VENDOR RULES & REGULATIONS
Hours of Operation – Vendors are required to be open and present during ALL hours of operation. Vendors who fail to keep their booth open may be subject to removal from future participation. Loading out early is forbidden. Festival Hours are April 14 9AM-9PM, April 15 9AM-9PM, and April 16 10AM-6PM
Parking and Vehicular Access – ALL vehicles must be removed from the event site 60 minutes prior to opening. At load out, no vehicles may enter the festival space until we have received authorization from the Police department. Any vendor who violates these rules may forfeit their space without refund. Vendors may only park in legal, designated parking areas. Festival management will not be responsible for parking fines or towing fees for illegally parked vehicles. Please place your vendor parking pass on the dash of your vehicle, and be sure to write your phone number on it in case we need to reach you about your vehicle.
Goods for Sale – Vendors may only sell goods and services as described in the initial application. Vendors may not sell the following: Alcoholic beverages, controlled substances, counterfeit products, weapons, or any products that may be lewd, offensive, discriminatory, vulgar or that festival management deems “Not suitable for a family friendly environment”. Vendors may not sell or solicit customers in any area outside of their purchased booth space. It is the vendor's responsibility to protect their merchandise from theft, weather, and children.
Signage- Vendors are encouraged to use attractive signage for their booth. However, signage may only be placed inside the booth or attached to the vendor tent/trailer/truck. All signage shall be secured in such a manner to protect from high winds. Festival management reserves the right to remove signage that is deemed insecure or dangerous.
Pets- Food vendors may not bring pets to the festival. However, guests are allowed to bring friendly pets on a leash into the festival.
Insurance- Vendors are required to have public liability and property damage insurance naming the Ennis Main Street 501C3, the City of Ennis, and Mesmeric Entertainment as co-insured in amount not less than $1 Million US Dollars per occurrence, $1 Million aggregate.
Subleasing- Vendors may not sublease any portion of their space to other merchants.
Permits, Licenses, Taxes- It is the vendor's responsibility to collect any applicable sales taxes and to secure any permits or licenses required by any authority having jurisdiction. The current Sales Tax rate for Ennis is 8.25%. Food Vendors must submit an applcation for a Temporary Event Permit to the Ennis Health Department and pass the on-site Health Inspection prior to opening.
Tents- Vendors who use tents shall properly consstruct and secure tents to protect from wind. Festival management reserves the right to demand unsafe tents be removed. Vendors will be held responsible for any and all claims resulting from damages or injuries caused in the event their tent or securement fails. Cooking with an open flame under tent canopies is prohibited. All tents 400 square foot and larger require a fire extinguisher.
Overnight Security- The festival will provide overnight security during festival dates. However, vendors are solely responsible for securing their assets when not present in their booth. Please make sure your space is secured before leaving each evening. In the event of overnight inclement weather, the security team will NOT be able to protect your assets.
Water- non-potable water, if purchased, will be located within 150 feet of your booth space. Vendors are responsible for supplying their own hoses. Gray water must be collected and contained within the booth- vendors who allow used water to drain onto the street or into the storm drains will have their water service terminated without refund and may be liable for cleaning charges or environmental fees.
Power- Vendors are encouraged to bring a 50 foot heavy duty extension cord and a power strip for connections in their booth. Vendors who exceed the power allocation they have purchased will be asked to unplug items until their demand is at or below the power allocation they have purchased. To determine how much power you need- look at the Ratings Label attached to all your appliances/electrical equipment- the label should indicate the device requires 120V and ______W. Simply add all of the Watts numbers to figure your total need. In the event the label does not list Watts, but instead shows 120V and _____A, simply multiply the 120 by the Amps. For instance, if your fan is 120V 0.6A, then your watts would be 120 x 0.6 = 72 Watts. Please be advised that the National Electrical Code requires outdoor outlets to utilize GFCI outlets, and during rain, vendor power may be adversely affected. Our electrical team will do everything possible to restore power as quickly as possible, but ne refunds will be provided in the event electrical power is affected by weather. Some compressors and specialty equipment may not be compatible with GFCI breakers- it is the vendors responsibility to check prior to load in. Vendor power will ONLY be available from 2 hours prior to festival doors to one hour past festival close. Vendor power should NOT be used to protect perishables overnight! Please note Generators are not allowed unless written permission is granted by festival management.
Surface Protection- Vendors are responsible for preventing wax, paint, grease, oil, and any other byproduct of their booth from coming into contact with the sidewalk/street. Vendors may be asked to lay down a protective tarp and then a plywood floor on top to protect the underlying surface. Any vendor who leaves a mess behind will be responsible for cleaning charges. This includes any stains caused by oil or grease or food dyes.
Trash- Vendors are responsible for collecting their trash, into heavy duty trash bags, and placing trash in the designated areas for our teams to collect. Please do not leave leftover food in your booths overnight to prevent critters from visiting. At load out, please leave your space clean. This includes any cable ties you may have clipped from signage!
Vendor Dispute Resolution- From time to time, neighbors can disagree on things. Should this happen, please notify festival management.
Ice- bagged ice is available for purchase at the festival bars for $5 per 20 lb. bag.
Tips and Tricks for a Successful Event Festivals can be fun but they can also be stressful. Here are some key tips, tricks, and a punchlist of things to remember.
Be Inviting and Engaging! – a well lit, well signed booth, with a smiling face and a friendly salutation is the best way to get customers to notice your booth and engage in conversation. If you act interested in people, they will become interested in you. Do not sit behind your table, staring down at your phone for half the day, and then come to the management office and complain about slow sales.
Dress- Hot afternoons can turn into cold evenings, so be sure to dress for the weather and bring a jacket for later.
Hydration- Be sure to drink water throughout the day to prevent dehydration and early fatigue.
Here is a list of things to remember to bring with you:
Bug Spray
Phone Charger
Cable Ties
Chair
Tarp in case of rain and Rope (for the tarp)
Extension Cord and Power Strip (if you ordered electricity)
Change (Management cannot make change on site)
Your Smile
Health and Fire Regulations- Cooking without an overhead canopy is prohibited, and cooking with an open flame under a canopy is prohibited. BBQ grills must be protected from access by children. All food vendors are required to schedule an inspection and obtain a Health Permit from the City of Ennis Public Health Department. This application INCLUDES your Temporary Food Service Permit applcation and fee to the Ennis Health Department. As a reminder, your food truck or tent must be equipped with a suitable fire extinguisher and propane tanks must be secured to prevent falling over. At no time may propane tanks be used for securing your canopy or signage.
- TCS (Time/Temperature Control for Safety) foods (hot dogs, hamburgers, chili, mashed potatoes, potato salad, cooked greens, eggs, cut melons, cut tomatoes, etc) must be kept either cold below 41F or held hot above 135F.
- If any TCS foods are being conveyed to the public, a metal stem thermometer reading from 0F to 220F must be provided on-site in order to frequently check temperatures.
- Hand washing facilites must be present. Soap, paper towels, and a make shift gravity flow temporary hand wash station are acceptable. Bare hand contact with any ready to eat foods is prohibited.
- All food must be properly covered and protected from potential contamination.
- All gray water must be properly collected and held. Do not discharge gray water on festival grounds.
- Aprons and hair restraints are required for all staff handling food.
- A supply of extra utensils must be provided, with a new set every four hours, or a 3-part utensil washing system consisting of wash, rinse, sanitize is acceptable. (Chlorine/Bleach 50-100ppm, Quaternary ammonia 200ppm)
- Vendor must provide proper test strips for checking sanitizer strength.
- All food must be kept 6 inches or more from floor.
- All trash cans must have liners and lids.
- If using an open flame grill, you must maintain a minimum of 10 feet in all directions from combustible materials.
- Home preparation or storage of foods is NOT allowed except for approved Cottage Food Operations.
- At least one person in the booth at all times must hold a valid state approved food handlers permit.
VENDOR AGREEMENT
I hereby make application to exhibit at the Ennis Bluebonnet Festival presented by the Ennis Main Street 501c3, April 14-16, 2023 in Ennis, Texas. I understand that my application is subject to approval from the Festival Management team, and that my participation is not guaranteed until I receive a signed acceptance letter from the Ennis Main Street 501c3. If accepted, I agree to adhere to the Vendor Rules and Regulations aforementioned. I also agree to hold harmless and indemnify the Ennis Main Street 501c3, the City of Ennis, and Mesmeric Entertainment from any claims resulting from my participation in the festival. I understand that failure to comply with the rules and regulations may result in my expulsion from the festival and disqualify me from participating in future events. I acknowledge that upon acceptance, my payment will be deposited and I will receive a vendor packet by mail with my receipt, booth selection, credentials and parking passes. I certify that my goods and services are as represented, and I will not sell counterfeit merchandise, or goods that are used, remanufactured, B-stock, or factory seconds without disclosing them as such. I agree to collect sales tax as applicable and to submit those taxes as per the Texas Comptroller. I will display my Sales Tax Permit in my booth at all times. I understand this is an outdoor festival and will be held rain or shine. In the event of inclement weather, festival hours may be modified or cancelled. There will be no refunds in the event festival hours are reduced or cancelled. I certify that all facts in this application are true and correct and that my food establishment will be maintained and operated in accordance with City Ordinance Section 10, Article VI, Food Service and the Texas Food Establishment Rules as adopted by the City of Ennis.