Handcrafter

Please note that upon your acceptance to the festival, your credit card on file will be automatically debited and processed for the full amount owed within 24hrs.  

 All art must be handcrafted, no exceptions! "Handcrafted," means it was made entirely by hand or with the use of simple tools (e.g., knife, needle, paintbrush.) Hence, there was no machine involvement in the creation of the goods otherwise you are considered a "Merchant". 

ANY APPLICATION RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINE  WILL BE SUBJECT TO AN ADDITIONAL $200.00 PROCESSING FEE.

 PLEASE NOTE ALL APPLICATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO ACCEPTANCE AND AVAILABILITY.

WINDY CITY HOT DOG FEST - CHICAGO 2026 RULES & REGULATIONS

Contract Cancellation: CRSEM LLC D/B/A (hereinafter “SEM”) reserves the right to cancel a contract at any time for the good of the festival, or by the direction of the Six Corners Chamber of Commerce (AKA “ Committee”).  Any cancellations by management will be refunded if all rules and regulations have been followed. Cancellation or suspension due to lack of proper city licensing or failure to meet or maintain guidelines will not be eligible for refunds.

Account Holds: CRSEM LLC D/B/A (hereinafter “SEM”) and the Six Corners Chamber of Commerce are not responsible for denial of a license by the City of Chicago (and State of Illinois Liquor Control Commission – for Alcohol Vendors only) due to any hold placed on business accounts associated with the vendor.  Each vendor is solely responsible for resolving any standing holds with the City of Chicago and/or State of Illinois prior to application approval. 
Vendors with outstanding debt to the Six Corners Chamber of Commerce will not be allowed to participate until outstanding financial obligations are rectified.

Please note: Most businesses are not aware of a hold until their application is submitted and CRSEM LLC is contacted by the City and/or State.  Any standing debt that you have with the City of Chicago (parking tickets, water bills, awning, etc.) both personally and through your business will put a hold on your (Itinerant Merchant) license being issued.  All of these debts should be paid as soon as possible prior to the event.  You can access debts you have with the City by calling 312-744-6249. It is essential that you call each government agency regardless of your assumed standing.  Please also call the City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection Agency at 312-744-6060. and the State of Illinois Liquor Control Commission (Alcohol Vendors only) at 312-793-3380.

Exclusivity: We do not provide exclusivity to any participant/exhibitor and or category. All food vendors will be permitted to sell ONLY 6 food items. These items will be approved by the committee in advance of the event.

The Official event hot dog is Vienna Beef. All Hot Dog vendors must exclusively sell Vienna Beef hot dogs while participating. The sale of any other sausage products, Brats ,Chicken Tenders, Tacos, Burgers, Pizza, etc, is not permitted to be sold at this event.

 Water: Running water is not provided on site.  You must supply your own fresh water.

Electricity: No small portable generators or car batteries are permitted within your booth.  All electricity on site, if paid for, is portable and provided by a third-party supplier. Any service disruptions and/or blackouts from electricity provided by CRSEM will NOT result in a rebate or refund. If a special plug is required, it must be stated in the application. 

 Music: This event STRICTLY prohibits the playing of recorded or live music within your booth.

Laws: Drilling in the street is not permitted to secure your tent or equipment.  Violators will be subject to a city fine and space cancellation at the event. You are directly responsible for any city violations and fines, as a result of your negligence. 

The sale of any THC based products is strictly prohibited
 All CBD and Delta 8/9 businesses must apply as a sponsor of the event For pricing and a customized benefits package, please contact Karyn at karyn@chicagoevents.com 

Set-up and Tear-down: Each participant is responsible for setup, take down and clean-up of his/her booth space. Vehicles are allowed on the street only for setup prior to the event and tear down once the festival closes. You will be notified when it is safe to bring your vehicle on the street. Unless otherwise noted, parking is not provided to any participant but is available for an additional fee if arranged prior to the event, and upon availability  Load-in/set-up times will be provided to you by email one week prior to the event.  You must remove your vehicle immediately after unloading your merchandise. You are allotted 2 hours from the closing time of the event to vacate your booth space after the event.

No Show Policy: Participants who have not checked-in by 1:00 PM on May 31st, 2026 will be considered a “no-show.” No Show participants/artist will NOT be eligible for refunds and assigned booth space will be forfeited.

Trash Disposal: Each space must be left clean throughout the event and each night. Trash receptacles and bags will not be provided, this is your responsibility. Trash (in bags) will be picked up from booths each night. All vendors may be subject to additional fees if your space is not maintained as delivered, upon vacating your event space, including any staining of the street below your booth footprint. A minimum fine of $100 can be assessed , depending on the extent of the damage.

Indemnification: Six Corners Chamber of Commerce, CRSEM LLC D/B/A (hereinafter “SEM”), its employees, festival service providers, or any participating sponsors will NOT be responsible for any injury, loss, or damage that may occur to the participant (artist, merchant or food vendor), any of the participant’s employees or any property prior to, during or after the period covered by the participation exhibitor contract. CRSEM LLC and The “Committee” are not responsible for any loss or damage to the exhibitor's equipment or any of its contents. We highly recommend removing all items of value off-premises each evening.  This signed contract states that you agree to the terms and indemnify all parties working and producing the event from any liability or claim.

Booth Space: Each vendor must use only the space that they are granted.  Only a three-foot entry way is permitted. Sidewalks must be left unobstructed at all times. It is strictly prohibited to store items on the sidewalk across or adjacent to your booth. Protective materials must be placed under all food booths including fryers and grills. .We reserve the right to relocate a participating artist/merchant or Food Vendor when necessary, even after a space has been assigned – based upon approval of the festival committee.

 Participating Vendors : The event does not withhold any taxes from participating exhibitors, any taxes associated with the Windy City Hot Dog Festival are the sole responsibility of each individual Vendor.

Damages to Rental Equipment:  Extra fees will be incurred by participants for damages and clean-up of rental equipment as deemed necessary by rental equipment company for returned items which are damaged; or in need of any cleaning following the event.

Third Party Vendors: You cannot resell or lease any space to a 3rd party to participate in the event in your booth.

Event Hours:  All vendors must remain open during festival hours.

2026 Refund Process: If the event is faced with inclement weather, Acts of God and/or any situation that threatens the safety of exhibitors and patrons, Special Events Management or the Host Committee has the sole authorization to postpone or cancel the event, which will not result in the refunding of your fees.

By signing below, I hereby acknowledge and accept all terms of this vendor application by which will be considered a legal contract between myself (Vendor) and the (Six Corners Chamber of Commerce – “Committee” and CRSEM LLC D/B/A (hereinafter “SEM”) including all rules and regulations and understand that I am legally bound by this agreement. As a participating exhibitor, I acknowledge my financial responsibility for any damages to equipment items ( i.e. tent, table, chair, sidewall, counter, sign pole, etc.), rented from the production company or third party supplier, inflicted by myself or an employee in my booth and the terms regarding the festival or city rules and violations as outlined in this document. I acknowledge that CRSEM, LLC owns the event and the Six Corners Chamber of Commerce is the “Committee”.  Under all circumstances unless stated in the rules and regulations, there are no refunds.
(You will NOT be held accountable for rental equipment that you do not rent, however, we must have acknowledgement from you in the event that you add rental equipment to your application at a later time or rent an item on-site. It is your responsibility to inspect your tent during load-in and make management aware of any existing damages prior to the opening of the event.)