Catered Food Concessions

Thanks for for interest in providing food concessions for First Taste Oregon. We select our concession vendors based on menu offerings, price points, fit, and references.

The event team seeks out hearty meals and matches that with special treats, desserts and savory offerings. We have a low booth fee and sales %, but also ask that you provide a featured food item that you will offer samples or small tastes to our attendees. We believe this increases your sales, but also creates an atmosphere of tasting and enjoyment. This all leads to a memorable experience for attendees who become loyal fans returning each year. 

Booth spaces are provided inside for you to create a service area or limited food prep and cooking. Outdoor space for food trucks and trailers and carts can be arranged near a door with direct access to your indoor serving space. There are restrictions on cooking indoors.

Our team is great at finding solutions for your cooking and serving needs. Booth placement is based on application date, product category, and space availability. Early applications are encouraged for best placement and visibility.

**Please note that you will be required to enter a credit card number at check out but you will not be charged until approved and verified**

First Taste Oregon Terms & Conditions

Exhibitor Rules & Regulations

AISLES

All aisles, walkways, emergency access routes, and overhead spaces remain under the control of the Festival Producer. Signs, decorations, banners, displays, advertising materials, and exhibits must remain entirely within the boundaries of the assigned exhibit space unless otherwise approved by the Festival Producer.

BALLOONS & SMOKING

Smoking, vaping, open flames, and helium or other lighter-than-air balloons are prohibited inside all Festival buildings.  Smoking areas will be provided outside and away from public areas.

CLEAN-UP

Exhibitors are responsible for maintaining a clean and professional exhibit space throughout the Festival and for leaving the space in the same condition in which it was received.

This includes removal of all trash, decorations, tape, tape residue, boxes, pallets, display materials, and personal property. Glass and cardboard recycling containers will be available on-site.

The Festival Producer reserves the right to remove abandoned property or perform necessary cleaning and repairs. Any associated costs, including tape residue removal, disposal fees, or facility charges assessed by Linn County Fair & Expo Center, shall be the responsibility of the Exhibitor. A minimum clean-up fee of $25.00 may be assessed.

The Festival Producer assumes no responsibility for loss of or damage to items left unattended during or after the Event.

COSTS & ATTORNEY FEES

Should the Festival Producer commence any legal action arising out of this Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney fees, court costs, and other allowable litigation expenses as determined by the court.

DECORATIONS & FURNISHINGS

Floor coverings, tables, chairs, shelving, display fixtures, decorations, and any other furnishings not expressly provided by the Festival Producer are the responsibility of the Exhibitor. Arrangements should be made prior to the Event through the Festival Producer or a supplier of the Exhibitor's choosing.

DISCRETIONARY MATTERS

Any matter not specifically addressed in these Rules and Regulations shall be determined solely by the Festival Producer or its authorized representatives. Such decisions shall be final.

ELECTRICAL SERVICE

Electrical service is available for purchase at current published rates and must be ordered through the Festival Producer.

The Festival Producer reserves the right to disconnect or reduce electrical service to any exhibitor exceeding the electrical load requested or creating unsafe conditions.

All electrical equipment shall utilize commercially rated extension cords, surge protectors, and power strips. Household extension cords are prohibited. Extension cords must connect directly to the power source and may not be "daisy chained."

Electrical service, including the use of wall outlets, must be ordered in advance. The Linn County Fair & Expo Center may assess a minimum $80.00 late fee for electrical orders received after stated order deadline.

EXHIBIT INTEGRITY

All exhibits, displays, merchandise, fixtures, signage, and booth materials must remain fully operational and intact until the official close of the Festival on Saturday. Early dismantling, packing, or removal is prohibited without prior written approval from the Festival Producer. Failure to comply may affect eligibility for participation in future events produced by the Festival Producer.

Here's a more polished version that reads professionally while preserving the Festival Producer's discretion:

EXHIBIT SPACE ASSIGNMENTS

All exhibitor applications are reviewed by Festival staff prior to assignment of exhibit space. Booth locations are determined based on a variety of factors, including product category, overall event layout, compatibility with neighboring exhibitors, attendee experience, operational needs, sponsorship obligations, and the goal of maintaining a balanced mix of products while minimizing unnecessary duplication.

Exhibitors may request a preferred booth location during the application process. While every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate such requests, specific locations cannot be guaranteed.

The Festival Producer reserves the sole and exclusive right to assign, reassign, or relocate exhibit spaces as necessary to serve the overall best interests of the Festival. All exhibit space assignments are final.

I intentionally added "assign, reassign, or relocate" because it gives you the contractual authority to move a vendor if operational needs arise before or during move-in, without having to argue that their original assignment was permanent. This language is common in professionally managed trade shows and festivals.

FIRE & LIFE SAFETY

All exhibits must comply with applicable fire, life safety, and building regulations.

Decorative materials shall be flame resistant or properly treated with approved fire-retardant materials. Flammable materials, including untreated tissue paper or similar products, are prohibited.

Fire exits, fire extinguishers, electrical panels, and emergency access routes must remain unobstructed at all times.

INDEMNIFICATION

The Vendor, Exhibitor, or Sponsor agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Festival Producer and its officers, employees, volunteers, and representatives from and against any claims, damages, liabilities, losses, expenses, judgments, or costs arising out of or relating to the Exhibitor's participation in the Event, including the acts or omissions of the Exhibitor, its employees, Festival Producers, contractors, or representatives.

This indemnification shall not apply to the extent any claim results solely from the negligence or willful misconduct of the Festival Producer or its representatives.

LIABILITY INSURANCE

All vendors and exhibitors must provide a Certificate of Commercial General Liability Insurance with limits of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence, naming:

Ingalls & Associates, LLC dba First Taste Oregon
P.O. Box 2248
Lebanon, Oregon 97355

as Additional Insured for the Event.

Event Location:

Linn County Fair & Expo Center
3700 Knox Butte Road E.
Albany, OR 97322

Insurance certificates must be received prior to occupancy of exhibit space.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

The Festival Producer assumes no responsibility for the loss of, theft of, or damage to property belonging to exhibitors, sponsors, vendors, or the public.

Participation in the Event is at the Exhibitor's own risk, and the Festival Producer is expressly released from liability for loss, injury, or property damage except as otherwise required by law.

PERMITS, LICENSES & REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

The Exhibitor is solely responsible for obtaining, maintaining, and complying with all federal, state, county, and local permits, licenses, certifications, inspections, and approvals required for the operation of their exhibit or business.

Exhibitors engaged in food or beverage preparation, sampling, or sales shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Linn County Environmental Health Program, the Oregon Health Authority, and all other governing agencies. Exhibitors are responsible for obtaining any required temporary restaurant licenses, food handler certifications, and health inspections.

Exhibitors offering alcoholic beverage sampling or sales must comply with all applicable Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) laws, rules, permits, and service requirements. No alcoholic beverages may be served, sampled, or sold except as specifically authorized by the Agent and the appropriate regulatory agencies.

Any exhibitor conducting activities requiring specialized permits, certifications, or professional licensing—including, but not limited to, cooking demonstrations, food processing, product manufacturing, raffles, gaming, health or wellness services, or regulated commercial activities—shall obtain and maintain all required approvals and operate in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Failure to obtain or maintain required permits, licenses, or regulatory approvals may result in denial of move-in, immediate closure of the exhibit, or removal from the Festival without refund.

NOISE

Exhibitors shall maintain sound levels that do not interfere with neighboring exhibitors or Festival activities.

The Festival Producer reserves the right to require the reduction or elimination of excessive noise, including amplified music, speakers, microphones, bells, horns, or other sound-producing devices.

PARKING LOTS

Vendor parking is provided to the West of the Willamette Exhibit Hall and is free of charge with an exhibitor pass. You may drop storage vehicles here for servicing the event.   Public parking is also free and is located to the EAST of the property convenient to the entry doors.  Vendors are not to park in the East lot.  

Distribution of flyers, coupons, promotional materials, samples, or advertising within parking lots or common areas is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Festival Producer. Sales of vehicles or items are prohibited in the parking lot.  

No stakes, anchors, or attachments may be driven into parking lot surfaces.

PAYMENTS & CANCELLATIONS

Failure to make payments as required may result in cancellation of exhibit space without further notice and without refund.

Cancellation by the Exhibitor constitutes default under this Agreement. All payments previously made shall be retained by the Festival Producer as liquidated damages.

Should legal action become necessary to collect unpaid balances, the Festival Producer reserves all remedies available under applicable law.

No refunds will be issued for exhibitor cancellations.

PETS – See Service Animals  (Pets are prohibited)

RESTRICTIONS

The Festival Producer reserves the right, as permitted by law, to restrict, suspend, or remove any exhibit, display, activity, or conduct deemed unsafe, disruptive, offensive, or inconsistent with the objectives of the Festival.

EVENT MODIFICATIONS

Should the Event be delayed, postponed, relocated, interrupted, modified, or canceled due to weather, natural disaster, government action, public health emergency, utility interruption, labor dispute, acts of terrorism, or any circumstance beyond the reasonable control of the Festival Producer, the Festival Producer shall not be liable for damages or expenses incurred by the Exhibitor.

Each party agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold the other harmless only to the extent losses are caused by that party's negligent or intentional acts or omissions.

SECURITY

Limited security personnel may be present during public Festival hours for crowd management and alcohol compliance purposes only.

Security is not provided for the protection of exhibitor property. Exhibitors are solely responsible for securing and insuring their merchandise, equipment, displays, and personal property at all times.

SERVICE ANIMALS

First Taste Oregon welcomes individuals with disabilities who are accompanied by service animals in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

A service animal must remain under the control of its handler at all times through the use of a leash, harness, tether, or, when such devices would interfere with the animal's work or the handler's disability prevents their use, through voice, signal, or other effective means of control. The handler is solely responsible for the care, supervision, and behavior of the service animal. (ADA.gov)

If it is not readily apparent that a dog is a service animal, Festival staff may ask only the following two questions permitted under the ADA:

Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
Festival staff will not request documentation, certification, identification cards, registration, medical information, or proof of training. Service animals are not required to wear a vest, patch, tag, harness, or other identifying equipment, and such items will not be accepted as proof that an animal is a service animal. (ADA.gov)

A service animal may be required to leave the Festival only if:

The animal is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to regain control;
The animal is not housebroken; or
The animal's behavior poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. (ADA.gov)
Examples of behavior that may demonstrate an animal is not under the handler's control include repeated or disruptive barking, lunging at or jumping on people, aggressive behavior, roaming away from the handler, repeated indoor urination or defecation, or other conduct that creates a safety concern and is not promptly corrected by the handler. A single bark or a brief reaction to an unusual circumstance, by itself, will not ordinarily constitute grounds for removal. (ADA.gov)

Service animals entering the Festival should be healthy, properly groomed, free of contagious disease, and in compliance with all applicable state and local animal health and vaccination requirements.

If a service animal is properly excluded under this policy, the individual with a disability will be offered the opportunity to remain at and enjoy the Festival without the animal, to the extent permitted by law. (ADA.gov)

SHARED BOOTHS

Shared exhibit spaces are permitted only with prior approval from the Festival Producer.

One company shall serve as the primary exhibitor and shall be solely responsible for all communications, payments, compliance with Festival rules, and coordination of the shared exhibit.

All participating businesses must provide separate Certificates of Liability Insurance.

SIDE PANEL HEIGHTS

Side walls or display panels exceeding three (3) feet in height require prior written approval from the Festival Producer.

BINDING AGREEMENT

These Rules and Regulations form a binding part of the Exhibitor Agreement.

The individual signing the Exhibitor Application represents and warrants that they are authorized to enter into this Agreement on behalf of the Exhibitor.

Submission of the signed Exhibitor Application constitutes acknowledgment that the Exhibitor has read, understands, and agrees to abide by these Rules and Regulations.