DESCRIPTION
The 40th Mushroom Festival will take place Saturday and Sunday, September 6th and 7th, 2025 in downtown Kennett Square, PA. Festival hours are from 10 AM – 6 PM on Saturday and 9AM – 5 PM on Sunday. This is an outdoor street festival and it will be held rain or shine. Craft vendor booths will be placed on State Street in Historic Downtown Kennett Square.
OUR MISSION: The Mission of the Mushroom Festival is to promote mushrooms, educate consumers about the health benefits of mushrooms and to promote tourism in Southern Chester County, all while financially supporting local and regional charities through a grant process.
ELIGIBILITY
• Vendors with Mushroom items are given priority.
• Vendors are selected from submitted photographs. Prior vendors are no longer exempt. Only work representative of that submitted to be juried may be exhibited. Vendors may not sell other non-related items that were not judged. Violators will be removed from the festival.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
All application materials must be received by: August 8, 2025, for consideration.
• Application and pictures will be juried so the best quality of vendors will be accepted with preference given to those who offer mushroom related items. PRIOR VENDORS ARE NOT EXEMPT and must submit pictures. Quality and original work are highly recommended. Select each category in which you wish to be juried, please submit 4 recent photographs of your work and display.
• Upon acceptance into the festival, an acceptance letter will be emailed. The decision of the committee is final. All notifications of space assignment will be emailed no later than August 25, 2025.
Special Note: Accepted vendors will not be allowed to use the name “Mushroom Festival” or any of the Mushroom Festival logos on their products.
• Vendor spaces are 10 feet wide and 10 feet deep, CANOPIES ARE REQUIRED and must be supplied by the vendor. Vendors will need to provide all materials/equipment for set-up (tables, chairs, backdrops, etc.). ALL CANOPIES MUST BE SECURED AND WEIGHTED DOWN WITH A MINIMUM OF 40lb WEIGHTS ON ALL FOUR CORNERS. The canopy should be secure enough to withstand a small thunderstorm.
PLEASE NOTE: Sidewalks are toremain clear behind your vendor space during Mushroom Festival hours. Open spaces are built into the layout of our festival for safety reasons. Vendors who expand into the open spaces, beyond what was requested, paid for, and approved by the committee, will be charged for the extra space occupied, and denied future participation in future Mushroom Festivals. Pictures will be taken to document the breach of space and billed accordingly.
• During Sunday’s breakdown (at 4pm), vendors may not be able to park their vehicle right next to their vendor space. Every attempt is made so vendors can get as close as they can to their vendor space to load their vehicle. A handcart is recommended to assist vendors.
PREPARED FOOD ITEMS: YOU MAY NEED a Health Department permit: If you have food items, it is the vendor's responsibility to contact the Chester County Health Department to verify your need for said permit. If a permit is required, vendors must apply for a temporary food permit through the Chester County Health Department, 601 Westtown Road, Suite 288, West Chester, PA 19380-0990 Phone 610.344.6225 No refunds will be given due to failure to comply with Health Department code requirement.
SET UP
• Included with the vendor acceptance letter, each vendor is assigned a check in location, spaces, and a set up time are provided to prevent congestion on the festival streets. There are additional festival vehicles and vendors arriving for set up at the same time as the craft vendors. Vendors who arrive late should be aware that the festival streets are closed to all vehicles, at 8:30 am on Saturday and 8:30 am on Sunday. If vendors arrive after the streets are closed to vehicular traffic, vendors must park outside festival grounds and carry/cart materials to their assigned space. Upon arrival at the festival area, vendors will be asked their vendor space number and check in location. Vendors then will be directed to their vendor space location. Be prepared to unload all materials/supplies onto the sidewalk, park your vehicle, then return to set up your vendor space.
• Vendors will be asked to park their vehicles off festival grounds once all materials are unloaded. Please do not begin setting up until your vehicle is moved. Vendors then return to their vendor space to continue set up of their vendor space.
• Vendors are to be prepared to have their exhibit ready for public viewing/shopping: Saturday, September 6, 10:00 am; Sunday, September 6, at 9 am.
PARKING
Parking is not allowed in the Festival area. Vendors are requested to park on side streets which do not have NO PARKING signs placed by the police department. Additionally, box trucks or trailers should not encroach corners and remain 15 feet from the corner of any intersection.
SECURITY
Overnight security will be provided. Each vendor is responsible for securing their own vendor space.
CORNER SPACE
Corner Vendor space (an additional $75 fee, not included with vendor space fee). Corner vendor spaces are not on specified street corners or intersections. They are the standard definition of a corner in the craft industry. A corner is considered TWO EXPOSED SIDES which would be open front and one open side. There are no guarantees of receiving a corner vendor space as these vendor spaces are limited.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Mushroom Festival events will continue rain or shine. Events may need to be delayed due to the weather. However, we attempt not to cancel whenever possible. In the event of severe weather, excessive rain or flooding, including thunder and lightning, events will stop or be delayed. In those extreme cases, please be cautious and take cover. Vendors are to be fully prepared to protect against adverse conditions, such as rain, wind, sun, heat, etc. If severe weather conditions persist, i.e., thunderstorm/lightning, the Festival will temporarily close down and then reopen. Vehicles will not be allowed in the Festival area during cloudbursts - please be prepared to protect your merchandise. Vendors are expected to reopen their vendor spaces as soon as possible once the weather has cleared and the Festival reopens. No refunds will be issued for inclement weather. All spaces are located on the street. Drainage from rain can occur. If you have tubs, cardboard boxes, etc., please consider placing merchandise on wooden pallets to keep your merchandise dry.
APPLICATION SUBMISSION:
1. In signing the application agreement, vendors must understand that all items to be sold must be disclosed during the jury process. If items are brought in which haven’t been juried, festival staff will ask to have said items to be removed. Noncompliance will result in your removal from future festivals.
2. Vendor space fees are non-refundable upon acceptance of the festival.
3. Check or credit card number must be included with your application. Applications will not be processed without payment in full if you are selected.
4. This is an outdoor, two-day street festival and vendor space spaces may not be completely level.
5. Vendors also understand that setup times are firm. Any change needed for set up times must be communicated when set up information is received. If the vendor arrives late, vendor will need to cart supplies to their space as they may not be able to pull a car up to the vendor space unless determined to be safe by The Mushroom Festival staff.
6. Vendors are responsible for safe storage containment and full value of all materials.
7. Electricity is available at some vendor space locations for an additional fee of $75. Please plan to bring 50’ to 100’ of heavy-duty extension cord to connect to your outlet.
8. The Mushroom Festival is not responsible for safekeeping, loss or damage of any merchandise.
9. Vendors are not permitted to bring alcohol or pets, except service animals, into the festival area.
10. Vendors may not sublet any portion of their space to another vendor.
11. Open flames are not permitted.
12. The Mushroom Festival is not responsible for any items lost or damaged.
APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
1. Application completed in full and legible. Remember to select your category or categories to correctly define your merchandise being sold.
2. Four (4) photographs labeled with your name and address and one photo must be representative of your vendor space/ display.
3. Check or credit card number must be included with your application.
All returned checks are subject to a $50 service fee.
Please keep the Rules and Regulations for future reference.
The Mushroom Festival
Attn: Vendor Chair
PO Box 1000Kennett Square, PA 19348
Email: mushroomvendors@gmail.com
All notifications of acceptance and space assignments will be emailed by August 16, 2025.
Early Discount Deadline – Application must be received by April 30, 2025.
After April 30, 2025, space fee will be $400.
Application Deadline final deadline is July 31, 2025 or until spaces are filled.
STAFF CONTACT
Rhonda Sarver, Vendor Chair (302)399-1116
Sierra Sarver, Vendor Chair (302) 257-0514
Text is best as we both work in the medical field.
Email mushroomvendors@gmail.com
