2026 CCP Returning Concessionaires Application

This application is for returning concessionaires at CCP who participated in the 2025 Festival. 

Deadline

• The deadline for applications is January 30, 2026, and it may close earlier once all spots are filled.  Applicants will be notified if the application has been confirmed or denied no later than February 6, 2026.

Location

• Carolyn Crayton Park
• 115 Willie Smokie Glover Drive, Macon, GA 31201

Festival Dates and Times

• March 20-29, 2026
  • Friday, March 20, 2026 – 11:45am-10:00pm
  • Saturdays, March 21, 2026 – 10:00am-10:00pm
  • Sunday, March 22 through Thursday, March 26, 2026 – 12:00-9:00pm
  • Friday, March 27, 2026 – 12:00-9:00pm
  • Saturday, March 28, 2026 – 10:00am-10:00pm
  • Sunday, March 29, 2026 – 12:00-9:00pm 
• MUST be open and operational while the gates are open.

Preview Party *Required to be open.

• Thursday, March 19, 2026, from 5-8pm    

General Overview

• Each vendor is provided access to a water connection. Electrical connections and service and Health Department fees are an additional charge.
• The deposit is $500, and during the Festival, we will collect a 18% commission of the daily gross.
• Vendors must be setup and ready by park opening each day and must end promptly at park closing hours.  
• The Festival is responsible for the floor plan/vendor location.  If you have a special request for booth location, please list it in the application.  We will make our best effort to accommodate, but location requests are not guaranteed.
• Vendors must be setup and ready by park opening each day and must end promptly at park closing hours.  
• The setup must be staffed at all times.  Setups cannot be removed before the end of the Festival.  Vendors who do not apply with these regulations will not be invited back to participate.  
• Vendors may not sublease their space.  This includes renting, sharing, donating or allowing another person or business to advertise in the space.

Deposit

• Once accepted, a $500 deposit is required to secure your space in the 2026 Festival at CCP.  Each setup is a $500 deposit, and it is due 10 days after being accepted.  An invoice will be sent electronically. You can pay by check or by card.  Payment by card will incur a 6% merchant fee and can be paid via Square.

Commission Collection During the Festival

• During the Festival, we will collect a 18% commission of the daily gross, excluding the Preview Party.

Health Department Permits 

• Obtaining a Macon-Bibb County Health permit is the SOLE RESPONSIBILITY of the vendor. You must submit your permit application to the Macon-Bibb Health Department according to their deadlines. Should you have Health Permit questions, please contact the Macon-Bibb Health Department at 478-749-0106.
• More information regarding dates for inspections will be sent once accepted.  Tentatively, inspections will take place on March 17 and 18, 2026.
• If accepted for participation, the Health Department application will be emailed to you.

Fire Department

• The Fire Department has their own list of standards, and they will work with the Health Department during the inspections.  The Fire Department’s general standards and rules will be sent once accepted.

Food Delivery

• Per the Health Department, food deliveries should occur no later than March 19, 2026 at 10:00am.
• During the Festival, all deliveries must be completed before gates open to guests.  Moving vehicles are not allowed in CCP during Festival hours. 

Load-Out

• All vendors must vacate the premises no later than Friday, April 3, 2026 at 5:00pm.  Please remove all items and trash during your load out.

Power

• Metro Power Company will hookup power during setup.  Dates will be sent once accepted. Metro Power charges for connections, and pricing sheets will be sent if the application is accepted for participation.

Food and Drink Sales

• You are only allowed to sell the items you include in this application.  Any changes to the menu must be approved by the Festival.
• The sale of alcoholic beverages is strictly prohibited. 
  Macon Coca-Cola Bottling Company’s agreement with the Cherry Blossom Festival requires all concessionaires to purchase and dispense sparkling and still beverages, including water, directly from the Macon Coca-Cola Bottling Company.

Pinkest Party On Earth! Pink Food

• Please consider creating or including a pink element into your menu.  It will be fun to promote pink food items on social media and through our media partners.  

Presentation

• All vendors must present and maintain a clean and decorated unit throughout the Festival.

Trash

• All vendors must provide an adequate number of trash cans for garbage containment and keep the area around their facility clean.
• Macon-Bibb County Solid Waste Department will remove trash daily from the premises.  It is your responsibility to take your trash to the designated places for trash retrieval.  These areas will be discussed and shown during check-in and setup.

Alcohol and Drug Policy

• Consumption of alcohol/drugs by any vendor, or its employees and/or volunteers is strictly prohibited during the Festival. Failure to comply will result in immediate removal from the Festival.

Camping

• On the application there is a section about RV Camping.  A spot for RV Camping is $40 a night.  

Insurance *Please email COI to khart@cherryblossom.com.

• Vendor must provide proof of insurance through the issuance of a certificate of insurance and showing coverage and limits as specified below. Endorsements must be provided showing additional insured status has been granted. Certificates and Endorsements must be provided prior to the beginning of the Festival by March 1, 2026.
• Vendor shall maintain coverage as follows: (1) Commercial General Liability: $1,000,000 aggregate, which should include coverage for: Personal Injury, Completed Operations, Independent Contractors, Liability assumed under “insured contract,” and Medical Payments and any necessary provisions regarding Vendor’s products or services; (2) Workers Compensation: Statutory Limits.
• The Insurance must provide the following: (1) Macon Georgia Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc., together with its Board of Directors, Officers, Staff and Agents, must be added to the policy as additional insureds for General Liability Insurance by endorsement; (2) The certificate of insurance or endorsement must state that this insurance is primary and written on a non-contributory basis as to any other valid and collectible insurance or self-insurance in force.
• Macon Georgia Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc. reserves the right to modify these requirements at any time, including limits based on the nature of the risk, prior experience, insurer, coverage, or other special circumstances. 

If selected-- In consideration of the opportunity to offer its products and/or services at the 2026 Macon Georgia International Cherry Blossom Festival (herein referred to as the “Festival”), the Vendor (herein referred to as “Vendor”) agrees as follows:

1.    TERMS: Vending during the Festival is a privilege and must be conducted in a professional manner. Any form of harassment or inappropriate behavior on the part of the Vendor towards members of the Festival staff, volunteers, other vendors, or patrons will result in immediate removal from the Festival. 

2.     INSURANCE: Vendor must provide proof of insurance through the issuance of a certificate of insurance and showing coverage and limits as specified below. Endorsements must be provided showing additional insured status has been granted. Certificates and Endorsements must be provided prior to the beginning of the Festival. 

Vendor shall maintain coverage as follows: (1) Commercial General Liability: $1,000,000 aggregate, which should include coverage for: Personal Injury, Completed Operations, Independent Contractors, Liability assumed under “insured contract,” and Medical Payments and any necessary provisions regarding Vendor’s products or services; (2) Workers Compensation: Statutory Limits. 

The Insurance must provide the following: (1) Macon Georgia Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc., together with its Board of Directors, Officers, Staff and Agents, must be added to the policy as additional insureds for General Liability Insurance by endorsement; (2) The certificate of insurance or endorsement must state that this insurance is primary and written on a non-contributory basis as to any other valid and collectible insurance or self-insurance in force. 

Macon Georgia Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc. reserves the right to modify these requirements at any time, including limits based on the nature of the risk, prior experience, insurer, coverage, or other special circumstances. 

3.    WAIVER OF SUBROGATION: The Vendor hereby grants to Macon Georgia Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc. a waiver of any rights to subrogation which any insurer of any other party may acquire against the Festival by virtue of the payment of any loss under such insurance. Vendor agrees to obtain any endorsement that may be necessary to affect this waiver of subrogation, but this provision applies regardless of whether or not the Vendor has received a waiver of subrogation from the insurer. 

3.    APPLICABLE LAW/VENUE: All disputes regarding the construction, interpretation and the parties’ obligations under this Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of Georgia, notwithstanding any of that state’s laws to the contrary, regardless of the location of the Engagement. The venue and jurisdiction for the resolution of any such disputes will be the United States District for the Middle District of Georgia, Macon Division, or the Superior Court of Bibb County, Georgia.

4.    INDEMNIFICATION: The Vendor will defend, indemnify and hold harmless the Festival, its officers, employees, trustees, agents and representatives from and against any and all claims, demands, damages, liabilities, expenses, losses of every nature and kind, including but not limited to attorney’s fees and costs, sustained or alleged to have been sustained in connection with or arising out of the Engagement, even in the event the Festival is alleged or found to be negligent. However, the Vendor will not be obligated to so indemnify the Festival if the Festival is proven to be grossly negligent or to have engaged in wilful or wanton misconduct. Vendor agrees that the insurance requirements specified in the contract do not reduce the liability the Vendor has assumed in this indemnity clause. 

5.    INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR: In performing hereunder, the Vendor is an independent contractor and not an employee or agent of Festival. All persons furnished or retained by Vendor in connection with this Agreement are so furnished or retained as Vendor’s employees or agents. Vendor will not transact business, enter into agreements, or otherwise make commitments on behalf of Festival unless expressly authorized in writing by Festival. Vendor will defend, indemnify and hold harmless Festival from and against any and all liability for the payment of taxes, interest and/or penalties, as well as damages and costs, including attorney’s fees, in connection with any claim or finding that Vendor, and/or its employees or agents, are employees of the Festival.

6.    ASSIGNMENTS AND SUBCONTRACTING: Neither party may assign or delegate its rights and obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the non-assigning or non-delegating party.

7.    MISCELLANEOUS: The effective date of this Agreement will be the date of signature of the Vendor’s authorized representative. The Vendor warrants that it will comply with all federal, state and local laws as well as Festival policies applicable to its performance hereunder, including but not limited to those relating to nondiscrimination, equal employment opportunity, and affirmative action. The representative of the Vendor signing this Agreement warrants that he/she is a duly authorized representative of the Vendor. 

8.     PRODUCTS OR SERVICES PROVIDED TO FESTIVAL: In addition to the terms above, the Festival and Vendor agree to the assignment of duties, as outlined in Exhibit A of this agreement. In the event the assignment of duties described in Exhibit A conflicts, contradicts, or otherwise interferes with the terms listed herein, the terms of this Agreement shall supersede and override those in Exhibit A.

By submitting this application, you are agreeing to the terms as listed above.