Food Vendor

The 66th Annual Howell Melon Festival will once again be held in Downtown Howell on August 14th-16th, 2026. Join festival visitors and celebrate the Howell Melon with food and drinks, live entertainment, and vendors like you spread across 5 blocks on Grand River Avenue. For more information, visit our festival website at www.howellmelonfestival.com or contact the Howell Area Parks and Recreation Authority at 517.579.2867, or by email at howellmelonfestival@gmail.com.

General Information

Our event and application is now on Eventeny! You can easily submit all required documents and payment online .Arts & Crafts Vendors - 66th Howell Melon Festival - Eventeny_ All food vending spaces are limited and need a completed application with all requirements submitted with full payment. The Howell Melon Festival Committee reserves the right to choose what vendors participate in this year’s festival.  Vendor space is available on North Walnut Street between Grand River and Clinton at the 2026 Howell Melon Festival.

Dates and Hours of Food Vendor Area during Festival

Vendors must be open for business during the following hours:

Friday, August 14th from 4:00pm to 9:00pm

Saturday, August 15th from 9:00am-9:00pm

Sunday, August 16th from 9:00am-5:00pm

Fees

We will not accept any incomplete applications or applications without payment

Booth Space & Fees (only one food vendor per booth space) 

10’x20’ unit space - $850

10’x10’ unit space - $650

Please indicate how many units and feet you will require for your needs on your application and adjust your total fee

accordingly.  Additional space needed beyond the standard 10’x20’ or 10’x10’ is $25 per additional foot. All spaces

include water access and grey water storage, if needed. Electric service is available for an additional fee.

Application Fee 

All food vendors are required to submit a non-refundable $25 application fee.

Location Assignment and Set-up

The food area will be located on N. Walnut which runs between Grand River and W. Clinton Streets. Based on the

applications received; the Howell Melon Festival Committee will assign your location. Once assigned, movement or

relocation will not be permitted. You must set up within the allocated time period only (9:00am-12:00pm on Friday,

August 14th) and all personal vehicles must be removed from the area by 12:00pm. You will receive further

information about set-up and staging times once you are accepted into the Festival.  No vehicular access to the

Festival footprint will be permitted until Sunday, August 16th at approximately 5:00pm.  Latecomers will not be

accommodated and no refunds will be issued.  Food vendors are expected to provide their own tables and display

boards. Do not tape, tack, or otherwise affix any materials or signs to walls, trees, lamp posts, or other surfaces on

public or private property. Canopies must be anchored by cinder-blocks or sandbags only. No ground stakes are

permitted. Vendors are responsible for transporting and placing their own booths and units.  Labor to erect booths is

not provided.

Electrical Requirements

Generators are not allowed. Electrical requirements will be considered for placement. Food vendors must supply

proper power cords - minimum of 200 feet, and materials necessary for securing cords (i.e. carpet mats) and providing safe, obstacle free public walkways. You must supply your own fittings and plugs to connect to the electric panels provided by the festival. You are responsible for hooking up your own power. There are pictures below of the types of plugs we offer. If you do not have one of those please reach out with pictures.

Water Hookups/Grey Water Storage

Vendor must supply proper sanitary water hoses, connections, and valves for water hookups. Vendor will be

responsible for all water leaving the unit. Water must be contained, and cannot create any outside accumulation.

Please bring appropriate hoses, hose connections, and transport buckets. The Howell Melon Festival will facilitate grey

water collection on site - transport buckets will be the responsible of the vendor.

Menu and Pricing

The Howell Melon Festival would like to have a diverse array of food items available at reasonable prices. We

encourage you to be creative in your menu offerings. Vendor must provide a full menu with pricing, a food picture if

available, and a picture of the concession unit coming to the Howell Melon Festival. To preserve the integrity of each

vendor’s market, this menu will be screened and a final approved menu returned with your confirmation. Only items

on the approved menu will be allowed for sale at the Howell Melon Festival. Food vendors may not sell non-food

items.

Beverage Policy

Food vendors may sell non-alcoholic beverages from their booth. If we secure a beverage sponsor (i.e. Pepsi, Coke, or

any other brand), you will be required to sell that brand of product and not sell a competing brand, and will be notified

in the acceptance letter. If any beverage sponsorships occur, you will be notified.

Cleanliness and Trash Removal

Vendors will keep their location and surrounding area clean and free from litter and grease. All inventory and boxes

must be contained in your area or unit - it cannot be set up on the grass, sidewalks, or outside your booth space. All

garbage must be disposed of properly at the end of each day at designated locations. You must supply your own trash

bags for the weekend. You may not use City trash barrels under any circumstances. No grease or grey water is to be

poured onto the ground or down any drains. Anyone found doing this will be asked to leave the event. 

You will be responsible for any and all environmental cleanup costs and subject to prosecution by city or state officials. [The Howell Melon Festival will facilitate grey water collection and will let you

know where grey water will be collected - transport buckets will be the responsibility of the vendor]

Parking for Personal Vehicles

Vendors must park their personal vehicles in designated lots. A parking map will be provided in

the information package sent in August. At the conclusion of the event, vehicles will only be allowed into the festival area

when the police have deemed it safe to do so - anticipated to be no later than 6:00pm on Sunday.

Breakdown

No tear-down is allowed before 5:00pm on Sunday. All streets will be re-opened for vehicular traffic at 7:00pm on Sunday.

Use of Name

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

Festival unless the Festival Committee has negotiated, approved, and issued an exclusive “Special Activities Contract”

with you, and arrangements have been made for the Festival to receive full commissions or royalties on the sale of that

merchandise. DO NOT attempt to use the name or any variation thereof on shirts, clothing goods, food products, or

merchandise of any kind. The Howell Melon Festival will prosecute violators to the fullest extent of the law. This

application is not a Special Activities Contract.

Refunds

Application fees are non-refundable. There will be no refunds of booth fees after notification of acceptance. All refund

requests prior to this date must be in writing. A $50 fee will be assessed for any returned checks. Any violations of the

rules and regulations or other applicable city/state/county ordinances will result in immediate dismissal from the

Howell Melon Festival. No refunds will be issued if violations occur or if licensing is denied for any reason. No refunds

will be given due to the cancellation of the event by an Act of God, local authorities, or a weather-related incident.

Liability Insurance

As a part of our festival insurance requirement, all food vendors on-site during the Howell Melon Festival shall provide

liability insurance for bodily injury and property damage for an amount no less than $1,000,000 combined single limit

for the duration of the 2026 Howell Melon Festival (August 14th-16th, 2026). The Howell Area Parks & Recreation

Authority and the City of Howell must be named as additional insured on the policy. Your proof of insurance must be

submitted with the application to be accepted. Contact your insurance provider for more information.

Licensing and Inspections

A valid sales tax license must be included with the application. Vendor shall pay all sales tax or any other tax required

by the city, state, or federal taxing authority. Food vendors will be responsible for all licensing applicable in Livingston

County and the State of Michigan. There will be a food concession area inspection the first day of the show by the

Howell Area Fire Authority and Livingston County Health Department. Please call LCHD at 517-546-9850 with

questions.  Food vendor fees are not refundable if a vendor is asked to leave due to unsatisfactory health inspection or

any other violation of festival rules.

Security

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

employ a professional security firm to be on site Friday and Saturday nights. The Howell Melon Festival, its sponsors,

members, and participants, assume no liability for loss or damage to a vendor’s cash, wares, or property. Every

precaution will be taken to guard against loss or damage.

Non-transferable

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

Alcohol, Foul Language, and Threats to Safety

Consumption, promotion, sales, or possession of alcoholic beverages are not allowed in the food vendor area. The

Howell Melon Festival will not tolerate foul language, threats to the safety and welfare of attendees, or violations of any

stated rules or actions deemed inappropriate by the Howell Melon Festival Committee. Any violations will result in

immediate removal from the premises and denial of future participation.

 Hold Harmless Agreement

In consideration of the Howell Area Parks & Recreation Authority, the City of Howell and the Howell Melon Festival

allow the undersigned to utilize the City of Howell’s streets to sell their product during the special event occurring

August 14th-16th, 2026.  The undersigned agrees to hold harmless and indemnify the Howell Area Parks &

Recreation Authority, the City of Howell, and Howell Melon Festival Committee and volunteers, officials, and

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

sidewalk/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,

and employees from any and all claims, demands, actions, causes of action, damages and liabilities, resulting or

arising out of, either directly or indirectly, from the utilization of said sidewalks/streets in the City of Howell during

the above special event dates.

Enclosed are the application and payment for 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

and agrees that he/she and any individual representing his/her business will abide by the rules and regulations.