{"slug":"creating-an-event","title":"Creating and Activating an Event or Event Season","description":"This article explains how to create and activate a new event or event season in Marketspread.","section":"market","sections":["market"],"tags":["market,manager,first steps"],"aliases":[],"author":"Farmspread Support","updated":"2026-09-10","published_datetime":"2019-06-22T02:54:34.000Z","promoted":true,"related":[],"links":["creating-applications","layout-designer-howto","manage-vendor-sales-reporting-with-currencies","finding-vendors-and-exhibitors"],"images":{},"video":null,"source_commit":null,"body_format":"markdown","nav":{"section":"market","group":"Create your events","next":{"slug":"activate-your-first-event","title":"Activate Your First Event"}},"related_articles":[],"body":"## Creating an Event\n\nFrom your dashboard, go to **Event Configuration → Events** from the left-hand navigation menu.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/01-image.jpg)\n\nIf this is your first event, you will need to create at least one **application** and one **layout** before continuing. If either is missing, the **Events** page will prompt you to create them first.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/02-image.jpg)\n\n!!! tip\n    Check out our Learning Center articles: [Creating Applications](https://articles.marketspread.com/v1/articles/creating-applications) and [Layout Designer Overview](https://articles.marketspread.com/v1/articles/layout-designer-howto).\n   \n\n\nOnce you have created an application and layout, you can create a new event.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/03-image.jpg)\n\nEvent creation is divided into the following sections:\n\n- **Basic** – configure the core event settings\n- **Days** – add the dates and times for the event or season\n- **Other Fees** – configure advanced vendor fee automation\n- **Rentals** – add rental items to make available for event days\n- **Sales Reporting** – configure vendor sales tracking and optional commissions\n- **Activate** – activate your event or event season\n- **Vendors** – view vendors associated with the event once it is active\n- **Actions** – access event management tools such as cloning the event or resyncing fees once it is active\n\nAfter clicking **+ Add Event**, you will be taken to the **Basic** section.\n\n### Basic Event Setup\n\nEnter an **Event Name** that clearly identifies the event.\n\nChoose an **Operating Mode**:\n\n**Market Managed Bookings**  \nThe market manages the approval process and booth assignments. Vendors can select the days they want to attend, if enabled, and indicate preferred booth sizes or types. The market assigns booths and releases invoices for payment.\n\n**Managed Vendor Bookings**  \nThe market manages vendor approval. Once accepted, vendors can select the days and booths they want to purchase through a self-checkout experience. The market can still move vendors and adjust booth assignments.\n\n**Open Vendor Bookings**  \nVendors are automatically approved during checkout, where they select their days and booths at the same time they apply. The market can still move vendors and adjust booth assignments.\n\nIn this example, the event is named **Sunny Market 2026** and uses **Market Managed Bookings**.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/04-image.jpg)\n\nYou can also choose whether vendors must enter a password to apply. If you want to require a password, enter it here. If left blank, no password will be required.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/05-image.png)\n\n### Event Application\n\nUnder **Application**, select the application template to associate with the event.\n\nSet the **Application Opens** and **Application Closes** dates and times to define when the application will be available.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/06-image.jpg)\n\n### Event Layout\n\nUnder **Layout**, select the layout template to use for the event.\n\nChoose an **Event Publish Mode** for maps:\n\n- **Auto-publish all**\n- **Auto-publish next**\n- **Manual**\n\nKeep in mind that published maps are visible to vendors and customers.\n\nAdd an **Event Description** to describe the event for vendors and customers. This description will appear on your public market profile.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/07-image.jpg)\n\n### **Event Options**\n\nUse these settings to control the information collected and how vendors interact with the event.\n\n- **Enable Application Calendar** – lets vendors select the days they want to attend when applying\n- **Enable Booth Preferences** – lets vendors select preferred booth sizes and amenities during the application process\n- **Review Vendor Products** – lets you review and approve or reject products vendors plan to bring\n- **Automatically mark vendors as attended** – automatically marks vendors as attended if no attendance status is set by the end of the event day\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/08-image.jpg)\n\n### Vendor Event Day Changes\n\nChoose how vendors can adjust the days they want to attend after submitting their application:\n\n- **No vendor day adjustments** – vendors cannot change their selected days\n- **Booked days require approval** – unbooked days can be changed freely, but booked days require approval\n- **All changes require approval** – all day changes require market approval\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/09-image.png)\n\n### Event Check-In\n\nThis feature lets vendors check in before market day.\n\nWhen enabled, all accepted vendors for an upcoming event will automatically receive an email with a button to check in ahead of time.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/10-image.jpg)\n\nEnter the number of days in advance that vendors should receive the check-in notification.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/11-image.jpg)\n\n### Invoicing Options\n\nUse this section to define invoicing rules for the event.\n\n**Due Date Rules**  \nSet the number of days before the start of the term that invoices must be paid. Negative numbers allow invoices to remain payable after the term begins.\n\n**Auto-Pay Rules**  \nSet how many days before the invoice due date vendors with auto-pay enabled will be charged.\n\n**Draft Auto-Release Window**  \nEnable this setting to choose how many days before the term a draft invoice will automatically be released.\n\nWhen finished, click the blue **Save & Add Days** button at the bottom of the screen.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/12-image.jpg)\n\nWhen finished, click the blue **Save & add days** button at the bottom of the screen.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/13-image.jpg)\n\n## Event Days\n\nAfter saving the basic settings, you can move on to the **Days** section.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/14-image.png)\n\nWhether you are running a one-day event or a full market season, event days are configured here.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/15-image.png)\n\nTo add a single event day:\n\n1. Click the **+ Add day** button and select the date\n2. Enter the **start** and **end** time\n3. Click **+ Add Day** to add another single day if needed\n\nTo add a series of event days, click **+ Add Multiple Days**.\n\nThis opens a window where you can enter:\n\n- the first event day\n- the last event day\n- the days of the week the event operates\n- the start and end times\n\nIf some event days operate at different times, you can adjust them later after the series is created.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/16-image.png)\n\nWhen you are finished, click the blue **Add Days** button at the bottom.\n\nYou can also manually edit individual days, add single days, or add additional date ranges.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/17-image.png)\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/18-image.png)\n\nWhen you are finished setting up the event days, click the blue **Save days** button at the bottom.\n\n## Other Fees\n\n**Other Fees** provide an additional way to automatically invoice vendors. These fees are added on top of standard booth fees.\n\nYou can configure fees based on:\n\n- **Vendor Type**\n- **Vendor Tags**\n- **Categories**\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/19-image.png)\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/20-image.png)\n\nIf you want to create additional fees, click the **pencil icon** at the top of the **Other Fees** section.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/21-image.png)\n\nThis will unlock each fee section so you can configure the fees you want to use. Examples are shown below.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/22-image.png)\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/23-image.png)\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/24-image.png)\n\nWhen you are finished setting up **Other Fees**, click the blue **Save other fees** button at the bottom.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/25-image.png)\n\n## Rentals\n\n**Rentals** let you offer equipment or add-ons to vendors, such as tents, chairs, tables, or electric hookups.\n\nTo create rental options, click the **pencil icon** at the top of the **Rentals** section.\n\nThis will unlock the **Rentals** section and display a gray **+ Add Rental** button. Click that button and configure the rentals you want to make available to vendors.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/26-image.png)\n\nEnter the **rental name**, **price**, and **terms**. You can create as many rentals as needed.\n\nWhen you are finished, click the blue **Save rentals** button at the bottom.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/27-image.png)\n\n## Sales Reporting\n\n**Sales Reporting** provides an integrated way to track vendor sales for each event day.\n\nWhen enabled, all vendors accepted to a particular event day will receive an email and dashboard notification **30 minutes before the end of the event** asking them to report sales. Event managers can also report sales on a vendor’s behalf at any time.\n\nThis feature is especially useful for markets that use a formal vendor checkout process.\n\nEvent Sales Reporting also includes additional tracking options. For more details, see the Learning Center article on **[Manage Vendor Sales Reporting with Currencies](https://articles.marketspread.com/v1/articles/manage-vendor-sales-reporting-with-currencies)**.\n\nBelow is an example of the **Sales Reporting** section after it has been filled out.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/28-image.png)\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/29-image.png)\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/30-image.png)\n\n## Activate the Event\n\nTo begin actively managing the event, click the blue **Activate** button in the top menu.\n\nYou will then choose how you want to pay Marketspread.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/31-image.png)\n\n### Market Based\n\nWith the **Market Based** option, the market pays a fixed fee based on the number of booths and can accept unlimited vendors.\n\nYou will need to:\n\n- review your event settings\n- select the payment plan that works best\n- review which event spaces are included\n- enter a coupon code, if applicable\n- add or select a credit card\n- click the blue **Pay** button\n\nExample below:\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/32-image.png)\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/33-image.png)\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/34-image.png)\n\n### Vendor Pass-Through\n\nWith **Vendor Pass-Through**, the cost is passed directly to vendors. Each vendor is charged a one-time **$18 fee** when they are accepted or waitlisted into the event. This fee is automatically added to the vendor’s application.\n\nYou will still need to:\n\n- review your event settings\n- add or select a credit card to pay the activation fee\n- click the blue **Pay** button\n\nExample below:\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/35-image.png)\n\nOnce the activation process is complete, you will receive a confirmation.\n\n![](https://articles.marketspread.com/images/creating-an-event/36-image.png)\n\n## Next Steps\n\nOnce your event is activated, you are ready to begin managing it and inviting vendors.\n\nFor the next step, see the article on **[How to Find Vendors](https://articles.marketspread.com/v1/articles/finding-vendors-and-exhibitors)**."}