Chesapeake Print & Book Arts Fair

Saturday, April 3, 2027 | 9 AM to 4 PM | The STAR Centre, Havre de Grace, MD

The Fair is Moving Inside!

The Fair moves indoors. On Saturday, April 3, 2027, printers, bookbinders, papermakers, and print artists from across the Mid-Atlantic gather at The STAR Centre in Havre de Grace for a full day of print and paper arts. Free Admission. Rain or shine. Sharing the floor this year with the Havre de Grace Postcard & Civil War Show. Two shows, one building, one trip.

About the Event...

Glyph Design Studio will hold the Chesapeake Print & Book Arts Fair on Saturday, May 9th from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Havre de Grace, MD. 

This Fair showcases the art of printmaking in historical and contemporary forms. Vendor items include the book arts, letterpress printing presses, equipment, supplies & accessories, wood & metal type, ink, presses and paper, printmaking, handmade announcements, invitations, posters, limited edition books and more. The Chesapeake Book Arts Fair highlights the design and craft of all print and paper arts, from letterpress, printmaking and screen printing, to book arts and papermaking.

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About the Event...

The Chesapeake Print & Book Arts Fair is a dedicated marketplace for letterpress, printmaking, book arts, and paper craft. Vendors from across the region come to sell, demonstrate, and talk about the full range of print and paper arts, from hand-set letterpress and hand-bound books to risograph zines, handmade paper, and original prints.

Find one-of-a-kind art prints, greeting cards, handmade books, notebooks, posters, comics, zines, and paper goods you will not find anywhere else, all made by the artists selling them. Hands-on workshops give visitors the chance to pull their own prints and learn directly from working artists.


For 2027 the Fair moves indoors to The STAR Centre, a few minutes from downtown Havre de Grace. More room for presses, more room for demonstrations, and no watching the forecast.

Two Shows, One Day

On April 3, the Chesapeake Print & Book Arts Fair shares The STAR Centre with the Havre de Grace Postcard & Civil War Show. The two are independent events on one floor. The Fair fills the front of the gym with presses, live demonstrations, and vendor tables. The Postcard & Civil War Show sets up at the back with dealers in vintage postcards, historical ephemera, and Civil War collectibles. Many of those postcards were printed on the same kinds of presses you'll see running at the Fair, so plan time for both. Admission to the Fair is free.

About the Location...

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The Fair takes place at The STAR Centre, 700 Congress Avenue, Havre de Grace, MD 21078.

The STAR is Havre de Grace's home for sports, theatre, arts, and recreation. For the Fair, vendors set up across the gymnasium floor, with room for presses, demonstration tables, and hands-on workshops. Free parking is on site. Look for Fair signage at the main entrance.


Moving indoors means the day happens rain or shine, with no wind, no weather calls, and no watching the forecast the week before.

The STAR sits a minute from downtown Havre de Grace, so make an afternoon of it. Locally owned shops, galleries, and restaurants line N. Washington and Franklin Streets, and the waterfront, the Concord Point Lighthouse, and the promenade are a short drive from the building.

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Nestled where the Susquehanna River meets the Chesapeake Bay, Havre de Grace, MD is one of the region’s best-kept secrets, a charming, historic waterfront town with scenic trails, parks, museums, and a thriving downtown arts scene. A true gem of the Upper Chesapeake, Havre de Grace draws visitors year-round from Lancaster, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC, all within 45–90 minutes’ drive.


Visitor Info

If you're coming to visit, why not make a weekend of it? There are plenty of fine places to stay, interesting shops to peruse, enticing restaurants and lots of fun things to do before or after visiting the Chesapeake Print & Books Arts Fair and the Havre de Grace Postcard Show.

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Accommodations

An old stove with pots and pans on it in a kitchen.

Antiques

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Art Galleries

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Interested in becoming a Vendor...

We’re proud to welcome letterpress printers, bookbinders, printmakers, papermakers, comic and zine artists, stationery designers, and print-related vendors. We are currently taking pre-registrations for 2027. Applications will be reviewed continuously with final confirmations going out by April 1, 2027.

Click Here for Vendor Application

Organizers

The Chesapeake Print & Book Arts Fair is organized by Glyph Stationers and StarrSmith Studio, the registered trade name and studio of StarrSmith LLC, based in Havre de Grace, Maryland.


Glyph was established in the spring of 2012 when Creative Director Don Starr acquired two traditional letterpresses and 48 cases of metal type. Today, Glyph Stationers operates a retail shop at 212 N. Washington Street, while StarrSmith Studio specializes in letterpress, screen printing, calligraphy, hand lettering, and papermaking, in addition to contemporary design projects. Both entities offer engaging workshops, and the studio welcomes paid interns from local educational institutions.


The Fair emerged organically from this practice. It was created by the very individuals who earn a living through printing, aimed at providing a gathering place for the regional print community.