First Sunday Artist/Craftsperson Information & Guidelines.

    First Sunday is a monthly event sponsored by the Pittsboro Merchants Association.   Participants at First Sunday are guests of PMA and the following guidelines must be met.   Please contact Leslie Fesperman (919-260-9725  or  ljfesper@bellsouth.net) with questions, concerns and for reservations to the event.

1)     First Sunday vendors must be approved by the Pittsboro Merchants Association and must make the items that they sell. Items brought to First Sunday should be original in nature and are to not to be made from kits, molds or massed produced. The items brought to First Sunday are to be made by the approved artists. (no selling of someone else’s handmade products.)

2)      First Sunday is a reservation-based event. Vendors are not to set up unless they have received a reservation in advance. The deadline to contact us to make your reservation is the Sunday one week prior to the event. You will receive an e-mail sometime during the week prior to the event letting you know where to set up. A list of assigned spaces will be posted on the door at Fusions (53 Hillsboro St.) Saturday evening prior to the event. Vendors are not to share booth space with another artist unless approved by the coordinator in advance.

3)      Booth size is approximately 10' x 10'; vendors provide their own tables and chairs as well as any sort of shade device (such as a canopy or umbrella) that they want to use. Please make sure not to block any store doorways and allow enough room for people to pass by freely on the sidewalk; no street signage is allowed.

4)      Show hours are 12:00 – 4:00 and vendors should be ready by 12:00. If you sign up to be at First Sunday you are expected to stay through out the entire event (unless prior arrangements are made) Vendors who leave the event early will not be placed in a “prime location” at future First Sundays, or may not be invited back

5)      A booth fee of $20 will be collected by the First Sunday coordinator on the day of the event; checks should be made to Pittsboro Merchants Association and cash is also welcome.

6)      In the event of rain, each individual vendor can determine whether or not he/she wants to set up. Please try and contact to determine the status of the weather in Pittsboro because conditions can vary widely throughout the region. If you don’t attend due to weather there will be no booth fee charged to you. If conditions are favorable and you can't participate due to an emergency, please send an e-mail to ljfesper@bellsouth.net or call 919-260-9725 to let us know that you won't be able to participate. Any vendor who doesn’t show up and hasn’t notified us in advance will not be invited to participate in the First Sunday event from that point on

7)      To show our support of non-profit groups in our area, we will waive the $20 booth fee for a non-profit group once per calendar year. If a non-profit group wants to set up at a subsequent First Sundays during the year then the $20 fee will be charged. All non-profits are to offer something handmade to sell. The Merchants Association feels First Sunday is an opportunity to raise funds for nonprofit groups. Items will vary from group to group and must be specific to your organization. For example the Library may sell used books, T-shirts with the organizations logos are permitted, bake sales, etc. The group must register and list what they intend to offer at First Sunday. Non-profits will be assigned spaces based on the ratio of vendors signed up. Groups may have to rotate months based on availability and will receive confirmation of their space the week prior to the event.

8)      Political Groups and candidates up for election: In an effort to support and encourage educated voters in Chatham County the PMA will host Political Row on the 1st Sunday prior to the date of voting. Candidates will be located on the sidewalk in front of the courthouse also know as the courthouse circle. Assignments will not be made and space will be based on a first come first serve basis keeping with the 10 x 10 booth rule. We ask that the area around the statue be kept clear within a 10 foot perimeter. The $20 fee will apply for each candidate and organization.

9)      Political organizations that meet the non-profit guideline status are eligible to participate in 1st Sunday as long as they provide unbiased information, encourage voting and do not endorse a political candidate or issue. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in the organization not participating in 1st Sunday events for the remainder of the year. During the months when political row is hosted all parties with any political affiliation will be asked to participate in the political row and the non-profit selling requirement will be waived. No groups are eligible for a free space during political row.

10)    After you have set up for the event please park on a side street so our visitors can easily get to us.

Please visit our website at www.pittsboroshops.com for more information about First Sunday as well as about the Pittsboro Merchants Association.