For small businesses
We've been behind the booth too. That shapes how we run our shows.
Four years and more than 100 events as vendors before we ever produced one. Everything we do now is built around putting ready-to-buy customers in front of you — and we do our best to bring a vendors-first attitude to every decision we make.
What makes us different
Four things we do that most festivals don't.
- We've been where you are. Four years on the road at 100+ events on the vendor side of the table. We know what a bad weekend costs — and what a great weekend can provide.
- We fill the room. Booth fees go straight into advertising — TV, radio, billboard, direct mail, digital and social. Attendance is ticket-scanned, never estimated.
- We promote you beyond the weekend. Vendor features, video profiles and social spotlights before and after the festival.
- We carefully curate our vendor lineup. Every application is juried for quality, fit and category balance, so the floor stays worth the drive.
Results
Numbers we can show our work on.
Where these come from. Attendance is ticket-scanned, never estimated — 9,000+ (2024), 8,500+ (2025) in Pennsylvania, plus 8,000+ (2022), 10,000+ (2023), 12,000+ (2024), 14,000+ (2025) in the DMV. Survey figures: 2025 DMV vendor survey, 67 responses; 2025 DMV vendor survey, 57 responses; 2025 DMV vendor survey, 45 responses; 2025 DMV vendor survey, 35 responses; 2024 PA vendor survey, 50 responses. Vendor counts are our own exhibitor records since 2022.
How to apply
Applications for the 2026 season.
Applications for 2026 are handled through our application partner. Pick your festival below. All Pathway Vendors applications for 2027 open January 1, 2027 on the new Pathway Vendors vendor portal — join the list below and we'll email you the day they open.
Pennsylvania Chocolate & Coffee Festival
October 24–25, 2026 · Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, Hall A · Oaks, PA
DMV Chocolate & Coffee Festival — Maryland Edition
November 7–8, 2026 · Adventist HealthCare Fieldhouse · Boyds, MD
DMV Chocolate & Coffee Festival — Virginia Edition
November 14–15, 2026 · Dulles Town Center Expo · Sterling, VA
Jacksonville Chocolate & Coffee Festival
November 21–22, 2026 · Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center, Hall B · Jacksonville, FL
What's included with every booth
- Exhibitor passes — up to four per 10×10 booth.
- Pipe and drape — 8 ft back wall, 3 ft sides, black.
- Promotion — your business listed and featured across the festival's site and social channels.
- Details in the packet. Booth sizes, categories, electricity and Wi-Fi are all in each festival's vendor packet.
Vendor stories
The people who keep coming back.
Every quote below was written by the vendor for publication, in their own words.
“If I could only do one coffee festival in a year, it's this one. I am based in NC and it's totally worth it to drive 5hrs and be part of this awesome event. It's THAT GOOD.”
“The DMV Coffee & Chocolate Festival has been a game-changer for our business. Three years ago, this event opened the doors for us and we've been growing ever since. The 2025 edition was our most successful yet, setting a new record in sales.”
“The DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival is the best show of the year. Very well organized and they create a great buzz and draw in a great crowd. Other shows could take some notes on what a great event is.”
“I've been participating in shows for 10 years and this one, by far, was the best! The organizers communicated in a clear and timely manner. This was my second year as a vendor and I'll definitely be back.”
“Cafe Medrano has been part of the DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival since its beginning in Fall 2022, where we were awarded Best Roast by popular voting. We have witnessed the growth of the event every year, as has our booth size.”
“We've proudly attended this expo for four years, starting from year one, and it just keeps getting better. The crowd this year was fantastic; we had excellent sales, and so many customers came specifically looking for us.”
“The DMV Chocolate & Coffee Expo was our best event ever! As the only dedicated allergy-friendly baking vendor, we were warmly welcomed by customers with food allergies. We sold out of our baking mixes and almost sold out of our cookies.”
“The turnout was exceptional, and at peak times we had more customers than we could fully service - which is a great problem for any small artisan producer to have. The steady foot traffic and genuine interest from attendees created strong sales.”
“The crowd showed us so much love that we sold out multiple times, and on Sunday I even had to make brigadeiros ao vivo, right there at the booth, because everything was flying off the table.”
“The first PA Chocolate & Coffee Festival was a resounding success on every level. It was a Masterclass on how festivals should be run from top to bottom.”
“This was hands down our best event ever. We have been doing events for 5 years. The communication was fabulous!”
“Not only did we have the pleasure of connecting with new neighbors just a short 10-minute drive from our brick-and-mortar store, but we also had the opportunity to introduce Sweet Ashley's to chocolate and coffee lovers from across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware.”
“As a first time vendor, we were so impressed with the organization of the event from the start. John & Lindsay know how to make a vendor feel comfortable before going into an event. We had a line for hours!”
“PA Chocolate and Coffee Festival was the most organized event we have attended in over 30 years of doing shows. Communication was top notch and the crowds were there for the show.”
“The PA chocolate and coffee show is hands down our biggest money maker of the year! The promoters do a phenomenal job of making everything run as smooth as possible.”
Vendor list
Thinking about exhibiting with us?
Join the vendor list and we'll tell you the moment applications open, when we announce a new festival, and how to make the most of a weekend with us.