Each year the Vancouver Folk Music Festival draws more than 38,000 people over 3 days. Our Food Vendor area is a busy and bustling space, providing vendors an excellent opportunity to increase their exposure while having some Festival fun.
Food Philosophy
“The two things you can’t fake are good food and good music.” (Etta James)
We value food that is good for our bodies, our community and our environment. Our goal is to work with partners and vendors who share our values and our commitment to support local, ethical and sustainable products. We encourage applications from vendors who offer a variety of healthy, nutritious food choices that are affordable and that respect dietary restrictions.
Criteria and Selection:
A team of Festival staff will review the applications. All applications (both new and returning) will be assessed individually on their offerings without bias. Vendors who wish to deliver samples are welcome to make an appointment to do so, but will not be given preference over those who do not.
Although we would love to have every vendor who applies join us at the Festival, space limitations and Vancouver Coastal Health requirements dictate that we can only accept a maximum of 30 to 35 vendors. To ensure that the selection process is fair and that every applicant has an equal opportunity to become a vendor, we consider the following questions when reviewing each application:
- Proposed menu: Does the menu offering contribute to the Festival’s goal of featuring a diverse selection of food and beverages to compliment its dedication to presenting, preserving, and promoting cultural traditions from around the world? What are the prices? Does the menu include affordable options? Does the menu include options for restricted dietary needs?
- Alignment with the Festival’s values: Does the menu offering align with the Festival’s ongoing efforts towards a waste-free Festival? Does the menu convey a focus on local, ethical and sustainable practices?
- Evidence of compliance with BC’s Food Premises Regulation: Has the vendor been inspected? If yes, do the inspections indicate a pattern of compliance with the Regulation? Are there any outstanding compliance issues noted on the inspection reports? If yes, are those issues critical or non-critical?
- Registration with WorkSafeBC: Is the vendor registered with WorkSafeBC? If yes, is the account active or inactive? If the account is active, is it in good standing (to the “Clear to” or “Paid to” date indicated on the clearance letter) or is it delinquent? If the account is inactive, was it in good standing (to the “Paid to” date) or was it delinquent?
Please note: The Festival is dedicated to creating a memorable experience for all patrons of the Festival. One way it achieves this is by offering a diverse selection of food and by doing its best to ensure that menu items offered by vendors are not too similar. The Festival does not, however, guarantee any vendor – other than its sponsors – exclusive rights to sell items on site. If you are interested in exploring how to be an exclusive supplier of your signature item, please email the Food Vendor Coordinator at anya@thefestival.bc.ca.
New in 2017 – A wider selection of booth sizes!
The Vancouver Folk Music Festival rents a range of booth sizes. Prices vary by the area of the booth’s footprint.
Included in the price of booth rental: access to potable water (hot and cold), electricity, refrigeration space (4’ x 4’ approx), one (1) parking space (adjacent to the service gate), and a limited number of staff access wristbands.
10’ x 10’ – Total cost is $1800 + GST (Deposit: $600)
10’ x 20’ – Total cost is $2200 + GST (Deposit: $750)
15’ x 15’ – Total cost is $2400 + GST (Deposit: $800)
15’ x 20’ – Total cost is $2650 + GST (Deposit: $1000)
20’ x 20’ – Total cost is $2800 + GST (Deposit: $1000)
Please note: we will measure your exact footprint on site. If your footprint exceeds the space size you have selected, you will be invoiced for the difference between the size you selected and the next size up.
Please be prepared to provide electronic photos of your vending space upon request.
Application Process:
Please complete all fields before submitting your application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications will be considered complete upon receipt of deposit. If accepted for participation in the 2018 Vancouver Folk Music Festival, you will be notified by email on or before March 23, 2018.
Inquires should be directed to: anya@thefestival.bc.ca
APPLICATION DEADLINE: February 21, 2018
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.