About the Cotton District Arts Festival

Mark your calendars for April 18, 2026 because CDAF is coming BACK to the Cotton District. We've got all the things you love: the Pet Parade to kick off the day, the Artisan Village with local and regional vendors, Taste of Starkville food vendors, the Childrens' Village hosted by the Starkville Strong, the International Village hosted by The World Neighbor Association, live music ALL DAY at 3 stages from local musicians, and much more!

Check out all these activities and villages by navigating the pages above.

Held each year in the historic Cotton District in Starkville, Mississippi, the festival blends incredible art, music, and food into a showcase event. The festival is host to more than 150 artisans, as well as a Juried Art Competition and show, Writer's Village, Taste of Starkville restaurant competition, Pet Parade, Student Art competition, and much more. Presented by the Starkville Area Arts Council, the Cotton District Arts Festival has been named one of the top 100 Events in North America by the American Bus Association, a Top 20 Event in the Southeast, and one of the top 5 festivals in Mississippi for 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and again in 2019, by Mississippi Magazine.

FAQs

Have a question? These are just some of the questions we have received over the years. If you have a question that is not answered here, feel free to contact us!

Are you aware the festival is planned for Easter Saturday in 2025? Yes. In an effort to move the festival back to the same weekend every year (the third Saturday in April), we have to start sometime. The festival will not be on Easter Saturday every year.

Is the festival free to attend? Yes! The festival is always free to attend and the music is free to listen to. If you want to support the festival, you can always buy merch, make a donation, or purchase a ticket to our VIP tent.

Where is parking available?  Street Parking is always available outside of the bounds of festival (excluding apartment complexes). Parking is also available at the Mill and on campus (if the festival does not fall on Super Bulldog weekend). Handicap parking is available at St. Joseph's Catholic Church accessible via N. Nash St.

Are pets allowed at the festival? Pets are always welcome at the Cotton District Arts Festival! If you want to show off your pet, sign up for our Pet Parade! The only thing is we ask that you please pick up any pet waste and discard it.

When will applications open for vending or performing a the festival? We plan to have applications open for all juried aspects of the festival open in November.
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I have vended at the festival in the past, will I get the same spot? There is no guarantee that we can offer returning vendors the same spot. Placement of the Festival is subject to City approval every year and is impacted by a wide variety of issues.

As a vendor, when will I hear back from my application? Decisions will be sent by email, and start going out on/after the first deadline for your particular village. Although some villages may accept late applications, priority consideration is given to those who apply before the first deadline. Check the Applications page for various deadlines.

Why wasn't I accepted? We do not provide feedback on individual submissions. Each year, submissions have become more and more competitive, particularly among arts and crafts vendors who sell similar types of products. Some general suggestions:

• Don't rely on old photographs. 
• Show all the products you intend to sell, particularly items that are unique from other vendors.
• Describe your process if it’s not clear that your work is made by you. 

Remember: you are competing against vendors from across the southeast. Your frog-shaped glass slippers may be the best in your state, but if there is another vendor who makes frog-shaped glass slippers, only one of you may get accepted. 

Is there WiFi? This varies based upon the carrier. Be prepared to make manual cash/check sales on the day of the festival, in the event that WiFi or cell service is unavailable.

Are there ATMs? There are limited ATMs in the area. Bring cash that you feel necessary to make change.

What's the crowd like? The festival opens at 9 a.m. The crowd is usually heaviest between 10:30 and 2:00 p.m. This is highly variable when the weather shifts.

If I sell out, can I leave early? No. The streets are blocked. You can enjoy the festival, but you will not be able to break down your booth until the festival officially ends at 3 pm.

I have a license to sell MSU stuff - why don't you allow it? Because the Festival is geared toward artists who aren't as lucky as you to sell licensed work. Most attendees and vendors have asked that licensed work not be permitted. This is consistent with the approach of the Mississippi Craftsmen’s Guild. Our suggestion: ask MSU (or any other university) to promote your work to their alumni and student networks, which are much bigger than CDAF. Anyone who violates this the day of the festival will be asked to leave and may not be accepted to future festivals.

Do I need to have an LLC or other business license to apply for the festival? Nope! Most artisans qualify as "sole proprietor" so your Tax ID is the same as your social security number. If you have an LLC, you will have a separate Tax ID.

Can I send you sales tax information after the festival? Absolutely not. We are required to turn over every vendor's information AND PAYMENT to the Department of Revenue with 10 days of the Festival. If you leave without paying (or submitting a form indicated zero sales), then you are unlikely to be admitted the following year.

Another vendor has copied my work! What do I do?! Contact a lawyer or the craftsman's guild in your state. We are unable to resolve this type of (rare) vendor disputes.

Do you accept cottage food vendors? Unfortunately, no. In order to maintain the highest quality of food at the festival, we require all participating restaurants and food vendors to provide a copy of their health permit. This ensures that SAAC/CDAF is not held liable if there is a food safety issue.

Contact Us

Send us a note or comment, we would love to hear from you!

The Cotton District Arts Festival is run by the Starkville Area Arts Council. You can reach us through any of the following:

Starkville Area Arts Council
109 W Main St
Starkville, Mississippi 39759
Phone:  662-722-0103

General/Artisan Village: [email protected]
Taste of Starkville: [email protected]

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