2026 Artisans & Crafters Application Fee Wavied - % of Revenue

Milwaukee Oktoberfest 2026 Amusement & Attraction Vendor Application
Bring some extra fun to Milwaukee Oktoberfest, October 2–4, 2026, at Henry Maier Festival Park!

We’re looking for amusement rides, family-friendly attractions, games, and interactive experiences to join us for the weekend.

Approved amusement vendors will operate on a percentage-of-sales model, with Milwaukee Oktoberfest receiving 12.5% of gross sales. There is no standard upfront space fee.

Vendors are responsible for providing and operating their own equipment, staffing, setup, signage, ticketing or POS system, insurance, permits, inspections, and any required support equipment. Tents and equipment are not provided.

All attractions are subject to approval based on available space, safety requirements, power needs, overall event fit, and festival operations.

Please complete the application with information about your company, proposed rides or attractions, pricing, operating footprint, power requirements, insurance, and any special setup needs.

Festival Dates: October 2–4, 2026
Location: Henry Maier Festival Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Vendor Fee: 12.5% of Gross Sales

Submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance or placement. Approved vendors will receive additional setup, credential, insurance, and operational information prior to the festival.

Milwaukee Oktoberfest 2026
Amusement & Attraction Vendor Terms & Conditions
By submitting this application and participating in Milwaukee Oktoberfest, all Amusement and Attraction Vendors agree to the following terms and conditions.

1. Eligibility & Approval
This application is intended for operators of approved amusement rides, attractions, games, interactive experiences, and other entertainment activities.

All proposed rides and attractions must be disclosed in the application and approved by Milwaukee Oktoberfest prior to arrival.

Submission of an application does not guarantee acceptance. Milwaukee Oktoberfest reserves the right to select vendors and attractions based on available space, safety requirements, event fit, operational needs, and overall festival programming.

2. Vendor Fee: 12.5% of Gross Sales
There is no fixed space fee for approved Amusement and Attraction Vendors unless otherwise agreed to in writing.

Instead, the vendor agrees to pay Milwaukee Oktoberfest:

12.5% OF GROSS SALES
"Gross Sales" means the total revenue generated from rides, attractions, games, tickets, wristbands, upgrades, or other paid activities operated by the vendor during Milwaukee Oktoberfest, before deduction of expenses, credit card processing fees, labor, transportation, insurance, equipment costs, prizes, commissions, or other operating expenses, but excluding separately stated sales tax.

Vendors are responsible for accurately tracking all transactions, including cash, credit/debit card, mobile payment, electronic payment, tickets, and any other form of payment.
Vendors must provide Milwaukee Oktoberfest with a final sales report following the festival.
The 12.5% vendor fee applies to all revenue generated through the vendor's operation at Milwaukee Oktoberfest.
Milwaukee Oktoberfest reserves the right to request reasonable supporting documentation, including POS reports, transaction summaries, ticket counts, or similar records, to verify reported gross sales.
Vendors may not intentionally process festival transactions outside their normal reporting system for the purpose of avoiding the percentage vendor fee.
Final reporting and payment instructions will be provided to accepted vendors.
3. Setup, Operating Hours & Tear-Down
Setup
Thursday, October 1 | 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Additional setup time for large rides or attractions may be arranged in advance with Milwaukee Oktoberfest.

All equipment must be fully installed, inspected, secured, and ready for operation before opening to the public.

Festival Operating Hours
Friday, October 2 | 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 3 | 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Sunday, October 4 | 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Vendors are expected to operate throughout festival hours, subject to applicable safety requirements, weather conditions, inspection requirements, and operational restrictions.

Tear-Down
Tear-down may begin after the festival closes on:

Sunday, October 4 | After 6:30 p.m.

Early tear-down is not permitted without authorization from Milwaukee Oktoberfest.

Vehicle and equipment movement on the festival grounds must follow instructions provided by event personnel.

4. Equipment, Space & Infrastructure
Milwaukee Oktoberfest will provide an assigned operating location for each approved amusement vendor.

Tents, booths, tables, chairs, generators, electrical equipment, fencing, barriers, ticket booths, signage, lighting, tools, and other operating equipment are NOT provided unless specifically agreed to in writing.

Vendors are responsible for supplying all equipment necessary to safely operate their attraction.

The vendor must disclose in advance:

Complete dimensions and required operating footprint of each attraction.
Height and clearance requirements.
Electrical and power requirements.
Generator requirements, if applicable.
Anchoring, ballast, or stabilization requirements.
Required safety or queue barriers.
Access requirements for trucks, trailers, cranes, or support vehicles.
Any special setup or teardown requirements.
Equipment may not extend beyond the vendor's assigned footprint without approval.

Final placement of all rides and attractions is determined by Milwaukee Oktoberfest and Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.

5. Licensing, Permits & Inspections
Vendors are solely responsible for obtaining and maintaining all licenses, permits, registrations, inspections, certifications, and governmental approvals required to legally operate their equipment in Wisconsin and at Milwaukee Oktoberfest.

All amusement rides and attractions must meet applicable State of Wisconsin and local safety requirements.

Required inspections must be completed before the attraction opens to the public.

Milwaukee Oktoberfest or Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. may require documentation demonstrating compliance before allowing an attraction to operate.

Failure to obtain required permits, inspections, or approvals does not relieve the vendor of expenses incurred in preparing for or attending the event.

6. Insurance
Amusement vendors must maintain appropriate commercial general liability insurance and any additional insurance required for their specific rides or attractions.

Proof of insurance must be provided before the event.

Any required Certificate of Insurance must name the parties specified by Milwaukee Oktoberfest as additional insureds and meet coverage limits established by Milwaukee Oktoberfest and/or Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.

Failure to provide acceptable insurance documentation may result in the vendor being prohibited from setting up or operating.

7. Ride & Attraction Safety
The vendor assumes full responsibility for the safe installation, inspection, maintenance, staffing, supervision, and operation of its rides and attractions.

Vendors must:

Operate equipment according to manufacturer requirements and applicable laws.
Provide appropriately trained and qualified operators.
Enforce all height, weight, age, capacity, and safety restrictions.
Maintain appropriate fencing, barriers, entrances, exits, and queue areas.
Keep operating areas clean and free from hazards.
Immediately discontinue operation of any equipment that becomes unsafe.
Maintain required inspection and maintenance records.
Follow emergency instructions issued by Milwaukee Oktoberfest or Milwaukee World Festival personnel.
Milwaukee Oktoberfest reserves the right to require an attraction to cease operation when organizers reasonably believe a safety concern exists.

8. Staffing
Vendors are responsible for providing sufficient trained personnel to safely operate and supervise all attractions during festival hours.

Vendor employees and representatives remain employees or contractors of the vendor and are not employees of Milwaukee Oktoberfest, Kegel's Inn, Swarmm Events, or Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.

Vendors are responsible for employee wages, payroll taxes, workers' compensation, training, supervision, and compliance with applicable employment laws.

9. Pricing & Customer Transactions
All attraction pricing must be clearly displayed to guests.

Prices should be submitted with the vendor application or provided to Milwaukee Oktoberfest prior to the festival.

Any ticket, wristband, package, or unlimited-ride program must be disclosed and approved in advance.

Vendors are responsible for customer refunds, chargebacks, transaction disputes, and complaints arising from their operation unless otherwise agreed in writing.

10. Conduct
Vendors and their employees must conduct themselves professionally and courteously at all times.

Harassment, intoxication while operating equipment, unsafe behavior, threatening conduct, or inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated.

Milwaukee Oktoberfest reserves the right to remove individual vendor personnel or discontinue an attraction for serious safety or conduct violations.

Removal or closure does not eliminate the vendor's obligation to report sales and pay the applicable 12.5% vendor fee on revenue generated before closure.

11. Liability & Indemnification
The vendor assumes responsibility for its equipment, employees, contractors, operations, customers, and attractions.

Milwaukee Oktoberfest, Kegel's Inn, Swarmm Events, Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., and their respective owners, officers, employees, representatives, contractors, sponsors, and affiliates are not responsible for loss, theft, damage, injury, equipment failure, or other losses associated with the vendor's operations except to the extent otherwise required by law.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the vendor agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Milwaukee Oktoberfest, Kegel's Inn, Swarmm Events, Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., and their respective affiliates from claims, damages, losses, expenses, or liabilities arising from the vendor's equipment, personnel, negligence, operations, or participation in the festival.

12. Weather & Operational Shutdowns
Milwaukee Oktoberfest is a rain-or-shine event.

Amusement vendors remain responsible for determining whether their individual equipment can safely operate under existing weather conditions, subject to instructions from festival management and Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.

Operations must immediately cease whenever required because of wind, lightning, severe weather, equipment conditions, government orders, emergency conditions, or other safety concerns.

Festival organizers may delay, suspend, modify, relocate, shorten, or cancel festival operations when necessary for public safety.

Because the vendor fee is based on 12.5% of actual gross sales, vendors owe the percentage fee only on revenue actually generated.

Milwaukee Oktoberfest is not responsible for lost revenue, transportation, labor, equipment rental, lodging, setup costs, or other vendor expenses resulting from weather or operational interruptions.

13. Damage to Festival Property
Vendors are responsible for damage caused by their equipment, vehicles, employees, contractors, installation, operation, or removal activities.

No staking, drilling, excavation, attachment to permanent structures, or modification of festival property is permitted without prior authorization.

Any damage to pavement, utilities, buildings, landscaping, fencing, electrical systems, or other festival property may be charged to the responsible vendor.

14. Acceptance & Attraction Placement
Milwaukee Oktoberfest reserves the right to approve or decline any application.

Accepted vendors will receive additional operational information before the festival.

Specific locations, attendance levels, customer traffic, visibility, weather conditions, or sales performance are not guaranteed.

Final placement of attractions may be adjusted when reasonably necessary for safety, utilities, festival operations, or site requirements.

15. Data Use
Vendor information will be used for Milwaukee Oktoberfest administration, communication, payment reconciliation, event operations, permitting, safety coordination, and other purposes reasonably related to participation.

Vendor information will not be sold to unrelated third parties.

Vendor Agreement
By submitting this application, the applicant confirms that the information provided is accurate and that they have authority to enter into this agreement on behalf of the participating business.

By accepting placement and participating in Milwaukee Oktoberfest, the vendor agrees to:

Comply with these Amusement & Attraction Vendor Terms & Conditions.
Provide properly licensed, permitted, inspected, insured, and maintained equipment.
Provide qualified personnel to safely operate all attractions.
Operate during required festival hours whenever conditions permit safe operation.
Accurately report all festival sales.
Pay Milwaukee Oktoberfest 12.5% of Gross Sales as defined above.
Comply with applicable laws, regulations, safety requirements, festival policies, and site requirements.
Submission of this application constitutes acknowledgment and acceptance of these terms and conditions.