Business & Retail Vendors

The 66th Melon Festival will be held in Downtown Howell on August 15th & 16th, 2026. Please read this application closely. For questions & more information, please visit www.howellmelonfestival.com, call 517.546.0693 x7707, or email HowellMelonFestival@gmail.com

2026 General Information

We seek a creative and diverse array of vendor items at reasonable prices, in conjunction with a family-friendly environment. While we try to limit the number of same-business vendors throughout the festival, we will not regulate the legalities of franchise agreements of having two of the same business vendors on-site (Origami Owl, Scentsy, Avon, Face-Painters, etc.). Unless you are a registered food business (pre-packaged candy, beef jerky, salsa, pies, etc.), no booth may sell or provide homemade food or beverages (including water) as this is limited to our food vendors.

Hours of Operation

Vendors must be fully staffed and open for business from the start of the event until close of each day. If a vendor chooses to close their booth early, they will not be allowed back to future events. If there is an emergency or you need to close before operating hours please contact the Festival Director beforehand.

Saturday, August 15th 2026    9:00am – 8:00pm

Sunday, August 16th 2026      9:00am – 5:00pm

Booth Location & Parking

Vendors will be located in the center of Grand River Ave, between Center St & Barnard Street. The Howell Melon Festival booths will be assigned by the Festival Director in the best interest of the festival.  Information regarding location will be emailed the last week of July or first week of August. Once assigned, relocation will not be permitted.

Vendors must park their personal vehicles in the designated areas only. A map will be provided in July.

Set-Up, & Tear Down

All vendors will be given 30 minutes to unload their vehicles. To help with traffic, please unload your items, park in the designated vendor parking area, then return to start your set-up. The set-up time is 5:30am – 7:30am Saturday, August 15th 2026. All vehicles will be removed by 8:00am. Latecomers will NOT be accommodated and no refund will be issued. Each booth is required to have a 10x10 pop-up tent, tent weights (20 lbs. on all corners), tables, chairs, etc. NO GROUND STAKES, the street is concrete. Do NOT tape, tack, or otherwise affix any materials & signs to walls, trees, lamp posts, or other public & private property surfaces. All inventory boxes must be contained in designated booth area. You may NOT set-up on the grass, sidewalks, or street outside your booth. Vendors are required to transport and place their own booths, labor is not provided. Lastly, please respect your neighbors and patrons. ALL BOOTHS MUST BE READY AT 9:00am.

There will be no vehicle access on the event footprint during the Howell Melon Festival. Cars will not be permitted until 5:00pm Sunday or until police deem it safe to enter. All streets will be opened to vehicular traffic by

7:00pm on Sunday, August 16th 2026. Labor will not be provided to help tear-down any booths. 

Security

Police, EMS, & professional security will monitor and be presented throughout the Festival. The Howell Melon

Festival, its sponsors, members, and participants assume no liability for loss/damage to vendor cash, wares, &

property. Precautions will be taken to guard against loss/damage.

Sound, Electricity, & Water Hookup

No loud audio systems may be used, please be considerate of your neighbors. Generators are NOT allowed and

NO ELECTRICITY is available to street vendors. Water hookups are NOT available to street vendors.

Security Deposit 
We no longer require security deposits, however failure to follow the guidelines and requirements outlined will result in not being accepted back in following years. 

Important Reminders! 

·      Clean up booth space and vacate the street by 7:00pm

·      Do not leave your booth unattended

·      Do not close your booth before permitted hours

·      Do not disrespect festival staff, local authorities, other vendors, or patrons

·      No selling of non-approved items

Acceptance & Denial

All vendor space is subject to availability and approval. Decisions to approve vendor space shall be at the sole discretion of the Howell Melon Festival. All applications will receive due consideration. The application does not automatically reserve space and is only valid for the Howell Melon Festival event dates listed only. You will receive an email with an acceptance or decline within 30 days after application is received.

Refunds

No refunds of booth fees are given after notification of acceptance. Any violations of the rules, regulations, or other application city/state/county ordinances will result in immediate dismissal from the festival in which, no

refund will be issued. At the sole discretion of the Howell Melon Festival staff, any sales, displays, &

activities that are inappropriate or offensive will be warned. In extreme cases, the vendor will be asked to leave if actions or sales continue and no refund will be provided. No refunds will be given due to cancelation

of the event by an Act of God, Local Authorities, or a weather-related incident.

Insurance

As a part of our festival insurance, all vendors on-site during festival is required to have liability insurance for bodily injury and property damage for an amount of no less than $1,000,000 combined single limit for the duration of the Howell Melon Festival (August 15th & 16th, 2026).The Howell Area Parks & Recreation Authority MUST be named as an additional insured on the policy. In addition, your coverage should include product liability. Proof of insurance must be submitted with the application to be considered for acceptance. NO EXCEPTIONS!

***For more information, please contact your insurance provider.

Sales Tax & Licensing

A valid sales tax license must be included with your application. Vendors are required to pay all applicable sales tax and any other tax required by the city, state, or federal taxing authority. Vendors are responsible for licensing

applicable in Livingston County & the State of Michigan. If you are selling items, a copy must be submitted

with application. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Non-Transferable

This agreement is non-transferable and may not be assigned to another party.

Alcohol, Foul Language, & Threats to Safety

Consumption, promotions, sales, & possession of alcoholic beverages are NOT allowed in the Festival footprint, unless approved by the Howell Melon Festival. Foul language, threats to the safety & welfare of attendees, violations of any stated rules or actions will not be tolerated. Any violations will result in immediate removal from the premises and denial of future participation of the event.

Use of Name

“Howell Melon Festival” is trademarked and may NOT be used to personalize items sold at the Howell Melon

Festival unless, the Festival has negotiated, approved, & issued an exclusive Special Activities contract with you and arrangements have been made for the Festival to receive full commission or royalties on the sale of merchandise.

Do NOT attempt to use the name or any variation thereof on any kind of merchandise. The Howell Melon Festival will prosecute violators to the fullest extent of the law. This application is NOT a Special Activities Contract.

Hold Harmless Agreement:

In consideration of the Howell Area Parks & Recreation Authority, the City of Howell, & the Howell Melon Festival allow the undersigned to utilize the City of Howell’s sidewalks/streets to sell their product during the special event occurring August 15th & August 16th, 2026. The undersigned agrees to hold harmless and indemnify the Howell Area Parks & Recreation Authority, the City of Howell, and the Howell Melon Festival staff, volunteers, City Officials, and City employees from all liability and responsibility for injury (including death) to person(s) for any damage to any City of Howell property or property of others arising out of or resulting directly or indirectly from the utilization of said City sidewalks/streets in the City of Howell during the above special event dates.

The undersigned further does hereby remise, release, and forever discharge the City of Howell, its Officers, Agents, Employees from any and all claims, demands, actions, causes of action, damages & liabilities, resulting or arising out of, either directly or indirectly, from the utilization of said City sidewalks/streets in the City of Howell during the above special event dates.

Enclosed is the application & proper fees. I understand that completing this form does not constitute acceptance into the Howell Melon Festival. I understand that if I am asked to leave said Festival, there will be no

reimbursement of paid fees. The undersigned hereby attests that he/she has the legal authority to enter into this

agreement on behalf of the business listed above. Further, the undersigned has read and understands the rules and regulations for the event. He/she agrees that he/she and any individual representing his/her business will abide by

the rules and regulations.