Guidelines and Conditions of Entry

Please read these Guidelines and Conditions of Entry prior to submitting your entry form. The method of entry has changed this year. Please read the below instructions carefully.

Tea cosies must:

• • be the original work of the entrant

• • be completed between 1 August 2025 and 13 April 2026

• • meet the category guidelines and be suitable for general exhibition

• • not have been previously exhibited.

While entries are not restricted in size, tea cosies fitting a teapot 110 – 160mm are preferred. This size fits the stands that are used to display the tea cosies. Oversize cozies may not be able to be displayed as prominently or may need to have a teapot provided by the entrant. Participants may enter tea cosies for competition in any of the following categories:

1. 1. 2026 Special Theme ‘Life on the Farm’ (Open) a cosy made of any type of material that reflects this theme
   2. Traditional (Open) – The tea cosy needs to be a practical tea cosy of double thickness, hand crafted from primarily natural fibres
   3. Exuberant Whimsy (Open) – let your tea cosy imagination go wild with no restrictions on material or method
   4. Under 18s – no restriction on material or method. This category will be divided into the following subcategories, with prizes awarded to each age group listed below:

• • • preschool age (0-5 years)
    • primary age (6-12 years)
    • secondary age (13-18 years).

An additional prize category of “First Time Entrants” has been created this year. Prizes will be awarded in this category.

All entry forms must be submitted by 11.59pm Monday 13 April 2026. The online entry form will close on this date.

All tea cosies must be received by 5.00pm Monday 20 April 2026. Entries that arrive after this date will only be accepted if they are postmarked on or prior to this date.

How to Enter

This year we have moved to an online entry submission for festival membership, allowing a convenient payment system and free entry to the competition exhibition venue during the festival (excluding workshops). If you are not able to submit an online entry form, please contact us and we will organise an alternative method of entry which will be available after 1 November 2025.

Each entry for the competition must be accompanied by a non-refundable entry fee of:

• • • $10 for 1 tea cosy
    • $15.00 for 2 cosies
    • $17.00 for 3 or more cosies.

Note: A limit of five (5) entries per individual entrant applies.

Payment can be made by direct deposit to our bank account during the online entry form submission. If this is not possible, please contact the Festival organisers via email at teacosyfestival@gmail.com to arrange alternative payment or entry form submission methods.

Although you are able to include additional cosies to your entry, we are only able to process refunds in limited circumstances, so please make sure you are going to submit your intended number of cosies before completing the entry form.

You will receive an entry number (“Member Number”) when you pay online. Please remember to retain this and include it with your entry’s name when you submit your cosy via post or other delivery method. The member number will also be your proof of free entry to the exhibition.

Competition tea cosies may be offered for sale if the maker wishes to do so. Please nominate a sale price on the entry form or the Committee can do so on your behalf.

Please note the Fish Creek Tea Cosy Festival Committee charges 15% commission on sales. Alternatively, you may wish to donate the entire sale amount to the Festival, which will contribute to ongoing funding for future events.

Each posted/delivered tea cosy entry must be accompanied by the following:

• • • Number of the entry (or member number) from the online booking
    • Full name of the maker
    • Phone number of maker
    • Title of work
    • Pre/paid envelope/box (if you wish to have your cosy returned to you).

If you do not wish to sell your cosy at the festival, we require an appropriately sized self-addressed prepaid envelope/box to be included when submitting the Tea Cosy. The Committee will not be able to return/post any cosy that has not supplied a pre-paid envelope/box.

Entries that don’t have a pre-paid method of return will not be able to be posted back and will need to be picked up from the venue after the Festival dates. Tea cosies will not be able to be collected prior to the end of the Festival – 4pm Sunday 24 May, 2026

Entries must be posted (at no cost to the committee) or delivered to:

PO BOX 65
FISH CREEK
VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA 3959.

The Committee is not responsible for lost or damaged entries. Insurance remains the responsibility of the entrant.

• • The online entry form will ask for materials and methods used in creating the cosy. A short paragraph regarding either the background of the maker or inspiration for the cosy is also required. This information will be printed and placed with the cosy on display during the Festival

• • Entries will be judged on artistic expression, originality, and workmanship.  All decisions of the judges are final. The Fish Creek Tea Cosy Festival Committee and the contest judges reserve the right to reclassify or reject entries that do not meet the conditions as stated

• • Prizes will be awarded as follows:

Category	First Prize	Honourable mention
2026 Theme – Life On The Farm (Open)	$150	$50
Traditional (Open)	$150	$50
Exuberant Whimsy (Open)	$150	$50
Children’s preschool	$50 gift voucher	$25 gift voucher
Children’s primary	$75 gift voucher	$40 gift voucher
Children’s secondary	$100 gift voucher	$50 gift voucher
Popular choice (based on attendees’ votes)	$100
Recycled Materials prize	$100
Packers’ prize (must be 100% recycled)	$100
First Time Entrant (Open)	$100

Once judging is complete, prize winners will be notified via phone, email or postal address submitted on the entry form. Winning entries will also be published on the Fish Creek Tea Cosy Festival website with the name of the entrant. If you do not wish to have your name listed on our website, please indicate this requirement on the entry form. Should you wish wish to withdraw an entry, please contact us via the details below.

MORE INFORMATION

email: teacosyfestival@gmail.com | Web: http://www.teacosyfestival.com.au