2026 Home-Based Consultants Vendors

We invite you to participate as a Home-Based Consultant vendor at the 40th annual N.C. Pickle Festival, Saturday, April 25, 2026. Our operating hours this year will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Our 2025 festival was attended by 22,600 people, compared to an all-time high of 30,500 people in 2024, as verified by Place AI. The application deadline is February 1, 2026. We will make decisions and notify all vendors by February 15, 2026.

 
2026 North Carolina Pickle Festival Vendor Rules

Application Deadline
The deadline for all applications is February 1, 2026. No applications will be accepted after February 1. Fees are non-refundable. All vendor applications for 2026 must be submitted online via the North Carolina Pickle Festival website, www.ncpicklefest.org. No paper applications will be accepted.

Acceptance to Event
The North Carolina Pickle Festival (Festival) will make decisions on acceptance and notify all vendors no later than February 15. Those without proof of insurance who are otherwise accepted will be placed in the Awaiting category. Awaiting vendors must provide proof of insurance no later than March 1. Failure to meet this deadline will result in forfeiture of vendor spots.

The Festival will take into account the desired mix, number and variety of vendors, the longevity of vendors participating in the festival prior to 2025, as well as site and utilities limitations, in making its decisions.

Payment for all fees is required at the time of application (except for proof of insurance – see Insurance section for details), but the charge will be processed only upon acceptance. 

Only those who submit all required documents and pay their fees by the set deadlines, and who receive approval by the Festival, may display and sell.

Hours of Operation
The Festival operates from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Saturday, April 25, 2026. Vendors are required to stay open during that time. Vendors are allowed to shut down their booths during festival hours if necessary. Vendors may not break down and physically leave the festival area prior to the 6:00 pm closing time.  This applies to ALL vendors, including Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce members. Streets will remain closed to vehicle access until 6:00 pm. 

Booth Requirements
Booths are 10’ x 15’ including towing tongue. If your booth or trailer is longer than 15 feet, you must purchase enough spaces to accommodate your full set-up. Locations are not guaranteed. 

All items, equipment and materials must fit within the purchased booth space. Sidewalks and walkways must remain clear. Vendors must arrange their booths so as to not obstruct the view or interfere with other booths.

Vendors are responsible for providing all tables, chairs, electrical cords. Electrical cords must be heavy duty with no visible signs of damage, and appliances must be in good working condition.

Fire Department Requirements: ALL vendors are required to have a flame retardant tent and fire extinguisher per fire code regulations. Tents, tarps and canopies must also be anchored to withstand wind and collapse. 

Vendors may not sell knives, mock guns, pop rocks, play cigarettes, inappropriate adult materials, etc.

CHECK-IN / SET UP

Vendors receive their booth assignments at check-in. Check-in Friday and Saturday is located at Mount Olive Family Medicine Center, 201 N. Breazeale Avenue, Mount Olive.

*Vendors with trailers and food trucks are REQUIRED to check in Friday night* 

*Vendors with tents should check in Saturday*

Friday Night Drive-Thru Check-In, 6-8 pm: Mount Olive Family Medicine Center, 201 N. Breazeale Avenue. 

If you arrive early for check-in on Friday, please wait at Mount Olive Family Medicine Center. Do not go downtown and park. We will be working to clear downtown Friday afternoon to prepare to place vendors beginning at 6 pm. We also need to give downtown businesses time to close for the day. We will not start check-in prior to 6 pm.

Saturday Drive-Thru Check-In, 5-8 am: Mount Olive Family Medicine Center, 201 N. Breazeale Avenue. Note that check in Saturday closes promptly at 8 am. Vendors who arrive after 8 am will not be permitted to set up. Please plan accordingly.

UNLOADING

Unload your vehicle at your space and immediately park your vehicle in a designated lot. You may then return to your booth for set up.  Please be mindful of others and do not block access for unreasonable amounts of time. Your vehicle must be out of the festival area by 8:30 am Saturday.

INSURANCE

ALL Vendors at the Festival must provide a certificate of insurance. 

Food vendors, ride operators, those providing animal attractions, and all face painters must provide a certificate of insurance that lists the North Carolina Pickle Festival, Inc. as an additional insured.  Address, 123 N. Center Street, Mount Olive, NC 28365.

All other vendors must provide a standard Certificate of Insurance. 

NEW FOR 2026: Cost effective certificates of insurance are available online through Eventeny at the time of application. 

Please note that proof of insurance is not required at the time of application, as the Festival does not wish vendors to purchase insurance unless they are actually accepted. Vendors in the Awaiting category – approved pending proof of insurance – must provide proof of insurance no later than March 1.

FEES, PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS

FIRE PERMIT: ALL Vendors must submit the Fire Protection Permit and $15 fee, payable to the N.C. Pickle Festival, with their applications. This permit is part of the online application process.

The Mount Olive Fire Inspector will inspect all vendor booths for compliance with the North Carolina Fire Prevention Code, as outlined in the Fire Protection Permit. Vendors must display a copy of their Fire Permit in their booths. Please review the Fire Code Requirements covered in the permit.

IMPACT FEE: 2026 vendor fees include a Town of Mount Olive impact fee, which varies based on vendor type. This fee, along with the Fire Permit Fee and electricity charges, will be remitted to the Town of Mount Olive to help cover its cost of supporting the festival. 

Every vendor must pay the Impact and Fire Permit fees. This includes Mount Olive Chamber members who receive a free space as part of their chamber membership, and downtown businesses who set up a booth at their location.

FOOD: Food Vendors must submit a separate application and fee to the Wayne County Environmental Health Department and receive a Temporary Food Handling Permit prior to the festival. Vendors must display the permit in their food booth. An inspector from the Environmental Health Department will inspect food vendors on festival morning. Contact Scott Lewis at the Wayne County Environmental Health Dept. at 919-731-1174 or by email at Scott.Lewis@waynegov.com

USE OF TRADEMARKS

Logos for the North Carolina Pickle Festival and Mt. Olive Pickle Company are trademarked. Use of these brands on merchandise for sale without written permission from the trademark holders is prohibited. The Festival reserves the right on festival day to ban the sale of goods that use  trademarked logos without permission.

VENDOR SERVICES

POWER – The Festival will allow vendor generators on a limited, case by case basis, approved in advance. Preference will be given to quieter generators. 120v (two-prong plugs) and a small number of 50-amp outlets (three-prong plugs) are available for an additional fee and must be indicated on the vendor application. If you require a 50-amp outlet and you did not indicate that on your application, we cannot guarantee you a spot on festival day. 

WATER – Water hookups are free, but connections are limited and must be indicated on the vendor application.

Power and water connections will not be available on festival morning to any vendor that has not applied for them in advance on their application.

BAGGED ICE – Ice is available for sale in 20 lb. bags to vendors downtown on Saturday, April 25.  Learn more at check-in.

BREAKFAST – A complimentary Vendor Breakfast will run Saturday from 6:30-9 am at the Mount Olive Chamber Office, 123 N. Center Street. 

PICKLE-THEMED FOODS & ITEMS

For 2026, all food vendors are required to offer at least one pickle-themed food item on their menus. Vendors must indicate the pickle-themed food on their applications and provide an image if possible. 

The Festival will use this information to help promote the day, and it will also provide a 7-ft feather banner – Picklicious! – to any food vendor who is selling a pickle-themed food and who pays a $125 deposit for the banner. The deposit will be refunded at the end of the day when the banner is returned to the Festival’s Information Booth. A limited number of these banners will be available at check-in on a first-come, first served basis. 
 
All other vendors are encouraged to make and sell pickle-themed items where possible, to indicate that on their applications, and to upload images that can be shared. 

GENERAL POLICIES
All vendors are expected to conduct themselves in a professional and courteous manner when interacting with festival visitors, fellow vendors and festival organizers. Aggressive or inappropriate conduct will be addressed by representatives of the Festival, and if necessary, the Mount Olive Police Department.

The Festival is not responsible or liable for the failure of any vendor to comply with these requirements.  It reserves the right to take any action, up to and including shutting down a vendor’s operation for the remainder of the day, and barring participation in future Festival events. No refunds will be given in these cases. 

Further, the Festival, the Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce and festival sponsors are not liable for any damages, injury or loss to any person or goods from any cause whatsoever, nor for any claims for damage, injury or loss arising out of or in connection with use of space or grounds at the festival. All decisions of the Festival and its organizers are final.