Rhubarb Lovers Rejoice....

The Rhubarb Festival returns to Wakefield on Friday 19th, Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st February 2027 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!

We're excited to invite you to apply for a space at our upcoming Rhubarb Festival located in Wakefield City Centre, Cathedral Precinct.

This application form is aimed at charities, local organistations, and community groups looking to raise awareness of their organisation or cause, and provide an opportunity for you to connect with visitors at our events. Please ensure you explain your intentions and aims for standing at the festival in the form below.

Gazebo Location

You will be located within the event footprint which surrounds the vicinity of the Cathedral. 

Applicants must be able to provide their own structure to trade from, this must be no larger than 3m x 6m. Please ensure you state within your application the size of your structure, how it will be weighted and some images if possible. 

Goods/items for sale and any activities must be kept within the confines of the gazebo. Building out beyond the limitations of the allocated gazebo area will not be permitted. Items are not permitted to be positioned outside of the gazebo and all items/equipment and goods must be kept within the confines of the gazebo.  Additional space is not available on the day.

Please Note: Applicants are encouraged to provide their own gazebo structure. While we will make every effort to accommodate those without one, alternative arrangements cannot be guaranteed.

Fee

There is no charge for community groups and charities to stand at the event.

Power

There is no power available on site at the event. 

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.

Application Criteria

Wakefield Council is committed to partnership working and therefore we have a limited number of free of charge event spaces to offer to services and organisations based within the Wakefield District whose aims, and objectives meet or compliment our own.

Through our events and festivals, we aim to:

• Support residents to improve their own health and wellbeing
• Contribute to a stronger local economy
• Support residents to increase their skills, experience, and confidence levels to achieve their potential

Incidental non-commercial lottery

Lotteries at events do not require a licence but you must make sure you follow the rules to run an incidental non-commercial lottery legally. This includes tombola, raffles, and sweepstakes.

You can only run an incidental lottery to raise money for charity, not for private gain.

Please refer to the Gambling Commission website for further guidance and information on operating a non-commercial incidental lottery legally. How to run a fundraiser with lotteries or raffles at events (gamblingcommission.gov.uk)

Charitable Collections

If you are a registered charity and you wish to fundraise at the event or sign people up for direct debit payments you are permitted to do this at your stand only and are not allowed to walk around the event site with charity collection tins or charity collection buckets.

You are also not permitted to sell or giveaway any food or drink items (including alcohol). 

Supporting Documentation

All applications must be accompanied by the following documentation (where applicable).

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.

Risk Assessment

Businesses with less 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: https://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk/index.htm 

Your risk assesment must include a section for the structure you will be trading from including, set up, derig & adverse weather conditions. 

Letter of Authority 

If you intend to collect funds for or on behalf of a registered charity, you will need to provide a letter of authority from the appointed charity to confirm that you have been authorised to collect funds on the charity's behalf. If we do not receive a copy of this letter, you will not be able to collect funds at the event.

Charity Commission Register

Only charities that are registered with the Charity Commission will be permitted to stand at the event - with the exception of any charities that are classed as 'excepted or exempt'. The application form will ask you to provide your registered charity number, or proof or 'excepted or exempt' status.

Application Closing Date 

Applications will close at 11:45pm on Sunday 11th October 2026.

Notification of Application

All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by Friday 23rd October 2026.

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 19th, Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st February. The festival will close at 5pm on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th February and close at 4pm on Sunday 21st February. Trading must cease at this time. 

Please note you must stay on site until the event has finished. Gazebos & stalls should not be packed down prior to the event finishing time unless otherwise discussed with the event manager. 

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 Gazebo

The Council retains the right at its absolute discretion to re-site the gazebo 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 space allocations are non-negotiable.

4.  Manning of Gazebo

Gazebos must be manned by a responsible person and remain open during event operating 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 space will not be permitted.

8.  Cancellation

If the Festival is cancelled for any reason, Wakefield Council will not be liable for any consequential losses, including but not limited to for example loss of earnings due to cancellation. 

9.  Insurance/Indemnity

You shall provide evidence of adequate Public Liability Insurance (minimum £5 million) which must be valid to cover the dates of the festival. you are liable for all claims arising from the conduct of your 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. Food, Drink & Alcohol sales

You are not permitted to sell or giveaway food, drink or alcohol at this event.

11. Music

Playing of music from your gazebo 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.

You are responsible for the security of your 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 gazebo 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 Appliances & Generators

There is no power provided for you on site.

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. Conduct

The trader 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.

16.  Management

The stall holder 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.

17. Parking

We do not provide free parking at this event. 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 Sunday's. Parking restrictions still apply.

18. Sub-Contracting/Gazebo Sharing

Sub-contracting, sub-letting or the sharing of a gazebo or any part of a gazebo is strictly forbidden. We expect the charity/group applying to be the charity/group running and managing the unit 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.