DESCRIPTION
The 37th Mushroom Festival will take place Saturday and Sunday, September 9th and 10th, 2023 in downtown Kennett Square, PA. Festival hours are from 10 AM – 6 PM on Saturday and 10AM – 4 PM on Sunday. This is an outdoor street festival and will be held rain or shine.
OUR MISSION:
The Mission of the Mushroom Festival is to promote the mushroom, educate consumers about the health benefits of mushrooms and to promote tourism in Southern Chester County, all while financially supporting local and regional charities through a grant process.
WHAT IS PROMOTIONAL VENDOR?
Promotional Vendors are those who market their product, business or services only and are not selling an item at the Festival. Regular Promotional Vendor spaces are located on the side streets in one of our Business Expo areas. Premium Promotional Vendor spaces are available along State Street. These spaces are limited. Apply early for best placement.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
All application materials must be post received by: August 1, 2023, for consideration.
Promotional Vendor Fees:
10’x10’ Promotional Space on side streets: $700
10’x10’ Promotional Space on State Street: $2000
Special Note:
Accepted vendors will not be allowed to use the name “Mushroom Festival” or any of the Mushroom Festival logos on their products.
• Vendor spaces are 10 feet wide and 10 feet deep, CANOPIES ARE REQUIRED and must be supplied by the vendor. Vendors will need to provide all materials/equipment for set-up (tables, chairs, backdrops, etc.). ALL CANOPIES MUST BE SECURED AND WEIGHTED DOWN WITH A MINIMUM OF 40lb WEIGHTS ON ALL FOUR CORNERS. The canopy should be secure enough to withstand a small thunderstorm.
PLEASE NOTE: Sidewalks are to remain clear behind your vendor space during Mushroom Festival hours. Open spaces are built in to the layout of our festival for safety reasons. Vendors who expand into the open spaces, beyond what was requested, paid for, and approved by the committee, will be charged for the extra space occupied, and denied future participation in future Mushroom Festivals. Pictures will be taken to document the breach of space and billed accordingly.
• During Sunday’s breakdown (at 5pm), vendors may not be able to park their vehicle right next to their vendor space. Every attempt is made so vendors can get as close as they can to their vendor space to load their vehicle. A handcart is recommended to assist vendors.
SET UP
• Included with the vendor acceptance letter, each vendor is assigned a check in location, spaces, and a set up time to prevent congestion on the festival streets. There are additional festival vehicles and vendors arriving for set up at the same time as the craft vendors. Vendors who arrive late should be aware that the festival streets are closed, to all vehicles, at 8:30 am on Saturday and 8:30 am on Sunday. If vendors arrive after the streets are closed to vehicular traffic, vendors must park outside festival grounds and carry/cart materials to their assigned space. Upon arrival to the festival area, vendors will be asked their vendor space number and check in location. Vendors then will be directed to the vendor space location. Be prepared to unload all materials/supplies onto the sidewalk to set up the vendor space.
• Vendors will be asked to park their vehicles off festival grounds once all materials are unloaded. Please do not begin setting up until your vehicle is moved. Vendors then
return to their vendor space to continue set up of their vendor space.
• Vendors are to be prepared to have their exhibit ready for public viewing/shopping: Saturday, September 10, 10:00 am; Sunday, September 11 at 10:00 am.
PARKING
Parking is not allowed in the Festival area. Vendors are requested to park on side streets which do not have NO PARKING signs placed by the police department. Additionally, box trucks or trailers should not encroach corners and remain 15 feet from the corner of any intersection.
SECURITY
Overnight security will be provided. Each vendor is responsible for securing their own vendor space.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Mushroom Festival events will continue rain or shine. Events may need to be delayed due to weather. However, we attempt not to cancel whenever possible. In the event of severe weather, excessive rain or flooding, including thunder and lightning, events will stop or be delayed. In those extreme cases, please be cautious and take cover. Vendors are to be fully prepared to protect against adverse conditions, such as rain, wind, sun, heat, etc. If severe weather conditions persist, i.e., thunderstorm w/ lightning, the Festival will temporarily close down and then reopen. Vehicles will not be allowed in the Festival area during cloudbursts - please be prepared to protect your merchandise. Vendors are expected to reopen their vendor spaces as soon as possible once the weather has cleared and the Festival reopens. No refunds will be issued for inclement weather. All spaces are located on the street. Drainage from rain can occur. If you have tubs, cardboard boxes, etc., please consider placing merchandise on wooden pallets to keep your merchandise dry.
RULES FOR PROMOTIONAL VENDORS
1. Businesses in the promotional areas may only include licensed, for-profit businesses.
2. Exhibitors are encouraged to distribute promotions, coupons, and take orders. Exhibitors of tangible goods MAY NOT make sales involving the exchange of funds.
3. Festival businesses who conduct a free drawing are required to conduct the drawing onsite and give away the advertised item by the conclusion of the Festival. Raffles or drawings where tickets are sold are not permitted.
4. All distribution of promotional items must be pre-approved by the Mushroom Festival Committee to insure diversity and prevent conflict with other street vendors to sell products at the Festival. This means arts and crafts, face painting, water/beverages of any kind, food items, and other products sold at the Festival are not allowed to be used as promotional items.
5. The Festival is held regardless of weather conditions. Exhibitors are encouraged to bring sunscreen, hats, and other protective items to be prepared for changes in weather conditions. No pets are permitted in the Festival, except service animals.
6. All marketing activities by exhibitors are restricted to the immediate confines of your space as provided by the Festival. Specifically, this means vendors are NOT allowed to enter the thoroughfare to distribute flyers or giveaways in the immediate promotional area or any other area designated by the Mushroom Festival Committee as part of the Festival. This requirement will be strictly enforced. The Festival does not permit live or recorded music or demonstrations as they may constrict the pedestrian walkway or be loud and disruptive to other vendors.
7. Set-up time will be scheduled by the Mushroom Festival Committee between 5 am – 7:15 am on Saturday. Spaces must be in service during all hours of the Festival and until the close each day. Oversized vehicles, larger than a standard truck, will need to make special arrangements for set up and break down times. Space assignment and set-up information will be emailed by August 20th, 2023. The Mushroom Festival Committee reserves the right to change the location of an exhibitor’s space in the event the exhibitor is not set up during the specified time.
8. Failure to arrive at the scheduled time to occupy your space will result in the loss of the ability to drive a vehicle into the festival thoroughfare to unload. Late space set-up must be hand carried from outside of festival grounds, which may be ¼-½ mile from the Festival site.
9. The Mushroom Festival Committee reserves the right to prohibit and remove displays and handouts which, in the opinion of the Mushroom Festival Committee, detract from the family nature of the Festival or its general theme to promote legitimate businesses.
10. The Mushroom Festival Committee is not required to make any refunds for cancellation of exhibits after August 9, 2023.
11.Exhibitors assume responsibility for their own displays, promotions, money, other financial instruments, and property in the Festival and agree to hold the Mushroom Festival Committee harmless.
12. Those businesses needing electricity should indicate that on their application and pay the additional fee. The Festival cannot guarantee availability after the deadline. Those using electricity must provide a 50-foot or longer extension cord. Electrical outlets are limited to specific areas and provided on a first come, first served basis.
13. No business may present materials for or promote any company other than its own.
14. Every effort will be made to accommodate a vendor’s choice of space selection. The Mushroom Festival Committee reserves the final right to place vendors.
15. Applications are only considered complete once both the form and the payment have been received.
16. Products may only be displayed within the confines of the Festival space or space provided.
17. Exhibitors must sign a form holding the Mushroom Festival Committee and the Town of harmless for damage or theft of products beyond their control, including but not limited to cash, checks, and credit card slips.
18. Vendors are responsible for removing all trash from their area each evening and may not use Festival trash receptacles for its disposal.
The Mushroom Festival Committee reserves the sole right to determine if items or vendors are acceptable.
APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
1. Application completed in full and legible. Remember to select the proper location you are requesting.
2. Picture of display
3. A list of promotional items you intend to distribute.
4. Check or credit card number must be submitted with your application. All returned checks are subject to a $50 service fee.
Please keep the Rules and Regulations for future reference.
Please submit applications to:
The Mushroom Festival
Attn: Vendor Chair
PO Box 1000
Kennett Square, PA 19348
OR
All notifications of acceptance and space assignments will be mailed or emailed by August 20, 2023.
Application Deadline is August 1, 2023 or until spaces are filled.
STAFF CONTACT
Rhonda Sarver, Vendor Chair
The Mushroom Festival
(302)399-1116
mushroomvendors@gmail.com
