The Rhubarb Festival returns to Wakefield on Friday 20th, Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd February 2026 to celebrate the district’s unique tradition of rhubarb growing and its importance to the local economy. As the first food and drink festival in the national calendar, it promises to start things off with a bang!

This nationally recognised event celebrates the district’s unique tradition of rhubarb through a large speciality market with over 50 chalets, where you can sample and purchase local and regional delights including everything from the finest gins, jams, pickles, cheese, baked goods and so much more! Families will love the array of workshops, children's activities and lively street entertainment on offer and expect a whole new programme of chef demos to expand your culinary skills.

Finally, extend your stay with the Rhubarb Food & Drink Trail around the city, showcasing restaurants and bars putting on rhubarb themed food and drink throughout the weekend!

IMPORTANT UPDATES

For 2026, regeneration works may affect the footprint of the festival precinct, however we will continue to keep you updated on planned works and any relevant changes should they impact the event.

Application Closing Date

Applications will close at 11:59pm on Friday 31st October. Once applications have closed, if any of the above documents have been submitted incorrectly or are missing the application will be treated as incomplete and you will not be given preference during the selection process.

Notification of Application

All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by Friday 28th November at the latest.

Application Supporting Documents

All Applications will require the following supporting documentation. Please ensure you have them ready to upload:

1. Public Liability Insurance

• A copy of your Public Liability Insurance Certificate (the Council requirement is a minimum of £5 million cover). Please note this is different to Employers’ Liability Insurance.

2. Risk Assessment

• Businesses with fewer than 5 employees are not legally required to have a risk assessment. If you employ 5 or more employees you will need to submit a risk assessment. Please refer to HSE website for more information:
  • HSE: Managing Risks
  • FSA: Allergen Guidance

3. Photograph(s) of Products and Set-Up

• The presentation and appearance of your stall is important as is the goods you are proposing to sell. The online application process requires you to upload photos of your stall and products.

4. Evidence of Environmental Health Registration (Food/Alcohol Trader Only)

• Proof of food business registration with your local Environmental Health Service. This is required for all persons/businesses who provide/sell/serve/handle or produce food and/or drinks (including alcohol). For information on how to register please see the Government website: 
• Register a Food Business
• Please provide the last inspection date and your food hygiene rating (where applicable for your type of food business).
• Please note that applications will only be considered for businesses that have been awarded a 3 or above under the National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.

6. Fire and relevant safety Certificates

7. PAT Test Certification

• Stall holders must ensure all electrical equipment has been PAT tested and provide current documentary evidence.

8. Gas Safety Certificates (where applicable)

• Carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer qualified to work on the equipment you are bringing to site.

Pitch Fees

Table below shows the listed fees for pitch locations for all 3 days of the Rhubarb Festival 2026.

You will be required to bring your own unit / gazebo to trade out of for this event. You are also responsible for ensuring your unit / gazebo is secured and appropriately weighted whilst on site. Food vendors will be interspersed across the food market with other vendors. 

Location	Size	Base Amount	Amount with VAT (20%)
Main Precinct	Small Unit [up to 3m x 3m]	£461.50	£553.80
	Medium [up to 6m x 3m]	£487.00	£584.40
Main Precinct - Local Business Rate*	Small Unit [up to 3m x 3m]	£415.50	£498.60
	Medium [up to 6m x 3m]	£438.50	£526.20
Under the Canopy@WX	Small Unit [up to 3m x 3m]	£153.50	£184.20
Under the Canopy@WX Local Business Rate*	Small Unit [up to 3m x 3m]	£138.50	£166.20

* Discount for business rate only applies to businesses registered within the Wakefield District. Evidence may be asked to be provided upon succession. 

Power

There is no electricity supply for catering pitches. Generators are permitted, however these must be diesel (preferably biodiesel) and silent. Petrol generators are not permitted on our sites. - If you have any further questions about power please get in touch.

Water

Please note the event organisers are unable to provide access to drinking/safe for use water on this event site. If you require water, you will need to provide your own.

VAT

All prices are subject to VAT. If you are VAT registered you will be able to reclaim the VAT amount in full from HMRC, and we will supply VAT receipts where requested - this can be outlined in the form below.

If you are NOT VAT registered you will not be able to reclaim the VAT charged and will have to pay the full amount including the VAT cost.

We’re looking for creative, attractive stalls that match the event’s theme. Our goal is to offer high-quality food and products at fair prices across our Festival Markets. We’ve updated our criteria and application points system for the 2025/2026 events to give traders and vendors a better chance of joining us, please see our changes below. 

In order to ensure both quality and fairness we will be using a scoring framework to mark all trader and vendor applications.
All applicants will be scored by a panel of three Council Officers against 6 areas listed below. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure they complete the online application in full and attach the supporting evidence.

Applicants final score and commentary from the panel is available on request, via email, following the outcome of their application.  
Please note that whilst we do welcome feedback via email, the decision of the panel is final. 

In your application we would ask that you give details of everything you wish to sell onsite. Successful applicants will be advised in their offer to trade of any products listed on their application which cannot be sold. We are very careful to minimise product clashes across the site and selling products without prior authorisation from the Festivals Team will be considered a breach of the Terms and Conditions.

Applications will be judged taking into consideration the following critera as outlined below with each criteria scoring marks. Please ensure you consider the criteria when completing your application.

APPLICATION SCORING FRAMEWORK
Area	Score Percentage	Breakdown
	Food Trader
Locality	0%	The business is registered outside of the Yorkshire Region.
	10%	The business is registered in the Yorkshire and Humber Region.
	20%	The business is registered in the Wakefield District.
Repeat Trade	0%	The applicant has not attended any of our events previously or has not attended in the last 2 years.
	5%	The applicant has attended between 1-3 events run by Wakefield Council’s Festival Team in the last 2 years.
	10%	The applicant has attended 3 or more events run by Wakefield Council’s Festival Team in the last 2 years.
Themed Products/ Themed Dish	0%	No themed products/dishes listed in application.
	20%	The applicant will offer one product/dish which incorporates the events theme.
	40%	The applicant will offer a product/dish which is directly produced or manufactured by the applicant and incorporates the events theme.
Pricing & Product Offer	0%	No evidence included with the application.
	5%	The applicant includes a product list.
	10%	The applicant includes a product list with prices to be charged at the event and can includes supporting images.
Dietary Options and/or Religious Considerations	0%	The applicant isn’t offering any products to caterer for any dietary requirements or religious considerations.
	5%	The applicant is offering one product which caterers to at least one dietary requirement and/or religious consideration and provides evidence of this.
	10%	The applicant is offering multiple products which caterer dietary requirements and/or religious considerations and must provide evidence of this.
Sustainability and/or ethical practices	0%	The applicant will not be offering any ethical or sustainable options.
	5%	The applicant will be offering one or more ethical and/or sustainable option for the festival.
	10%	The applicant will be offering multiple ethical and/or sustainable considerations for the festival and includes a detailed ethical and/or sustainability statement.
TOTAL SCORE AVAILABLE	100%

The Council is responsible for the organisation of the festival and the applicant has agreed to take the licence to occupy the pitch on the terms and conditions set out in this Agreement.

Please ensure you read and comply with the terms and conditions outlined as this will form your contract with Wakefield Council.

1.  Trading Times

Trading may take place from 10am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of live event weekend. The festival will close at 5pm on Friday / Saturday and close at 4pm on Sunday. Trading must cease at this time. 

2.  Set Up and Clear Down

Access to site for set up is between 7am and 9am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Access to site for clear down is from 5pm on Friday and Saturday and from 4pm on Sunday.

3.  Location of Pitch

The Council retains the right at its absolute discretion to re-site the pitch within the festival site where it deems it to be necessary in the best interests of the festival, other festival attendees or as may be required on health and safety grounds or otherwise. Please note pitch allocations are non-negotiable.

4.  Manning of Unit

Units must be manned by a responsible person and remain open during trading hours.

5.  Goods

Only items approved by Wakefield Council will be displayed, sold and/or promoted at the festival. 

6.  Servicing

Vehicles should be removed immediately upon loading or unloading. The city centre is pedestrianised between 10am and 5pm on the Friday and Saturday of the festival and 10am to 4pm on Sunday during which time there should be no vehicles on the precinct. Any replenishing of stock, if required, must take place outside these times. All vehicles must be off the festival site by 9.30am.

7.  Storage

Building out beyond the limitations of the allocated stall area will not be permitted.

8.  Cancellation

If the Festival is cancelled for any reason, then fees paid in advance will be refunded in full (including VAT where applicable). Wakefield Council will not be liable for any consequential losses, including but not limited to for example loss of earnings due to cancellation. Cancellation made by a vendor for any reason less than 5 weeks before the Festival will result in a forfeit of all fees paid in advance (including VAT where applicable). Cancellation made by a vendor for any reason more than 5 weeks before the Festival will result in a refund of the fees paid in advance (including VAT where applicable) less a sum equivalent to 15% of the fees paid + VAT towards our administration costs.

9.  Insurance/Indemnity

The vendor shall provide evidence of adequate Public Liability Insurance (minimum £5 million) which must be valid to cover the date of the festival. Vendors are liable for all claims arising from the conduct of their services/unit and shall indemnify the Council against any third party claims arising as a result of providing the service. Please note this is not Employers’ Liability Insurance.

10. Alcohol sales

No alcohol can be sold on this site.

11. Music

Playing of music from your stall is not permitted.

12. Security

The area is covered by CCTV and there will be members of SIA trained security staff on site. When the festival closes we have a professional security team who will be on duty to look after the festival footprint.

The vendor is responisble for the security of their property whilst on the festival site.

13. Litter

Wakefield Council want our vendors to take greater responsibility for reducing litter and non-recyclable waste at the Rhubarb Festival so our visitors can enjoy the event in a safe and litter-free environment. To achieve this Wakefield Council will provide general waste, recycling, and euro bins. These will be accessible, visible, and clearly labelled throughout the event site. Please note – our bins do not accept glass or hazardous waste such as batteries, aerosols, paint, solvents, and oils/oil drums.

All litter left around the unit must be cleared at the end of the festival day. Please ensure you use the bins detailed above and not the public bins.

14. Electrical Equipment, Gas Applicances & Generators

Generators are permitted - However we do specify that they must be diesel and silent. With prior consent caterers may use diesel, silenced and properly guarded equipment that is serviced and complies with all relevant health and safety regulations.

Stall holders must ensure all electrical equipment has been PAT tested and provide current documentary evidence. If the stall holder is using gas appliances they must provide evidence of a gas safety certificate (carried out by a qualified gas safe registered engineer). You are reminded of the health and safety requirements and controls that should be in place where the use of generators or gas cylinders are used. For more information, please see cieh-national-guidance-for-outdoor-and-mobile-catering.pdf. You also required to ensure that your stall/business complies with wider Health and Safety regulations, please refer to the HSE website Health and safety topics (hse.gov.uk)

15. Allergen Law

Stall holders serving food or drink must have undertaken a risk assessment for allergen management and have full, effective procedures in place to control the risk of food intolerances or allergy. For more information, please see Allergen guidance for food businesses | Food Standards Agency

16. Food Regulations

All persons/businesses providing food or drink are required to ensure that their stall/business complies with all legal requirements for food safety and standards, health & safety, fire safety and vehicle standards (where appropriate). For more information on ensuring that you meet these requirements, please see cieh-national-guidance-for-outdoor-and-mobile-catering.pdf. Please note that inspections, audits and checks may be undertaken during any event by the Council or other legal service, to undertake checks against these standards.

17. Unit

The vendor must ensure the interior and exterior of the unit and its fittings and equipment are in good repair and kept in a clean, orderly and sanitary condition and allow the Council to inspect the Unit to ensure compliance with this.

18. Conduct

The vendor shall conduct the sale of their products in a proper, efficient and courteous manner and must at all times conduct their sales in a manner satisfactory to the Council.

19.  Management

The vendor shall observe and comply with and ensure its staff observe and comply with all instructions given by or on behalf of the Council’s management and the Council’s rules and regulations.

20. Parking

Parking will be available for you across Wakefield Council Car Parks at your own discretion. Please note the Council will not be held responsible for any parking tickets incurred.

https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/parking/car-parks-across-the-district/car-parks-in-wakefield/

Parking is free in all Wakefield Council Car Parks on Sundays. Parking restrictions still apply.

21. Sub-Contracting/Stall Sharing

Sub-contracting, sub-letting or the sharing of a stall or any part of a stall is strictly forbidden. We expect the Trader applying to be the Trader running and managing the stall on site.

Wakefield Council is required by law to protect the public funds it administers. We may share information internally and externally with other organisations responsible for auditing, or administering public funds, or where undertaking a public function, in order to prevent and detect fraud.

We may also disclose information to a Specified Anti-Fraud Organisation for the purpose of preventing fraud under Section 68 of the Serious Crime Act 2007.

Our GDPR Transparency is notice available on our website here: https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/media/itiefmc5/jotform-events-and-festivals-application-privacy-notice.docx

For further information visit https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/about-the-council/budget-and-spending/fighting-fraud.