Food Trucks & Trailers

This application is for food trucks/trailers interested in participating in our upcoming markets. Eligible vendors operate fully licensed mobile food units offering prepared meals, beverages, or specialty food items. All units must comply with all Washington State and Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department regulations. Please indicate any requirements, such as electricity, parking needs, propane use, or accessibility considerations, in the "Special requests" portion of the application.

You will receive an email notification once your application is approved, rejected, or waitlisted. Accepted vendors will receive load-in instructions at least one week before each event date. All applications are reviewed to ensure a balanced, high-quality market experience.

By applying to the Northwest Metaphysical Market (NWMM) as a food truck vendor, you agree to the following terms & conditions (please read):

General Information:
All food truck operators and on-site staff must be 18 years of age or older.
Applications are reviewed for menu fit, safety compliance, and overall market curation. Acceptance is not guaranteed.
All food trucks must hold valid permits required by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department and comply with all Washington State mobile food unit regulations.
 
Food Truck Spaces:
Food truck spaces are assigned based on layout needs, traffic flow, and safety regulations.
Space allocations may vary depending on truck/trailer size; please provide accurate truck dimensions and service window side.
Generators must be quiet-rated and in good working order. Vendors must bring all necessary equipment for safe operation.
Trucks/trailers must be fully self-contained for cooking, heating, refrigeration, and food storage as required by local health codes.
All operations—including customer service areas, signage, and equipment—must remain within your assigned footprint.
 

Set-Up & Tear-Down:
Load-in: 8:15 AM – 10:45 AM
Market Hours: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Load-out: 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM (no early teardown unless otherwise approved by NWMM).

Vendors must unload quickly, immediately move their vehicle to an appropriate parking space, and return to set up.

Vendors must complete setup by 10:45 AM and remain for the duration of the market unless otherwise approved.

If you do not arrive by 10:00 AM, your booth will be forfeited (no refunds), and neighboring vendors will be authorized to spread out.

Vendor Parking & Traffic Notes:

To help ease parking concerns in downtown Tacoma on a Saturday (yikes!), FREE, secure-access parking is available for vendors, performers, and volunteers on the top two levels of the Park Plaza North Garage, located just steps from the event space, following load-in.

The transit tunnel is NOT available for public parking.

Do NOT park in the “DO NOT ENTER” transit tunnel.

The transit tunnel is listed on Google Maps as “Pierce Transit Tunnel.” Please be mindful of this when navigating.

Payments & Refunds:

Your card on file will be charged upon approval.

If you prefer to receive an invoice, please indicate this in the "Special requests" section of the application.

All fees are non-refundable, including for no-shows, mechanical issues, staffing problems, or weather conditions.
Booth fees are not transferable without prior approval.

Print Materials:

Vendors may display print materials only if they directly relate to the products or services they are offering at NWMM. Marketing individuals or businesses not registered as approved vendors is not permitted.

 
Products & Compliance:
All food and beverage items must be prepared and served in compliance with Washington State and Tacoma–Pierce County Health Department rules for mobile food units.

THC product sales are prohibited.

Liquor sales are prohibited.

All prices must be clearly visible.

Vendors are responsible for their own tax reporting, liability insurance, and any required licensing.

A Tacoma Business License is only required if you anticipate earning more than $2,000 in Tacoma during the calendar year.

If you plan to attend just a few Northwest Metaphysical Market (NWMM) events, you do not need to apply for a Tacoma Business License.

However, if you plan to attend four (4) or more NWMM markets, a Tacoma Business License is required, as you are more likely to exceed the $2,000 annual threshold.

If you initially plan to attend only a few markets and later decide you’d like to participate in more, you can apply for the Tacoma Business License at that time and submit a copy to us once it’s approved!

This approach allows vendors flexibility while remaining compliant with City of Tacoma requirements.

A Tacoma business license is $37.50 for a one-year term.

If you don't already have a Tacoma Business License, you can apply here: https://www.filelocal-wa.gov/Default_FileLocal.aspx 

Plastic Bag Ban:

All vendors and food trucks must comply with the City of Tacoma’s plastic bag ban. Single-use plastic carryout bags are not permitted. Vendors may only provide approved paper bags or compliant reusable bags to customers. Any allowed bags must meet city requirements and may be subject to the state-mandated bag fee where applicable. Vendors are responsible for ensuring their packaging and checkout materials follow all local laws.

Conduct & Safety:
Be respectful toward fellow vendors, staff, and attendees.
Keep your booth tidy and secure—NWMM is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.
This event is held rain or shine.

Please prepare accordingly for our unpredictable Washington weather.
Leashed pets and service animals are welcome.
 
Photography:
By participating, you consent to NWMM taking and using event photos and video for marketing and promotional purposes.

Non-Discrimination & Zero Tolerance Policy:
NWMM maintains a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination, harassment, or hate. Vendors must treat all attendees, staff, and fellow vendors with respect. You may not discriminate based on race, color, sex, gender identity/gender expression, religion, nationality, creed, marital status, sexual orientation/sexual preference, age, veteran/military status, or disability status. Any conduct involving hate speech, harassment/intimidation, or discriminatory actions will result in immediate removal from the event.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):

Vendors must keep their space wheelchair-accessible and free of obstacles so all attendees can safely approach and interact with their booth.
 
Agreement:
By submitting your application, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to these terms & conditions to help us create a smooth, enjoyable, and well-organized market experience for everyone.