Craft Show Lights

By Lisa McGrimmon | Published Jan. 11, 2009 | Modified April 6, 2019
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Good show lights form an essential part of your display. These booth photos feature a variety of craft booth lighting options to help you see what works and determine your own display lighting needs.

Bright colored handmade children's clothing on display at a craft show. Text overlay - How to design lighting for your craft booth.

The good news is, you have plenty of options for lighting up your booth. The bad news is, booth lighting can get pricey if you're not careful.

Although a single light on its own isn't particularly expensive, your booth will require several lights, which can add up. Lighting is one thing you want to get right the first time, so you don't waste precious dollars.

To help you get your show lights right, here are 7 booth photos that show the effect of a variety of different types of lighting.


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Handmade, white pottery displayed on wood shelves at a craft show. The booth is lit from above, and lights under each shelf help to illuminate the display.

This booth features plenty of overhead lighting, plus effective spotlights secured under shelves.

The lights at the top of the booth do a good job of illuminating the overall display. You can't depend on lights in a large hall, they simply are not enough.

When you use rows of shelves in a display, you need to be careful about the shadows cast by the shelves.

Some strip lights or battery operated puck lights mounted under the shelves will help to keep your entire booth lit up.


Handmade white lamps with colorful abstract designs are displayed against a black backdrop at a craft show. The lamps are turned on, providing their own illumination for the booth.

When light is an integral part of your product, you can have fun with your display.

The black background in this booth it a spectacular backdrop to these gorgeous white lamps. This contrast is striking and effective, and the black creates a rich ambiance that could even serve to raise the perceived value of these lamps.

Try to imagine these lamps displayed against a light backdrop. I don't believe the effect would be quite as luxurious.


Next (below) we have two photos that show lighting secured around the top of each booth.

Notice the sheer number of lights used. Each booth is a standard 10 by 10 space. In the photo on the right, I count 9 lights on just one side of the booth, or about one light per foot. These lights can be adjusted and positioned exactly as you want them.

These photos are taken at a large, multi-day show, where the booths are quite substantial. You might not have the same framing around your booth for suspending lights, but you can use the frame of your craft tent to serve the same purpose.

Handmade textiles displayed in a craft booth. Lights are secured overhead with approximately on light per foot.
Handmade clothing displayed in  10x10 craft booth. Lights are secured to a metal frame around the outside perimeter of the booth at approximately one light per foot.

Here we have two different booths with a similar look. Both use plenty of string lights to illuminate and add style to the display. 

Typically, lighting doesn't add a lot to the style of your booth. It does its job without much notice. However, these string lights are enjoying a moment of popularity in home decor, so they add some style to this booth.

As an added bonus, you can string up these lights on your patio or in your craft room when you're not using them at shows.

Handmade clothing displayed at a craft show. Strings of globe shaped lights are strung across the top, of the booth adding lighting and style to the display.
Handmade jewelry displayed on a table at a craft show. Strings of globe shaped lights are strung across the top, of the booth.

Finally, here's a beautifully lit display that owes everything to under shelf lights.

Except for the tiny lights at the very top of the shelves, you can't see the actual lights in the photo. But you know they are there.

Without them, this booth would be horribly dark, and the tableware would not look as appealing.

If you're going to use rows and rows of shelves like this display uses, you absolutely must invest in some type of under shelf lighting.

More PHotos of Craft Show Lights

If you want more ideas for planning your lighting for craft shows, check out these articles:

Tips for Designing Your Craft Show Lights - 13 things to know before you buy lighting for your craft booth.

Booth Lighting - More photos of craft booths that feature great lighting solutions.

Jewlery Display Lighting - Photos of jewelry booths with smart lighting design. If you're not a jewelry designer, don't skip this article just because it features jewelry booths. There are plenty of lighting ideas here that can translate into many typse of craft displays.

Printable Signs for Your Craft Booth

Encourage your customers to shop handmade and support small business with these printable signs for your craft booth.

Bright colored handmade children's clothing on display at a craft show. Text overlay - How to design lighting for your craft booth.

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