Vendor Booth Space Contract
Booth spaces are 15 feet wide and 12 feet deep. You must be able to fit your entire tent or trailer
(including tongue) in this space or you must buy a second space. Booths are directly next to each other so there is no wiggle room. If you can’t fit, you will forfeit your space.
As a vendor, it is important for you to read this packet very carefully.
Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. You must have application and payment submitted to have a booth secured and placed on map. You may turn your insurance certificate in after as some have renewal times. We must have insurance no later than 3 weeks before the fest. After applications are accepted, there are no refunds, no exceptions.
This year, the festival will start on Friday, August 23rd, 2024 for all events and vendors. Set-up for the festival will be on 9am. You will receive instructions the week before the fest on set up.
DeKalb Corn Fest has sole authority over booth placement. Local sales tax forms will be sent with your confirmation letter. It is your responsibility to submit to the City of DeKalb. Please Note: If you are in tax arrears with the City of DeKalb, you will not be allowed to purchase a booth space until the City is paid.
Food vendors are required to follow all DeKalb County Health Department rules, including on-site mechanical refrigeration units. Coolers filled with ice do not qualify. You may find the requirements at: https://health.dekalbcounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/CklistOp.pdf.
If you are cooking in your booth space, you will be required to purchase felt flooring paper to put down on the road where your booth space is located to keep grease off the road. You must show us you have it before setting up. If not, you will need to purchase from us. All grease will be disposed on in designated grease containers at fest. Anyone seen disposing of grease/grease water down sewage drains will be fined by the city and banned from future Corn Fest events.
ALL MENU ITEMS MUST BE DISPLAYED WITH LETTERS AT LEAST 2” HIGH FOR PEOPLE TO READ FROM THE STREET.
We look forward to working with you again to make this year’s festival another community success and seeing you at the 2024 DeKalb Corn Fest! Feel free to contact us with any questions at 815-748-2676 or vendor@cornfest.com.
Sincerely,
DeKalb Corn Fest Committee
Corn Fest agrees to provide Vendor with spaces at the Corn Fest described below:
- Vendor agrees that Corn Fest shall have sole authority and discretion in the assignment of the spaces at the Corn Fest.
- Any Vendor located on festival grounds must provide their own tent or other shelter to cover for their space. They must also provide the proper extension cord (12 gauge 3 prong outlets 50 ft. or longer) for any electrical needs. See Exhibit “B” to list electrical items and amps needed at fest. The festival is on a street so there will be no staking tents allowed on premise.
- Booth tents, signs, tables, condiment tables, cooking equipment, or other items related to Vendor operation must not project past marked booth space. All menu prices must be at least 2” in height so patrons can see from the street. If you will be cooking in your booth, you must purchase flooring paper to put on the road where your booth space is located before setting up to keep grease from getting on the road. Corn Fest can supply info. as to what you can purchase.
- Vendors are NOT allowed to leave their designated booth space and approach patron to try to sell their products or yell out to people to come to their booth.
- No smoking in booth and you must be dressed in appropriate attire for a family festival. No foul or abusive language towards staff or patrons will be tolerated.
- Vendors are not allowed to sell corn dogs as we have an exclusive agreement with one vendor to sell them.
VENDOR SPACE CLEAN UP: Vendor will assure that booth space is thoroughly cleaned at tear down.
FOOD INSPECTION: Food vendors will be continually inspected by the DeKalb County Health Department and by the DeKalb Corn Fest, Inc. staff during the festival. Proper storage, preparation, etc. of cooked items will be strictly enforced. Health Department Guidelines will be included with your confirmation letter. “If you are in violation of the Health Codes, you have to leave and forfeit your funds”. NOTE: On-site mechanical refrigeration unit are required of all food vendors dealing with potentially hazardous perishable food items, such as meat, poultry, fish and dairy items. Your booth will be inspected any time after 2pm on Friday. All health regulations can be found at: https://dekalbcounty.org/Health/environmental/industry.html
WATER: Corn Fest will provide Vendor with a portable water source. There is no running water to booths. Vendors choosing to use this water source must provide an approved food grade quality bucket to transport water.
Grey Water, Grease, and Garbage: All grease must be disposed of by vendor off premise of the festival. Any vendor caught putting grease down sewage drains will be terminated immediately. Corn Fest supplies a hot charcoal container by the crafter fair. All other garbage must be put in festival totes.
Trash shall not be piled up at Vendor tent. Trash removal must be made regularly to the proper containers. Waste and recycling containers will be available and all vendors are responsible for cleaning their own spaces. Vendors selling items that generate a large amount of garbage such as corn cobs, etc. will be required to lease a 2 yd. container from Corn Fest for the festival weekend.
City of DeKalb Fire Department: Vendor agrees to comply with all the rules and regulations of the City of DeKalb and the DeKalb Fire Department.
- All food service Vendors must have a Class 2A-40BC rated fire extinguisher; any vendors cooking with oil are required to have an additional fire extinguisher with a Class K rating. All fire extinguishers must be easily accessible within the vending area. If you would like to rent an extinguisher, there is a vendor on premise that can rent them to you.
- Open-flame cooking under a tent is prohibited. All open-flame cooking must be at least five (5) feet away from tent. Discarded coals shall be soaked and properly disposed of in charcoal container located on premises. No smokers on premise without prior approval. If the smoke is causing a large amount of smoke you will be asked to shut it off. We are near downtown merchants and must respect their storefronts.
Electrical: Electricity will be available in limited amounts. Electrical inspector will be on-site to check electrical hook-ups and to remove any potentially dangerous situations. (Any additional electric requirements other than what was requested on the application will be charged to you directly and will be paid in full before you will be able to open for business).
- Vendor shall list all of its electrical requirements in Exhibit C, attached hereto. Should the Vendor require an additional 110-volt, 20 amp circuit, the Vendor agrees to pay an additional flat fee of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) per additional 110 volt, 20 amp circuit. These additional circuits are only sold in these increments. Any electrical requirement in excess of the above (included 110 volt, 20 amp circuits) shall be prepaid in addition to the cost of materials and services provided by the electrician hired by Corn Fest, at the electrician’s hourly rate and material costs.
- If a Vendor exceeds the electrical needs, it shall be liable for any damages caused, including consequential damages. Any Vendor that continues to exceed its electrical needs listed shall be considered in breach of this agreement. In the event of breach by the Vendor, Corn Fest shall be entitled to terminate this agreement, remove the Vendor from the premises and retain all fees paid by Vendor as liquidated damages for the Vendor’s failure to comply with this agreement.
Vendor Menu: A completed menu (Exhibit A) must accompany the signed contract. Vendor agrees to sell only those item(s) as shown on Exhibit A at the price marked. Corn Fest must be contacted of any changes before the fest. If you a non- food vendor, list the items you are selling at your booth.
Hours of Operation: Vendor agrees to comply with the schedules for the operation of its food booth as stated per the location option above.
Vendors may not set up their booth until 9:00 AM on Friday, August 23rd. Large trailers or set ups that take longer than 2 hours may request a check in on Thursday evening when electric is set up. Take down time for Vendor area shall be no earlier than 6:00 PM on Sunday, August 25th or after the event has been cleared by the DeKalb Police Department, whichever is later. A letter will be sent out the week before the fest telling you where to line up to enter the fest for set up. NO FOOD MAY BE SERVED AFTER 6PM ON SUNDAY IN ORDER TO GET ROADS CLEARED BY 8PM.
Security Violations and Failure to Perform: Vendor agrees to abide by all security measures set forth by the City of DeKalb, DeKalb Park District and DeKalb Corn Fest.