Outdoor Vendors at The Outdoor Exchange

We’re inviting individuals, businesses, and organizations to apply for a vendor spot at our outdoor festival grounds—The Outdoor Exchange—during The Great Northern Winter Festival. Vendors will be located throughout our festival, along SE Main Street in downtown Minneapolis and along the riverfront in Saint Anthony Main. Vendors have a unique opportunity to connect with an engaged, outdoor enthusiast audience. Final event details will be shared in Fall 2026. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this celebration of winter!

The theme of The Great Northern’s 10th annual festival is Winter is A Verb: Celebrating a Decade of Cold. Our audience includes seasoned winter adventurers, eco-engaged community,  downtown employees, Twin Cities residents, tourists, and more. Each year, the festival reaches 10,000–20,000 attendees.  

Dates and times available for the outdoor festival grounds: 

• Saturday, January 30th, 2027: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• Sunday, January 31st, 2027: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Participating vendors receive the opportunity to:

• Connect directly with thousands of festival attendees throughout the weekend
• Be featured on The Great Northern's website as an official festival participant
• Receive promotion through festival marketing and social media channels
• Explore opportunities for collaborative social media content and cross-promotion
• Reach our growing audience of more than 20,000 email subscribers

If you are interested in proposing an on-site activation (anything beyond a standard booth setup, especially experiences that involve ticketed participation or time-slot sign-ups), please contact us at hello@thegreatnorthernfestival.com. 

Examples include climbing walls, sauna installations, winter sports demos, and more. Early bird pricing ends October 1st, 2026.

Thank you for your interest in becoming a vendor at The Great Northern Winter Festival. Please review the following terms and conditions carefully. By submitting your application, you agree to comply with the guidelines outlined below.

Application & Approval Process

• Submitting an application does not guarantee participation in the festival.
• While you may be asked to provide payment information, no payment will be processed unless your application is approved.
• Upon approval, you will receive an invoice for the vendor fee. Vendor fees are non-refundable, regardless of cancellation, withdrawal, or weather-related disruption.

Zero-Waste Commitment

• The Great Northern Winter Festival is committed to being a zero-waste event, and all vendors are expected to actively support this goal. By participating, you agree to:
• Use only compostable, recyclable, or reusable packaging and service ware. All single-use items must be BPI-certified compostable or locally recyclable.
• Eliminate Styrofoam, plastic bags, plastic straws, and other non-recyclable plastics from your operations.
• Properly sort waste using the provided clearly labeled compost, recycling, and landfill bins.
• Ensure your staff are trained in proper waste diversion and materials handling.
• Vendors found to be in violation of these sustainability requirements may be removed from the festival without refund and may be prohibited from future participation.

Permits, Licensing & Compliance

• Vendors are responsible for obtaining all required permits, licenses, and health certificates as applicable.
• All food vendors must comply with local, state, and federal food safety regulations and be prepared for potential health inspections.

Insurance & Liability

• Vendors may be required to provide proof of general liability insurance.
• The Great Northern Winter Festival, its producers, partners, and affiliated entities are not responsible for loss, damage, theft, or injury incurred before, during, or after the event.

Setup, Takedown & Hours of Operation

• Vendors must adhere to designated setup and takedown schedules shared in advance.
• Booths must be fully set up before opening and remain operational during official festival hours.
• Late setup or early breakdown may result in removal from the event and disqualification from future opportunities.

Booth Conduct & Appearance

Vendor spaces must be clean, professional, and visually aligned with the spirit of the festival.
Inappropriate behavior, offensive content, or disruption of any kind will not be tolerated and may result in immediate removal without refund.

Electricity & Equipment

Access to outlets is limited and must be requested in advance.
Vendors are responsible for their own equipment, including tents, tables, lighting, cords, signage, and any other booth infrastructure.

Weather & Force Majeure

The Great Northern Winter Festival is a rain, snow, or shine event. In cases of extreme weather or other force majeure events, the festival reserves the right to cancel, delay, or adjust programming without issuing refunds.

By submitting your vendor application, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to all terms listed above. You also commit to upholding The Great Northern’s mission to celebrate resilience, creativity, and connection to place—while supporting our shared responsibility to protect the environment through zero-waste practices.