TIMES: All booths must be open between 10:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 10:00 a.m. & 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

BOOTH SET UP & TEAR DOWN:  Booth set up may begin Thursday evening, Friday after 7:00 a.m. and on Saturday morning and must be completed with vehicles out of the park by 9:30 a.m.  Any booth tear down may not begin before 5:00 p.m. Sunday!  Vehicles will not be permitted back into the park until 6:15 p.m. on Saturday and 5:15 p.m. Sunday.

BOOTH APPEARANCE:  The booth display and quality requirements are consistent throughout the Festival.  We are striving to maintain an “old fashioned” décor.  The time period is 1800-early 1900’s.  Trailers will not be permitted unless approved by the Festival committee.  All modern supplies must be screened from public view and tables must be skirted to the ground with appropriate materials.  The Pioneer Festival reserves the right to require vendors to remove any items not appropriate to the Festival.

DELIVERIES:  All deliveries after 9:30 a.m. on both days will have to be made on foot since no vehicles are allowed in the park after that time.

TARP – TENT POLICY:  No poly tarps can be visible!  Poly may be used if masked appropriately with burlap or other pre-1900 materials.  Tents should be khaki, tan, brown, gray, or white.  Aluminum tent poles must be disguised.

COVERINGS:   Drop cloths, oilcloth, burlap sacks, quilts or blankets may be used to cover unacceptable items. 

COOLERS:  All coolers cannot be visible to the public; they can be stored under covered tables or have a covering over them (see COVERINGS for details).

TABLES:  Tables must be covered to the ground on all four sides. Suggested fabrics include:  broadcloth, calico, gingham, burlap, muslin, canvas, chambray or quilts. 

FIRES:  All fires must be contained and roped off to keep the public from harm and supervised at all times.  All fires must burn wood, coal or charcoal only.  Smoking shall not be permitted in any tent, canopy or temporary membrane structure or in any adjacent areas where hay, straw, sawdust or any other combustible materials are stored or used.  All booths must have an approved fire extinguisher.  Fire pits are to be filled and re-sod after the festival.  All remaining ashes, coals, partially burned wood or briquettes must be removed from the festival grounds.  DO NOT dispose of these materials in dumpsters or trash barrels.

STRAW BALES:  Straw bales will be available for purchase from the Festival at the information booth.  Individual and groups participants are responsible for straw clean-up if the bales are broken.  Bales placed at our stage and storytelling areas ARE NOT FOR YOUR USE.  They are for the visitors to use as seating.  The removal of these bales for use in your booth could cause for a fine in the amount of double the rate currently being offered by our straw vendor, and ejection from the festival or your organization not being invited to return.

SIGNS:  Signs should be made of wood, tin, brass or other period materials.  Cardboard is not acceptable.  Signs may be placed on your counter top or nailed to a pole you bring for your set-up.  No signs of any type are to be nailed to trees or tent piles or attached to a campground post.  These will be promptly removed by the festival committee.

CRAFT ITEMS:  Exhibited items must be hand made by the person or persons participating.  Mass produced items are not acceptable, including books, tapes, and compact disc.

ANIMALS:  Please leave pets at home.

CLEAN UP:  Each vendor is responsible for leaving his/her booth area as it was found upon arrival.  The areas should be cleared of all trash, corn stalks and any straw.  If you cook with grease, you are required to remove the grease from the grounds.  All cardboard boxes must be broken down flat and taken to the dumpsters along with your trash.

LIABILITY INSURANCE:  Our insurance carrier requires that all food vendors and various other activities must provide us a Certificate of Insurance.  Vendor agrees to hold harmless and indemnify the Forks of the Wabash Pioneer Festival from any claim made or liability made as a result of merchandise or products sold at the Festival.

TAXES:  All State and Federal taxes are the responsibility of the vendors.

PARKING:  There will be a designated parking lot for “vendors only” located behind the cattle barns.  Please refer to the map to locate.

FIRST AID:  First aid service will be located at the information booth.

COSTUMES:  Pioneer style clothing is required of all booth workers including children at all times.  This includes those who will be working in booths even for only short periods of time.  No tank tops, shirts with writing, shorts, t-shirts or capri’s will be allowed.

Fabrics commonly used by the pioneers include:
Flannel (even red), Muslin (bleached/unbleached), Wool, Calico, Gingham checked, Denim, Cotton, Linsey-woolsey, Lines, Towcloth or burlap, Fustian (50% cotton/50% linen).

RAIN POLICY:  In the event of rain, goods may be protected by plastic or similar material.  Rain gear is acceptable.  Under wet conditions, it is acceptable to spread straw in your area (but must be cleaned up on Sunday at the end of the day).  Plastic tarps are to be removed when the rain ends or at the request of your area representative or festival official.  In the event of rain, there are no gate (admission to festival) refunds or booth rental refunds.

MUSIC:  No personal modern music will be allowed in the booths/areas at any time during the festival hours.

All of the above policies are to protect the quality of the festival.  Please read the polices carefully.  Your signature on the contract confirms your acceptance of the polices, and it is understood that failure to comply with said polices may result in termination of your opportunity to participate in future festivals.