quality of the goods/services.
• Variety - We want to offer a large selection of products to our attendees. We consider diversity in your work as well as the overall diversity of the Vendor Hall.
• Quantity - In order to supply the large number of attendees we have each year (over 17k in 2025), it is important that our vendors be able to provide an appropriate amount of product.
• Previous dealer experience - While not necessary, prior convention vending experience ensures you’re aware of, and can overcome, typical vending challenges. Including previous table setups, please include them in your application.
• Prior violations of FWA policies

Acceptance, Payment, & Refunds

When accepted, vendors will be contacted via email by FWA staff. There will be a period for vendors to pay for their respective spaces and fill out the FWA Vendor Survey, which targets specific needs.

Vendors are required to pay for their vending spaces before the end of January 6th, 2026.

Any vendors who do not respond to contact or fail to deliver payment by the above date forfeit their acceptance.

For any questions regarding refunds, please submit a help desk ticket.

Dealers Den & Mature Market Jury System

Applicants for tables/booths will be verified by FWA staff, then passed to a jury consisting of a diverse group of FWA staff from multiple departments, demographics, and professions. Applicants are scored on a selection of criteria. The vendor selection team then utilizes these scores, the applicants’ merchandise type percentages, and booth size requests to determine the final vendor selection.

The goal of this system is to ensure a diverse array of goods and services for our attendees while making it easier and fairer for new vendors to secure vending space.

A waitlist will be maintained in case of selected vendors withdrawing for any reason. The waitlist is not in any specific order and the vendor selection team will decide on replacements to maintain diversity. We are unable to provide an estimate as to if or when a vendor on the waitlist may be offered a space.

The Bazaar Lottery System

The Bazaar half-tables are all paid, weekend-long slots. All artists/vendors that applied for this section and were not granted a table/booth by the jury/selection team will be entered into the lottery. The lottery operates as follows:

• All artists are assigned a random number ranging from 1 to the total number of included applicants at time of the lottery run.
• The list is then sorted by this number from highest to lowest.
• Any duplicate numbers will have a randomized fractional number added not to exceed the next higher number (i.e. we use a true random number for the tiebreaker)
• The sorted list will fill tables as they are available.

Applying under different names for the same artist/business in an attempt to increase one’s chances of gaining a table will result in all of that artist’s applications being revoked. The lottery system is meant to be as fair as possible and each artist may have a single entry. If you are sharing the slot with another artist, please indicate this in your application; your lottery drawing will be combined as one submission since there is only one chair per slot.

Commissioners Corner Lottery and FCFS system

The Commissioners Corner section will initially be filled via lottery. All applicants that marked this section in their application and have not been granted a slot in any other section will be included in the lottery. This lottery runs a bit differently:

• All artists are assigned a random number ranging from 1 to the total number of applicants at time of the lottery run.
• The artist’s modifiers (see below) are applied to this random number.
• The list for each day is then sorted by this modified number from highest to lowest.
• Any duplicate numbers will have a randomized fractional number added not to exceed the next higher number (i.e. we use a true random number for the tiebreaker)
• The sorted list will fill tables as they are available (the initial allotted artists are guaranteed a space such that the CC is completely filled; the remainder forms the waitlist)
• The lotteries are run for Friday, Saturday, Sunday, in that order.
• Modifiers:
  • Artists rank their preferred days, which will apply a modifier for each day’s lottery pull. This is intended to slightly help artists that can only attend specific days.
    • 1.4x - most preferred day
    • 1.2x - second preference
    • 1.0x - third preference
  • To allow more artists an opportunity to work in the Alley, subsequent lottery pulls will have a 0.50x modifier applied. (e.g. an artist is granted a table on Friday, so their lottery on Saturday will have a 0.50x modifier applied; if they happen to secure a table again Saturday via the lottery, then they will have two 0.50x modifiers applied for Sunday)
  • Failing to check out per our procedure will result in the artist being moved to the bottom of the waitlist for all remaining days of the convention and the next year the artist applies, a 0.25x modifier will be applied to all drawings.

Duplicate applications for an artist will be discarded; if an application needs to be edited, please email [email protected]. Applying under different names for the same artist in an attempt to increase one’s chances of gaining a table will result in all of that artist’s applications being revoked. The lottery system is meant to be as fair as possible and each artist may have a single entry. CC slots cannot be shared with another artist.

The lottery results and the waitlist will be made publicly available as the data is constantly updated leading up to and throughout the convention. Communication with the artists will occur when an artist nears the top of the waitlist so they can be prepared to be called to a table.

Whenever an artist withdraws their slot (before or at the convention), the waitlist shifts up to fill that slot. If you know you will not be able to bring supplies to the convention based on your waitlist spot, withdrawing from the waitlist will greatly assist your fellow artists!

Once an artist is assigned a table, they will be directly notified and have thirty (30) minutes to reply and let us know they will arrive shortly. This reply can be made in person (at the Vendor Hall info table) or via electronic communication. If an artist fails to acknowledge their notification within the thirty (30) minute window, they forfeit their slot and a new artist is pulled.

An artist has two (2) hours from the initial notification of their table being ready to show up to the Alley with supplies. Should an artist not show within this window (and not communicate with the Alley staff of any difficulties getting there, e.g. elevator is broken), they forfeit the slot, a new artist is pulled, and they will be placed back on the top of the waitlist (next in line).

The Commissioners Corner will utilize a check-in/check-out procedure so the staff can efficiently fill all available tables. When an artist is assigned a table, the artist must appear at the Vendor Hall info table to perform check-in. The artist will be provided a table number to set up at. The artist can utilize this space for the remainder of the day, but if they desire to leave early, they must check out by visiting the same info table before leaving the Corner. Check-in/out will require an ID with your legal name provided on the application form.

If an artist knows they will be wrapping up in a certain time span (30 mins or even many hours ahead), it is highly encouraged to notify the Vendor Hall staff, in person at the info table or electronically, when the table is likely to be free so the staff can notify the waitlist accordingly and minimize the time a table is left open.

Failure to check out prior to leaving the Corner will result in an artist being dropped to the end of all waitlists for the weekend and a demerit of 0.25x applied to all lottery drawings for the next year they apply. Please help us ensure that we can provide the best opportunity to get a table to your fellow artists!

To facilitate accessibility and other needs, artists may designate an “authorized helper” either in the application form or during check-in at the convention. This authorized helper may perform check-in/out procedures on behalf of the artist.

Each morning, any artist that fails to show by opening hour will forfeit their slot. FWA Staff will fill a majority of these no-show slots with artists ready to set up on a First Come, First Served basis. The lottery waitlist will continue to be leveraged for the remainder of the day.

Vendor Booth/Table Specifications

Venue

Each table will have a tablecloth and/or skirt as well as two chairs. Artists Alley and Commissioners Corner slots utilize half of the table and each slot has only one chair. Vendors will need to supply their own additional cloths as they deem necessary.

Due to the density of the vending spaces, all walkways and aisles (including between tables/booths) must remain clear and open to allow vendors and attendees to quickly vacate the room in an emergency. There is a maximum limit of two people behind each table.

Vendors are prohibited from extending outside their booth or table space measures. Vendors found encroaching on other vendors’ space will be warned!

For 2026, the Vendor Hall will combine the Dealers Den, Bazaar, and Commissioners Corner in a to-be-announced space and the Mature Market will be held in the Hyatt Regency Atlanta.

Height Restrictions

Full Tables & Booths - displays are permitted up to ten (10) feet in height off the top of the table. Tents, light displays, etc. are also permitted.

The Bazaar half-tables - display structures are permitted to be up to four (4) feet in height off the table, as long as they are secured/stable and will not tip over or collapse if the table is bumped. (i.e. if an attendee is pushed into the table, the display must not fall on anyone)

Commissioners Corner half-tables - all display elements, including signage, must remain less than eighteen (18) inches off the top of the table (this is equivalent to two 12” cube walls angled and supported by a third cube wall forming a “T”).

Hours

The hours for the Vendor Hall are to be determined, but setup will be Thursday with the Vendor Hall open to attendees Friday morning. Historically, the hours have been 10am - 6pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Details about load-in, load-out, and at-con expectations will be provided directly to vendors via email.

Assistants

Vendors may have assistants/staff to accompany them in managing their booths. Remember that each vending space is limited to how many individuals are allowed within the booth; one person per chair allotted.

Assistants are required to purchase convention membership/registration to enter the Vendor Hall. FWA will provide a lanyard badge or similar to designate assistants as vendors to allow bypassing attendee queues and checkpoints.

Booth Sharing

Single Booths and Full Tables may be split between two individual artists/vendors; however, the second vendor must complete an application just as the first vendor. Once the second vendor is approved, they will be included in the map/app alongside the first. Please note this booth sharing in your application.

Display and Behaviour Expectations

Please remember that not everyone may share your tastes, and that your behavior is representative of the entire fandom. In accordance with state law, we must require that any adult material must not be displayed openly; for example, art/print Vendors we request, where applicable, that two separate binders (“general”, “adult”) be kept. Additionally, any “naughty” parts of art must be covered in some opaque fashion (Post-It notes work well for this). This satisfies State requirements about underage viewing and is discreet for purchasers. Vendors are responsible for keeping unsuitable material out of the hands of minors in the vendor areas. Minors will be clearly identifiable according to their registration.

In addition to the above rule, we have several other regulations which we require vendors to abide by:

• No space may be resold or transferred without permission from the Vendor Hall Lead. Understand that we try to be extremely accommodating with this, so please just reach out to us!
• Excessively loud, bright, or otherwise disruptive displays are not allowed. Complaints about your volume or brightness will lead to requests to turn it down!
• Chemicals, soaps, sprays, and other scented products must not be opened within the Vendor Hall. Samples of such products must be supplied in a manner that the scent cannot spread beyond the individual sampling it.
• No pirated works may be sold in the vendor areas. Anything that you sell that is not entirely your creation should have permission from all other parties before selling.
• No AI generated art/AI derivative art may be sold in the vendor spaces.
• General hazards such as spray paint, open chemicals, and any materials with dangerous fumes will not be tolerated. Vendors will also be expected to maintain safe spaces when working with tools such as soldering irons or printers. If the function of any vendor’s space appears unsafe, you will be asked to remove materials or vacate the hall entirely.
• Freestanding displays or stands may not be used in any way that causes a safety issue or clogs the walkway. If you plan on using a stand or display with your table, please inform the Vendor Hall Staff so it can be positioned in a way as to not cause problems.
• No weapons (actual or replica) may be sold in the vendor spaces. Prop weapons that comply with the FWA weapons policy may be sold.
• Be considerate of your neighbors. Everyone in the Vendor Hall is there to run a business, and everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and respect. Please be patient and attentive, and help each other where you can. If you have an issue with another vendor, please contact the Vendor Hall Director as soon as possible so they can assist in a resolution.
• Signs, decorations, banners, etc. may not be taped, nailed, tacked, stapled, or otherwise fastened to ceilings, walls, painted surfaces, or columns at our convention facility. If you do any of these things and cause damage, you may face penalties.
• Vendor spaces must remain clean and all trash disposed of properly before closing each night.

Commissioners Corner Restrictions

Artists participating in the Commissioners Corner must be actively accepting and/or working on commissions while working at the table. Other artist-created merchandise (stickers, pins, keychains, etc.) may be displayed and sold.

No open drinks on the tables, including cans and drinks with open-center dome lids.

Artists exceeding the height limit defined above will be removed from the Vendor Hall.

Artists selected for the CC for a given day must arrive promptly for set up beginning an hour prior to vendor hall opening hour. Any artist not present by opening hour forfeits their spot and will be replaced.

Adult Content

The Mature Market will be contained in a separate area from the general vending spaces. Staff and security will be posted to perform age checks at entry as no one under the age of 18 is permitted in the Mature Market.

Art and goods do not need to be covered as they would be in the general vending spaces since the age check is conducted at room entry.

Vendors and buyers in the Mature Market are expected to behave professionally, follow state law, and be respectful of each other and general audiences. Products purchased in the Mature Market shall be kept in an opaque bag or container when in general convention spaces. FWA is an all-ages event, and while adult materials are welcome, they must be contained appropriately according to the law.

Additional Information

Hotel Block

Vendors selected for a vending space will have access to a vendor-only hotel block, offering a room in the Hyatt or Westin at con-block pricing. If a vendor desires a specific hotel, they should acquire it via the general attendee hotel block.

Local and State Laws

We want all vendors to please be active and aware of state laws. Georgia is strict on many safety and commerce legalities. FWA will not be liable for Vendor businesses who violate Fulton County or Georgia State laws while vending at Furry Weekend Atlanta.

Please be familiar with Fulton County and Georgia State laws concerning raffles, gambling, reward-based games, marketing, and any activity that may fall into legal grey areas.

Accessible resources for some of these laws can be found here: https://pbpatl.org/

While most of your businesses are not Non profits, many of the laws still apply to any business vending in Atlanta. Don’t do crimes!

Security and Safety

The most important part of Furry Weekend Atlanta is that everyone is safe at all times. The vendor areas of FWA will be staffed at all open hours. When not open, vendor areas will be secured with hotel/event personnel patrol.

Do not, under any circumstances, leave cash or other valuables inside the vendor areas that you may need after closing. This includes laptops, personal appliances, or medication. Once the vendor areas are closed and secured, it may not be possible to reopen them. FWA staff may not be available to assist you after hours, and hotel staff and security may not have the authority to allow you access. Please keep this in mind as you leave the vendor areas.

All vendor spaces will be required to comply with all security and safety policies of the convention. Violence, harassment, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of harmful behavior will not be tolerated. Products and behavior will apply and any violation of FWA policies may lead to vendor removal from the vendor spaces and convention without warning or refund.

Furry Weekend Atlanta is not responsible for losses due to theft, damage, fire, or any other causes.

Accessibility

All vendor spaces at Furry Weekend Atlanta are deliberately structured to be as accessible as possible for people of all shapes, sizes, needs, and backgrounds. It is important to us that vendors with any particular accessibility needs have those needs acknowledged and met as soon as possible. Please be sure to contact [email protected] if you have any particular needs in your vendor area that were not included in your application.

The diversity of this fandom is what makes it beautiful and the vendor Coordinators are here to facilitate you. No disability, need, or assistance is a hassle or a burden. We are happy to build accommodations suiting your needs.

If you have any questions concerning accessibility at the general convention, please contact [email protected]

Specialized Vendor Spaces

Furry business vendors of board games and video games may be considered for vendor spaces in other areas. Please contact [email protected] for questions and details.

While Tattoo Art has been present at FWA in the past, the event does not currently qualify to host Tattoo Artists for 2026. No tattooing may be performed at FWA 2026.

Taxes

According to the Georgia Department of Revenue, dealers at Furry Weekend Atlanta do not need to obtain Tax IDs or business licenses. Dealers at Furry Weekend Atlanta are classified as “Itinerant Vendors” under the Georgia Tax Code and will still need to deduct and report Georgia State and Fulton County sales taxes.

Vendors will need to fill and submit the FS-32 Tax Form at the tax rate of the event. At the time of this policy update, the tax rate for Fulton County is 8.9%
PLEASE VERIFY THIS TAX RATE BEFORE SUBMISSION OF THE FORM!

Vendor Hall staff do not have professional tax experience, and cannot provide additional feedback or assistance concerning the tax rate or forms required in Fulton County, Georgia.

Due to the fluctuating nature of a county sales tax rate in addition to a sales tax rate, it is prudent that vendors check the month of the event to ensure no additional forms or rates will be required. Forms will not be provided at the event at this time due to these possible fluctuations.

Communication

The FWA Vendor Hall team utilizes a vendor newsletter email for frequent updates to vendors as well as the official FWA website and social media accounts to provide information, announcements, and collect feedback and vendor status. Please ensure that your email system does not block emails originating from @furryweekend.com.

FWA is a fully-volunteer staff and the Leads of the Vendor Hall may not immediately respond to email. If you do not hear back from an individual in three business days, please attempt to contact them again before escalating. Our help desk is the best method to attain answers and address concerns.

The Vendor Hall team manages announcement and chat channels for vending spaces on the FWA official discord and a FWA Vendor Hall telegram chat. Usage of these spaces expects members to adhere to FWA policies.