GENERAL INFORMATION
Fees & Deposit
- Fees are calculated by the number of 10' frontage spaces needed to accommodate your full setup.
- A non-refundable 50% deposit of the total vendor space fees is due upon receipt of acceptance notification to hold your space, otherwise another vendor selling similar items may apply and pay, ultimately taking the space that was on temporary hold for you if we do not get a response within 10 days of acceptance.
- Balances not paid by AUGUST 9, 2024 will forfeit all vendor space(s) and monies paid.
- Credit Card charge backs will exclude you from any future events.
- Vendors are not fully confirmed until all permits, payments and documents are received by Vendor Coordinator. A vendor may not set up at the Event until all criteria is met.
Environmental Health Requirements
- You are required to meet the Merced County Environmental Health guidelines for cooking, serving, screening, warming and sanitation.
- The Merced County Environmental Health fees for food vendors currently are below and may be subjected to change after Merced County Fiscal Year end:
- High Risk TFF: $113
- Low Risk TFF: $39
Fees will be calculated and collected upon completion of Merced County Environmental Health Departments review of event documents.
- Per the Merced County COMMUNITY FOOD EVENT VENDOR APPLICATION, there are permit exemptions and if they apply to you, provide your exemption paperwork upon acceptance, such as your DD214, nonprofit IRS EIN#, Mobile Food Facility Permit and etc.
- If you have an annual TFF SOP Approval with Merced County, be sure to submit your TFF SOP Approval upon acceptance. Having an annual TFF SOP Approval do not guarantee a fee waiver for the approved community event. Annual TFF SOP Approval with Merced County Environmental Health are approved for one type of setup, specific purpose menu and certain hours/lengths of the approved community event and if the operator operates out of scope of their annual TFF SOP approval, the operator will be charged for a single event fee.
- TFF’s and any other required documents MUST be submitted by AUGUST 9, 2024.
Setup/Closing
- The grounds and buildings will be available for set up starting Thursday, AUGUST 29, 2024 from 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. Vendors must check-in prior to 5:00 P.M. on Thursday. There will be security on the grounds; the buildings will be secured at 9:00 P.M. Set up will also be available Friday, AUGUST 30, 2024 from 7:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. Vendors must be in place and set-up prior to 10:00 A.M. on Friday.
- All Outdoor Commercial/Concession Stands must be set back from walkways.
- ALL food vendors will be required to have their own food tent(s) with approved health department sidewalls and serving windows, unless you have an approved food truck or trailer.
- ALL food vendors must have tarps to lay down on grass for their designated space if using a tent.
- Use of your own food tents, trailers or food trucks must meet the State Fire Marshall Requirements.
- If you are cooking you must have the proper fire extinguisher. Each food booth must have a min. 2A10BC rated portable fire extinguisher. Deep fat cooking operations require an additional 40BC extinguisher and/or Class K type fire extinguisher.
- Before staking out fencing, check with Concession Manager for exact dimensions to be fenced. Due to underground utilities, any display requiring stakes to be driven into the ground must be supervised by Maintenance Personnel during the driving of stakes.
- All sides of booths visible to public must be in a finished condition as to paint, covering, etc.
- Indoor booths: The booths consist of drape covered pipe frames. The back drape is 8 ft. high and the side drapes are 3 ft. high. Nothing may be attached to the drapery frame, except for support rods and other small area items that do not hinder the view of adjoining booths, the height of the front of the booth must not exceed 3 ft. All furnishings must be flameproof.
- Festival Staff IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ITEMS SHIPPED TO OUR FACILITY, BEFORE OR DURING FESTIVAL. UPS will arrive between 9:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M. They will pull up to the F Street Gate; you must sign for your items at that time. They are on a limited time frame and will not wait.
- WITHOUT EXCEPTION, Vendor and Concession booths must remain in place until closing time of festival, 10:00 P.M. Sunday, September 1, 2024.
Use Of Booth
- NO SUB-LEASING IS ALLOWED. An assigned space is to be used by original lessee only.
- Items to be sold will be confined to items on contract. We are trying to control duplication of items.
- Define your give-away policy. If you give away something and ask for donations, you are selling and therefore have a Concession Selling Contract.
- Any free drawing must be approved in advance by Management. If there is a drawing to be done during the Festival, time of drawing must be posted conspicuously and the name of the winner(s) must be posted, as well as submitted to the Festival Management before Festival closes. All drawings must be done PRIOR to closing date of the Fair.
- Food booths must close down at designated time and no “after hours” sales.
- No balloons or bumper stickers may be given away. Manager must know before run of Festival what is to be handed out as give-aways.
- Amplified sound systems must not be so loud as to distract from other booths.
- Use sewer drains provided, DO NOT overflow hoses onto grounds surface.
- Use supplied oil containers around the grounds for used cooking oil.
- NO Beer, Wine and/or Alcoholic Beverages are allowed.
Conduct Of Booth Personnel
- All displays, booth personnel and soliciting activities will be confined to their assigned space. No moving down aisles or leaning out into aisles to seek patronage.
- Booths must be manned at all times during Festival open hours.
- Working credentials will be issued by the Vendor Coordinator. Each commercial vendor will be issued two (2) wristbands valid for all three days per 10’x10’ space. Food Concessions will be issued four (4) wristbands valid for all three days per 10’x10’ space. Re-sale of these worker wristbands is strictly prohibited. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST OR MISPLACED WRISTBANDS. Commercial and Food booths requiring additional worker wristbands may purchase them prior to event and picked up upon arrival at vendor check-in or purchased at vendor check-in on Thursday or Friday ONLY.
- Insurance Certificates, County Seller’s Permit, and any other required documents must be on record with vendor coordinator prior to your booth opening.
Vendor Hours of Operation
Noon-10:00 P.M. DAILY
Concessionaires remaining in booths after closing time for clean-up, etc. are expected to do so with subdued lighting, with flaps at least partially closed and to transact no business.
Sunday night we REQUIRE that you stay in place until 10:00 P.M. so we can control traffic and safely allow guests to exit. VENDORS CAN NOT ENTER THE GROUNDS WITH VEHICLES OR MOVE THEIR VEHICLES THAT ARE PARKED ON THE GROUNDS UNTIL WE GET CLEARANCE FROM MERCED COUNTY SHERIFF.
THE GROUND RULES POLICY IS
ALL VEHICLES MUST BE OFF THE GROUNDS BY 11:00 A.M. DAILY, NO EXCEPTIONS.
REFUNDS & CANCELLATIONS
- Cancellations must be given in writing before AUGUST 9, 2024. Any amount over the 50% non-refundable deposit will be refunded by check within thirty days of notice.
- There are no refunds or credits given after AUGUST 9, 2024.
- There will be no refunds for rain or other act, either man-made or natural.
ENFORCEMENT
- Decisions made by Tony Noceti, Noceti Group, Inc., California Garlic Festival are final.
