TurtleFest 2027 Educational Exhibitor/Community Partner Application

Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC), a nonprofit organization and sea turtle hospital located in Juno Beach, Florida. LMC is dedicated to promoting the conservation of ocean ecosystems, with a focus on threatened and endangered sea turtles through research, rehabilitation, education, and conservation. 

Event Overview
The 22nd Annual TurtleFest will be held on Saturday and Sunday, February 20–21st, 2027. TurtleFest attracts more than 16,000 community members and visitors. This event transforms Loggerhead Marinelife Center campus, Loggerhead Park and Ocean Drive into a two-day family-friendly festival featuring live music, food, and beverages, as well as shopping local vendors, children’s carnival rides/activities, educational presentations, artists, and more.

Event Highlights
Admission to TurtleFest 2027 is donation-based and open to all ages and backgrounds, resulting in higher attendance and increased visibility for your business. The event will feature performances by local musical acts, an emphasis on conservation and education, and the opportunity to reach the community on a large scale.

IMPORTANT DATES

Monday, November 2, 2026 (Application Deadline): Application closes at 11:59pm EST.
Friday, November 6, 2026 (Acceptance Deadline): Deadline for accepted vendors, exhibitors, and partners to formally accept their participation invitation.
Friday, November 20, 2026 (Payment Deadline): Full booth and accessory fees must be received by 11:59 p.m. EST to secure your space. All fees are non-refundable unless the event is canceled by LMC due to a force majeure event or circumstances entirely beyond the center's control.
Friday, January 15, 2027 (Insurance Deadline): All accepted vendors must submit a valid Certificate of Insurance (COI). Detailed compliance and submission instructions will follow acceptance.

Monday, February 1st, 2027 (Table/Chair Requests): All requests and payments due by this date to secure provided materials. Detailed instructions will follow acceptance.

REVIEW ALL INFORMATION BEFORE SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION:

**Interested applicants who do not meet these specific artistic or merchandising criteria, or would like to expand are encouraged to consider a festival sponsorship.

1.Exhibitor & Partner Policies

In alignment with Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s mission to protect ocean ecosystems and sea turtles, TurtleFest is a reduced-waste event. LMC requires all vendors to adhere to our sustainability policies.

• Carry-In, Carry-Out: While we provide trash and recycling stations for attendees, vendors must haul out all of their own operational waste.
• Keep Your Materials Ocean-Friendly: Compensated exhibitors and community partners are NOT permitted to sell merchandise at the event. Any promotional giveaways, and associated packaging must be reusable, recyclable, or compostable. Single-use plastics (including plastic bags, utensils, cups, straws, etc.), Styrofoam, confetti, glitter, balloons, and feather boas are strictly prohibited. Please focus on locally produced products made from renewable resources or post-consumer up-cycled materials whenever possible.
• Source Responsibly: Educational biofacts are welcome, but to protect our marine environments, we do NOT allow any promotional items made from unsustainably-sourced natural materials.
  • Permitted Sustainable Materials: Items welcome made from sea glass, driftwood, fossilized shark teeth, and sustainable aquaculture byproducts such as oyster shells.
  • Prohibited Unsustainable Materials: Standard seashells, white shark teeth, and any specimens or materials that were harvested from living organisms are strictly prohibited. Educational biofacts are welcome.

2. Educational Exhibitor and Community Partner Operations & Logistics

• Event Hours: All participants MUST remain on-site for the full duration of the festival, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.
• Booth Allocations & Logistics by Category
  
  • Educational Exhibitors: One 6' table and two chairs are provided. Approved educational exhibitors will be placed within a fully indoor, air-conditioned space. Electrical power is available for your display, but exhibitors must bring their own heavy-duty extension cords.
  • Community Partners: One 6' table and two chairs are provided. Partner booths will be strategically positioned across the main campus in either indoor or outdoor locations. Electrical power will be accessible at your designated station; please bring necessary extension cords and power strips.
• Security: Overnight security will be stationed within Loggerhead Park from setup through teardown. Indoor spaces are locked overnight. However, vendors are entirely responsible for protecting their materials from weather and theft. Loggerhead Marinelife Center, the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, VIA Productions, and all associated event production parties are not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.
• Safety & Prep: Palm Beach County Fire and Rescue and EMS will be present on-site for the entire event. Public water stations will be active around the festival, and food will be available for purchase. Vendors must bring a reusable water bottle for personal use.
• *COI Required: All participating organizations are required to obtain a Certificate of Insurance (COI) for this event. Compliance details and submission instructions will be provided upon application acceptance.

3. Eligibility and Application Process

• Eligible Organizations: Open to environmental organizations, marine conservation groups, wildlife sanctuaries, and related eco-focused nonprofits looking to engage the public and share their mission.
  
  • Diverse Network: Space is carefully allocated across fields—including habitat restoration, public education, and coastal management—to ensure a well-rounded and diverse environmental showcase for our attendees.
• Jury and Selection: Acceptance into the festival is juried based on the submission of three to five high-quality JPEG images or physical product samples. Special consideration is given to work that directly reflects and supports LMC's mission of ocean conservation.
• Review Timeline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Please allow two weeks from your submission date to receive an application status notification via email.

4. Fees

• Fee Exemption: Educational Exhibitors and Community Partners are completely exempt from the standard participation fee.
• Sales and Donations Restriction: Because these booth fees are waived, exhibitors and partners are strictly prohibited from selling items or collecting financial donations on-site.
• Alternative Options: Any organization intending to sell products or merchandise must apply using the Marketplace Vendor application (acceptance is subject to jury approval and category availability).

5. Securing Your Space & Critical Deadlines
Once accepted, approved exhibitors and partners must meet the following timeline to secure participation. Failure to meet these deadlines will result in the immediate forfeiture of your booth space.

• Monday, November 2, 2026 (Application Deadline): Application closes at 11:59pm EST.
• Friday, November 6, 2026 (Acceptance Deadline): Deadline to formally accept your participation invitation via email.
• Friday, November 20, 2026 (Confirmation Deadline): Final date to confirm your placement. While standard participation fees are waived for approved exhibitors and partners, failing to confirm by this date will result in your space being released to an organization on the waitlist.
• Friday, January 15, 2027 (Insurance Deadline): All accepted exhibitors and partners must submit a valid Certificate of Insurance (COI). Detailed compliance and submission instructions will follow acceptance.
• Monday, February 1, 2027 (Table & Chair Requests Deadline): Final deadline to submit all logistics requests, including tables and chairs, to ensure equipment availability for your location.

6. Exhibitor Communications and Promotion

• Logistics & Updates: All official updates—including check-in times, load-in logistics, and digital assets—will be sent exclusively via email. Please check your inbox regularly to ensure your team receives these critical updates.
• On-Site Media: LMC’s Marketing Team will be capturing photo and video content throughout the weekend to feature our participating organizations on our social media platforms. Unless requested otherwise, your application submission grants approval for your group to be featured. We highly encourage you to showcase your organization’s eco-friendly efforts and promote your educational presence at TurtleFest as a proud, reduced-waste partner!

7. Your Participation Makes a Difference

• Promoting the Event: To help you spread the word, all participating vendors will receive a digital marketing packet filled with promotional assets to showcase your involvement and market the event to your own audience.
• Thank You For Your Interest! By reserving your vendor booth at TurtleFest, you share your message, craft, and services with thousands of passionate attendees while directly supporting the protection of threatened and endangered sea turtles.

We look forward to reviewing your application.

Terms and Conditions

By submitting an application and/or participating in TurtleFest 2027, the applicant (“Participant”) agrees to the following:

Acceptance
Participation is subject to approval by Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC) at its sole discretion. Submission of an application does not guarantee acceptance.

Payment
All fees if applicable must be paid in full by the stated deadline to secure participation. Failure to submit payment may result in forfeiture of space. All fees are non-refundable unless the event is canceled by LMC or affected by a force majeure event or other circumstances beyond LMC’s control.

Event Participation
Participants must operate during all event hours (10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., both days February 20th & 21st, 2027). Early breakdown or unauthorized departures will directly impact eligibility for participation in future events, unless necessitated by severe inclement weather or extreme, unavoidable circumstances.

Compliance
Participants must adhere to all TurtleFest policies, including reduced-waste requirements. Prohibited items include non-recyclable, non-compostable, or single-use materials, as well as products unethically derived from marine life. Refer to vendor policies stated above.

Sales Restrictions
Only approved items in alignment with sustainability standards listed in the Event Description may be sold or distributed during the event. Educational Exhibitors and Community Partners participating under the fee-exempt community partner category may NOT sell merchandise or other items without prior written approval from LMC.

Setup & Equipment
Educational Exhibitors are placed within an indoor, air-conditioned space. Power is available (please bring an extension cord). Community Partners are placed within campus and may be indoor or outdoor, but power will be accessible.
Since these groups are primarily indoors or using existing campus infrastructure, tents are not provided, but power is accessible.

Liability
Participants assume all risks associated with personal injury, property loss, or damage incurred during the event. Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC), the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, Via Productions, and all associated event production partners shall not be held liable for any claims, losses, or damages arising from participation in TurtleFest.

Weather
TurtleFest is a rain-or-shine event. No refunds will be issued due to weather conditions, except in the case of a force majeure event—unforeseen circumstances beyond Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s control that make holding the festival impossible or unsafe.

Media Release
Participation constitutes consent for LMC to photograph and use images of booths, products, and Participants for promotional purposes unless otherwise requested in writing.

Conduct
LMC reserves the right to remove any Participant for failure to comply with event policies or for inappropriate conduct, without refund.

Agreement
Submission of an application and/or payment constitutes full acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.