Together, we’re building the most creative consumer craft experience in North America.
The Fiber+Fabric Craft Festival, powered by Koelnmesse, unites exhibitors, retailers, creators, and craft enthusiasts for three unforgettable days of shopping, learning, and community.
Our goal is simple: to drive qualified, passionate makers directly to your booth.
Through a strategic, data-driven marketing plan—spanning digital media, retail activation, influencer partnerships, and grassroots outreach—we’re ensuring that every exhibitor benefits from meaningful engagement and measurable results.
“We’re not just promoting a show — we’re growing a movement of makers.”
Darrin Stern VP & Show Director
Reaching the Heart of America’s Craft Community
The Fiber+Fabric Craft Festival is positioned at the center of one of the largest, most passionate maker regions in the United States.
Our location in Rosemont, Illinois — just minutes from Chicago O’Hare International Airport — places the show within easy reach of tens of millions of creative consumers.
We’re targeting where creativity lives — the heartland of hands-on makers who buy, learn, and share.
How We’re Reaching Makers Everywhere
Our marketing campaign connects with makers wherever they discover inspiration — online, in-store, and within their creative communities.
By combining digital precision, grassroots authenticity, and influencer amplification, we’re ensuring consistent visibility from first impression to show floor.
Awareness – Building Excitement
Awareness – Building Excitement
Engagement – Creating Connection
Conversion – Inspiring Attendance
On-Site Activation – Delivering Results
Retail Partners: Driving Local Awareness
We’re empowering independent retailers to become local ambassadors for the Fiber+Fabric Craft Festival — connecting directly with their communities and inspiring customers to attend.
Our Retail Partner Program transforms in-store engagement into event participation through branded displays, free ticket giveaways, and pre-show promotions that turn every sale counter into a touchpoint for discovery.
Empowering Community Through Creativity
“By empowering community groups, we turn participation into belonging — one stitch, one story, one connection at a time.” Leslie Fleck Visitor Manager
Guilds and clubs are the heartbeat of the fiber and fabric community.
Through our Class-in-a-Box initiative, the Fiber+Fabric Craft Festival brings inspiration and participation directly to local chapters — giving every group the tools to engage their members, learn something new, and join the movement leading up to the show.
Each customized kit helps guild leaders spark excitement and make it easy for members to connect before the event.
What’s Inside the Box:
How It Works:
Building Community Connections
he Fiber+Fabric Craft Festival is more than an event — it’s a celebration of learning, sharing, and creative connection.
We’re actively partnering with tour operators, community groups, and guilds to organize bus trips and group travel packages so your members can enjoy a day — or an entire weekend — of shopping, inspiration, and education.
This year, our education program has drawn overwhelming enthusiasm — with nearly 400 class submissions and plans to host approximately 250 sessions covering every craft and creative discipline.
We’re also inviting partner guilds and community groups to host on-site meet-ups or exhibitions during the festival. The team is working with tour operators and guilds to make it easy for groups to travel together and enjoy the full festival experience.
Dedicated meeting rooms will be provided free of charge, making it easy to connect your members, showcase your work, and celebrate your craft.
If your group is interested in hosting a meet-up or curating a display of your members’ creations, please contact Saloni Mehta at📧 s.mehta@koelnmesse.us
Amplifying Reach Through the Creator Community
At the center of our marketing strategy is one of the craft industry’s most influential creator ecosystems.
Our network of content creators connects directly with millions of fiber artists, sewists, quilters, and makers every month — inspiring creativity and driving attendance through authentic storytelling.
Through FFCF’s partnership with h+h americas, we work with hundreds of trusted voices across Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, and Facebook — ensuring your brand and products reach audiences that convert.
Creators are the voice of the modern maker, connecting inspiration to action.
Global Leadership. Local Impact. Proven Results.
Now, with Fiber+Fabric Craft Festival, Koelnmesse brings that same global standard of quality, innovation, and attendee engagement to the U.S. consumer craft market.
Behind every successful Fiber+Fabric Craft Festival stands the global strength of Koelnmesse GmbH, one of the world’s leading trade-fair organizers.
For more than a century, Koelnmesse has built trusted connections between exhibitors, buyers, and consumers across every major industry — from food to design to crafts.
Operating more than 80 events worldwide across 25 industries, Koelnmesse welcomes over 3 million visitors and 50,000 exhibitors each year.
This unmatched international experience powers the structure, organization, and marketing excellence that make the Fiber+Fabric Craft Festival (FFCF) an event exhibitors can truly rely on.
