Food Vendor Application

Showcase your culinary creations at Whidbey Ren Faire! This immersive event celebrates the magic of medieval fantasy, drawing thousands of attendees eager to enjoy handcrafted goods, delicious fare, and live entertainment.

We are seeking food and beverage vendors offering high-quality, crowd-ready menus fit for royalty, with thoughtful options for children and guests with simpler or selective tastes.

Early Bird pricing is available through January 30, 2026 (11:59 PM). After this date, all booth fees increase by $50.

Event Details

Dates: May 23–24, 2026 | 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Location: Beach View Farm, 1570 Wieldraayer Rd, Oak Harbor, WA 98277

Whidbey Ren Faire Food Vendor Terms and Conditions

Food vendors are invited to participate in Whidbey Ren Faire on May 23–24, 2026, and must commit to both days of the event. The following terms ensure a smooth and successful faire for everyone:

1. Participation Requirements: Food vendors must keep their food booths, trucks, or trailers open and ready for business during all operating hours of the faire. Opening late or closing early without permission from the faire organizers is not allowed.
2. Booth Setup: Setup will take place on Thursday, May 21, and Friday, May 22, 2026, during designated hours from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Food vendors are responsible for providing all booth materials, including tents, tables, chairs, décor, signage, and any equipment required for their activities. Whidbey Ren Faire does not supply tents, furnishings, or infrastructure for booths. All materials must be safe, secure, and appropriate for outdoor use in varying weather conditions.
3. Ground Conditions & Leveling: Whidbey Ren Faire takes place on a working farm with gently sloping and uneven terrain. Food vendors are fully responsible for bringing any materials, equipment, or supports required to safely level their truck, trailer, tent, cooking equipment, service counters, or flooring. This includes (but is not limited to) leveling blocks, ramps, shims, stabilizers, or adjustable supports. Whidbey Ren Faire does not provide leveling materials or ground modification. Vendors must ensure their setup is stable, safe, and compliant with all applicable health and safety regulations on uneven ground.
4. Safety & Accessibility Requirements: Food vendors must ensure their service area is reasonably accessible to all patrons, including those using mobility aids, strollers, or with sensory sensitivities. Walkways must remain clear, tripping hazards minimized, and ordering or pickup areas should be arranged to allow safe access for a wide range of guests, including children. If your setup includes seating, displays, or queue structures, please arrange them to allow comfortable access and movement for all visitors. Guy lines must be clearly marked with fabric scraps, ribbons, or other theme-appropriate flagging to ensure visibility and reduce tripping hazards. Whidbey Ren Faire may require adjustments onsite if a booth presents accessibility or safety barriers.
5. Booth Decoration: Your booth, tent, truck, or trailer must be presented in a family-friendly Renaissance and fantasy theme to the extent reasonably possible. Food vendors may not display, distribute, or promote modern political messaging, advocacy, or ideological statements unrelated to historical or fantasy interpretation during the event.
6. Attire: ALL food vendors MUST wear family-friendly Ren Faire attire during event hours to match the event’s spirit and comply with our organization’s dress code. Required food safety attire (including hair restraints, gloves, or protective equipment) must take precedence where applicable.
7. Booth Size: Booth fees are based on the square footage of the tent, canopy, truck, or trailer itself and any requested frontage or yard space approved in the application. Space required for guy lines is not included in booth fees, provided all guy lines, weights, and extensions fit safely within the vendor’s assigned booth area.
8. Securing Your Tent: Before leaving the grounds, secure your tent by zipping it closed (if applicable), lowering it to half height (if possible), and anchoring it with stakes, weights, and ties.
9. Weather Preparations: Prepare for strong winds by weighting all legs of your pop-up tent. During non-operating hours, zip and lower tents to half height if possible. Use guy lines (or bungee cords) where appropriate, keeping them away from walkways and fire lanes, and mark them for visibility to avoid accidents. Note: Bungee cords can absorb wind forces, helping protect your tent from damage. Use a minimum of 40 lbs per tent leg.
10. Lighting and Electricity: Decorative open flames are prohibited within the faire. Open flames and cooking heat sources are permitted only as required for approved food preparation and must comply with all applicable fire and safety regulations. Use LED lanterns or electric candles for decorative lighting, and prefer battery-powered lights, as electrical hookups are not available at this venue. If necessary, bring your own power strips or extension cords, ensuring they do not cross walkways, fire lanes, or create hazards. Secure any cords that cross paths with rugs or covers. Generators are allowed only with prior approval from faire organizers and must not exceed 50–60 dBA. Generators must be enclosed with fencing or another secure barrier to prevent public access, kept clear of walkways, and positioned with exhaust directed away from patrons and structures. Fuel must be stored safely out of public reach. Food vendors using cooking equipment must have appropriate fire extinguishers readily accessible at their booth, truck, or trailer, in accordance with Island County and fire safety requirements.
11. On-Site Cooking & Heat-Producing Equipment:
    Food vendors operating as Temporary Food Establishments (TFEs), including those conducting on-site cooking using grills, fryers, propane equipment, solid fuel, or other heat-producing or open-flame devices, must comply with all Island County Public Health requirements and all applicable fire safety regulations. All cooking and heat-producing equipment must be properly secured, maintained in safe working order, and operated in accordance with manufacturer guidelines and inspection standards. Failure to comply with health or fire safety requirements may result in delayed setup, suspension of operations, or removal from the event without refund. Food vendors using grills, fryers, propane, solid fuel, or other heat-producing or open-flame equipment must have an appropriate, fully charged fire extinguisher readily accessible within their booth or cooking area at all times. Fire extinguishers must be rated for the type of cooking equipment in use (including Class K where applicable) and must meet all Island County fire safety and inspection requirements. Vendors without the required fire extinguisher on hand may be denied setup or required to cease operations until compliance is met.
12. Health & Food Safety Requirements: Food vendors must comply with all applicable Washington State, Island County, and local health department regulations. All required permits, licenses, and inspections must be obtained and kept current for the duration of the event. Vendors must provide proof of required food service permits prior to event operation. Whidbey Ren Faire reserves the right to require corrective action or suspend operations if health or safety concerns are identified onsite.
13. Liability for Your Goods: You are responsible for any damage to your tent, equipment, or merchandise. If your setup causes harm or loss to others, you must compensate them. Do not leave valuables unattended, as neither Whidbey Ren Faire, the venue, nor its organizers are responsible for such losses. This is why we require every vendor to carry insurance for the event. NOTE: Insurance is required before we can approve your application.
14. Permits, Licensing & Commissary Requirements: All food vendors must obtain and maintain all required permits, approvals, and inspections through Island County Public Health, including (but not limited to) Temporary Food Establishment (TFE) permits applicable to their operation. Vendors are solely responsible for submitting applications, paying associated fees, and complying with all county, state, and local health regulations. Food vendors are required to operate under a permitted commissary kitchen approved by Island County Public Health for food preparation, storage, warewashing, and overnight storage of food and equipment, unless explicitly exempted by the county. Proof of a secured commissary agreement must be provided upon request. Food may not be stored overnight on-site unless expressly permitted by Island County Public Health. Failure to secure or maintain required permits, inspections, or commissary arrangements may result in denial of setup, suspension of operations, or removal from the event without refund.
15. Parking: Use the designated vendor parking area, with details provided before the faire starts. Submit the names of your workers and their vehicle. Each vendor is allowed only ONE parking space, unless additional spaces are arranged in advance with faire organizers. Report any changes during the event to the vendor coordinator at base camp.

16. Queue Management, Signage, & Staffing: Whidbey Ren Faire welcomes large crowds, and food vendors should anticipate high demand and extended lines throughout the event. Vendors are expected to plan for and actively manage customer queues in a manner that maintains clear walkways, emergency access, and a positive guest experience. Vendors are responsible for providing and setting up their own queue-management materials as needed, including signage, stanchions, ropes, chalk markings, or other clearly visible methods appropriate to an outdoor environment. Queue layouts may be adjusted onsite as needed to support safety, accessibility, and overall event flow. Vendors should staff their operation at a level appropriate to their menu complexity, service speed, and anticipated demand. While Whidbey Ren Faire does not mandate specific staffing levels, vendors are expected to make reasonable efforts to maintain efficient service and adapt operations as needed. In the weeks leading up to the event, Whidbey Ren Faire will provide ticket count information to assist vendors in planning staffing levels and food quantities. Whidbey Ren Faire may request temporary operational adjustments if queuing or service flow creates safety concerns or disrupts event operations.

17. Restocking: Designated areas will be provided for restocking. These are the only locations for such activities. NO vehicles may enter the faire grounds during the hours of 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM on event days. Vehicles may not stop or park in the fire lanes at ANY TIME; you will be towed. Food, ice, fuel, and supply deliveries must follow the same restocking rules and time restrictions as all other vendors.
18. Variety of Food Offerings: The faire welcomes all vendors, with no exclusive rights given. We will limit vendors offering similar food items to a maximum of three and aim to space them out across the grounds for fair and balanced competition.
19. Clean-up: Remove all belongings and trash by 12:00 PM on Monday, May 25, 2026. Dispose of waste in the provided dumpster. Leaving trash behind will result in a clean-up fee.
20. Non-Refundable Fees: Booth fees are non-refundable after Wednesday, April 8, 2026, which is 45 days before Faire.
21. Application and Payment: Upon approval of your application, submit payment to Whidbey Ren Faire within 7 business days, or your space will be forfeited. Booth assignments will prioritize those who pay quickly, not just those who apply first.
22. Sales Reporting and Fee: Vendors must submit their sales records using point-of-sale reports (e.g., QuickBooks, Square) along with the attached reporting form. A 10% fee on gross sales is due at the end of the faire (Gross sales are defined as total revenue before taxes, fees, discounts, or expenses). If your gross sales are lower than your booth fee, no commission will be charged. This system keeps booth fees low and eases the burden on vendors with lower sales. Vendors must submit the completed Sales Report Form, a final digital sales summary from your POS system (Square, Stripe, Clover, Shopify, etc.) no later than May 31, 2026. Reports or payments submitted after May 31, 2026 incur a $50/day late fee. Reports and payments must be emailed to: whidbeyrenfaire@gmail.com.
23. Enforcement and Removal Policy: Whidbey Ren Faire reserves the right to decline, require modification of, or remove food vendors whose presentation, menu, merchandise, services, equipment, operations, or conduct conflict with the event’s mission, family-friendly environment, safety standards, or non-political focus. Vendors may only offer the food, beverages, products, services, or experiences approved in their application. Any changes to menu items, preparation methods, equipment, service style, or presentation must receive prior written approval from Whidbey Ren Faire. Booths, tents, trucks, trailers, and overall setup must match the size and footprint approved and paid for in the application. Vendors arriving with a larger setup than approved may be required to reduce their footprint immediately, pay additional fees if space allows, or be removed from the event. Any conduct that is unlawful, unsafe, unsanitary, disruptive, or that compromises the safety, well-being, or experience of attendees, volunteers, staff, or other participants may result in immediate corrective action or removal from the event without refund, at the sole discretion of Whidbey Ren Faire.
24. Photo & Media Release: By participating in Whidbey Ren Faire, food vendors grant Whidbey Ren Faire, its organizers, volunteers, and authorized media personnel the irrevocable right to photograph, record, and/or film their booth, displays, activities, staff, and any public-facing elements of their participation. These images, videos, and recordings may be used for promotional, educational, archival, or informational purposes in any media format, now or in the future, without compensation. Food vendors or other participants wishing to film, photograph, or record the Faire for anything beyond personal use must apply for, and wear, an approved Press/Media badge during the event. Unauthorized commercial use of media captured at the Faire may result in legal action.