Vendors must bring their own fire-retardant tent and weigh it down at all corners (bring cement blocks, tent feet, etc.) with 20+ pounds per leg.
All food service materials — including but not limited to utensils, plates, napkins and cups — must be compostable without exception.
Vendors must take reasonable steps to make their service counter accessible to patrons with disabilities. If your service counter is taller than 36", be prepared to complete order and payment transactions with a clipboard or other device.
Do not dispose of trash in the on-site dumpster. It is for local merchants only.
Come prepared to contain your food prep trash.
We contract with Clean Crew for waste management, composting and recycling. Categorize your waste for them to take.
Leave your area as you found it. Bag any remaining waste and take it with you. Failure will result in a $150 "Leave No Trace" violation fee.
No alcoholic beverages may be sold by vendors (ADA holds all ABC permits). Non-alcoholic beverages, including lemonade, bottled water, etc. may be sold by vendors. We rely on food vendors to sell water at our events, so please have water available for purchase.
Bring prepared food, hot or cold, that can simply be served on site. If you want to cook, you must contact the City of Asheville and Buncombe County Health Department (BCHD) and secure all necessary permits yourself.
Food vendors must bring water and soap for hand washing.
All sales must be conducted within the booth space. No roving vendors.
You cannot sublease your booth space.
No glass containers allowed.
Each booth is required to have (2) box fans.
No extra structures (i.e. extra tents, seating areas, etc.) are allowed without prior approval.
Vendors must comply with North Carolina’s sales tax and business license requirements.
Vendors must be prepared to pass a safety inspection by authorities of the City of Asheville.
Vendors must be able to pass a health inspection. The Buncombe County Health Department (BCHD) will be at each event to do inspections. All vendors must contact the City of Asheville and BCHD and secure all necessary permits by the relevant deadline. If you have any questions, get in touch with BCHD here.
Vendors must demonstrate compliance with and payment of all county and state permits. When applicable, the Buncombe County Temporary Food Vendor fee must be paid in advance (at least 15 work days). Application is available here.
Vendors must comply with all laws, ordinances, rules and regulations of any lawful authority, agency or governmental unit, including but not limited to any applicable fire and building codes of the City of Asheville and BCHD.
Vendors agree to indemnify and hold harmless the event, the Asheville Downtown Association, the City of Asheville, their officers, directors, representatives, volunteers, employees and agents for any penalties, fines, expenses, or damages.
Vendors agree to accept as conclusive and binding the decision of the Events Committee as to any dispute between you and any other participating restaurant, vendor, attendee or other person.
Vendor fees are nonrefundable in the event of cancellation. No show/no call will result in exclusion from future events.
NEW: Participation requires completion of an anonymous post-season survey sharing estimated sales from our events. Data is used solely to measure economic impact and will not affect vendor fees or future pricing. If you vended with us last year, please consider filling out a 2025 survey here.