Many of our regular vendors return each year so anyone interested in becoming a food vendor must apply. (If you are not selected your booth fee will be refunded) If we get an opening, we will fill it according to our need to maintain a variety of options for the festival food booths. The deadline for booths to submit their application and pay the fees is March 15th, 2019. Contact Sarah@blissfest.org to inquire.
Food Vending Applications for the 2019 Festival will be up January 1st
Basic Information for 2018 (Soon to be updated)
All established and returning vendors will need to confirm participation
(via application) in the 38th annual Blissfest to be held July 13-15th, 2018 as soon as possible to reserve your space.
If we do not hear from established vendors by March 15th, your spot will be made available to new vendor applicants.
New applications are due by March 15, 2018, with your application fee.
Food Vendors for the 2018 Blissfest
Cafe Bliss
Change Cuisine
Chocolate Bliss Brownies
Cultured Ferments Co.
Detroit Frankie’s Wood Fired Brick Oven Pizza
Duke’s Dogs
Gettin’ Fresh
Greek Delights
Happy’s Taco Shop
Horton Bay General Store
Maui Wowi
Nuts Galore
Old Time Pasties
Petoskey Hockey Boosters
Phat Matt’s
Pond Hill Farm Blissful Burritos
Shanti Concessions
Up In Smoke BBQ
Village Cafe
The Fees
All food booths will pay a $190 entrance fee. In addition, Blissfest will charge 10% ($150 and 5% for non-profit organizations) of your GROSS receipts before any deductions as a fee. We expect to collect this fee no later than 30 days after the festival. Be prepared to show records of daily receipts and a weekend total so we can determine your fee. We trust that this will be an accurate and honest accounting.
A $25 service fee will be charged those who neglect to pay within 30 days and each month thereafter. If you do not pay within the year you will not be considered a vendor in good standing with the Blissfest Music Organization.
A small group of Setup & Prep Workers are allowed on Thursday and must be RSVP’d for our Thursday Entry List. If they are not on the list and pre-approved by the Blissfest Staff by June 1, they will not gain entry to the festival until Friday.
Expectations
You are expected to clean up your site thoroughly by Tues. the morning after the festival. This includes compost, recyclables, paper, cigarette butts, beer tabs and all concession materials. We suggest you bring a leaf rake. Your cooperation in cleaning up your spot will be evaluated by staff and will be a consideration for future involvement. Recycling of cardboard, glass, plastic cooking oil, compost, and metal is mandatory. The recycling coordinator will stop by to orient you. Describe your menu and a brief sketch of your booth showing serving size and dimensions. There is a limited supply of electricity and we encourage you to conserve as much as possible. Use of propane appliances instead of elemental heating devices is essential to prevent overloading. With your application be sure to describe your electrical needs a special type of hookup. Remember that concessions need to use “hard use” electric cords (Type SO or SOO wire) outside the booth and secured propane tanks. This is required by Emmet County for our carnival permit. Each vendor has their own electrical box with a variety of plug-ins to choose from. You are not allowed to plug into any other vendor’s power box without their permission.
The local fire department will also inspect for fire extinguishers and properly anchored propane tanks. Tanks need to be secured with chain or rope so as to not tip over.
We typically allow setup on Weds & Thurs. afternoon and will let you know specific times set aside for setup to keep things as orderly as possible. Contact us if you need to request special consideration regarding setup time. Parking will be restricted to designated areas and strictly limited in the food vending area. Please note that the festival sells ice cream as a fundraiser and we will require pre-approval if any ice cream or related items are sold. We will also be handling the ice concession and can supply you with ice at a good price. We plan to deliver ice to the food booths during the festival or you can pick up your own at the ice concession.
Donations of meals for our raffle are also encouraged as well as ads for our festival program. These are two ways to get your message to the festival attendees. The Blissfest plans to provide food vouchers to some musicians for the Sunday evening meal and will reimburse food vendors at checkout. The food coordinator will contact you during the festival to answer any questions you have. Your participation would be much appreciated and we will be glad to give you some mentions from the stage to promote your booth.
You will need to comply with Health Department regulations and they will inspect on Friday. Contact Northwest Michigan Health Dept. at (231) 347-6014 or office-3434 Harbor-Petoskey Rd, Harbor Springs, MI 49740. The temporary food application form for the Health Dept should be completed 2 weeks prior to the event or you risk being denied. Additional online information can be accessed at http://www.nwhealth.org/food-temp.html
Regular workers( minimum 8-10 hours of work per weekend) for your booth will cost according to the number or workers you have.
Any worker requests beyond the current number workers will pay full price. We are trying to stay reasonable with the worker passes policy and also provide an incentive to use your labor wisely. Purchase worker wristbands in the application or over the phone. Deadline for applications is March 15, 2018.
Send to: Blissfest, 522 Liberty St. Unit A, Petoskey, MI 49770.
If you have further questions please call Sarah Reinfelder at (231) 348-7047
Email- Sarah@blissfest.org
Check List For Food Vendors 2018
Here is a checklist for all food vendors. Please make sure that you have completed all these prior to coming to the festival and read the following news bulletin
- You must have your permit from the Health Dept. in advance of the festival so contact Liane at 231-347-6014 A.S.A.P. if you have not done so. http://www.nwhealth.org/food-temp.html
- Remember that all food vendors need to use SO type extension cords. The county electrical inspector will be around on Friday to assess compliance.
- A #10 ABC extinguisher is minimum and very inexpensive.The fire department will inspect Friday for fire extinguishers and propane tanks. Make sure you have one that is easy to access or you will be making an unnecessary trip into town. Also, the fire dept. will check to make sure any propane tanks are secure. Tanks can not be free standing. They must be attached to something to prevent tipping over. A t-post with a chain will work in a pinch.
- Setup may begin on Weds. afternoon. Please call us to let us know when you need to come in.
- All application fees and worker passes have been paid for prior to the festival.
Worker tickets must be distributed by the food vendors prior to the festival. Will call tickets at the vendor gate for vendors workers are allowed but a physical ticket in will call is required.
Going Green
Blissfest is trying to do its part to reduce, reuse and recycle. Last year the composting program did pretty well and we will again encourage food vendors to contribute to the compost bin. We will use this compost on our orchard trees and vegetable garden. Also, you are required to use the recycling program located behind the food area and dispose of cooking oil properly at our bio- diesel oil collection facility.
NO STYROFOAM DINNERWARE AT THE FESTIVAL
This year we again will prohibit food vendors from selling bottled water. Blissfest has expanded our own excellent well water distribution system to include drinking fountains and fill-up location in the concert area and near the vending area. Water containers will be made available and signs will be promoting the quality of our water.
Our own hospitality area will be using composting dinnerware again this year. Any vendor who wants to purchase composting dinnerware can jump on our order. We will be ordering by Mid- May. Contact us for pricing and availability of composting dinnerware. Prices are going down and we want you to help be part of the solution. We also encourage festival patrons to use their own dinnerware so we encourage vendors to accommodate them.