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Mercer County Italian-American Festival Association 2421 Liberty Street, Hamilton, New Jersey 08629
Phone (609) 631-7544 Fax (609) 631-9116
May 15, 2014
Dear Vendor,
We are pleased to offer you the opportunity to participate in the 2014 Mercer County Italian American Festival. This year the dates for the Festival will be September 26, 27 28, 2014.
Your acceptance as a vendor is contingent upon the review and approval of your application packet by our Vendor Committee and compliance with all requirements contained in this packet. Payment in full is due on or before Wednesday, July 30, 2014 no later than 5:00 P.M.
Failure to comply with the requirements set forth in this packet will result in a rejection of your application.
Payment of fees: Payment of all fees is to be made by cashier's check or money order only. No personal/business checks will be accepted. Payment will be made to MCIAF and mailed to:
The Mercer County Italian American Festival
PO Box 2862 Hamilton Square, New Jersey 08690 Attention: Vendor Committee
Application packets must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 30, 2014.
Incomplete applications will be placed on the waiting list.
Compliance with the following requirements and guidelines will help us insure a safe and satisfying festival experience for attendees and vendors. Thank you for your cooperation. NEW THIS YEAR: • Italian Colors: Green, white and red! We ask that vendors incorporate the Italian colors in their
tents, banners, booth skirts, attire, etc. • Booth Skirts: All booth skirts must go all the way to the ground. • “Restaurant Row” Food Vendor Booths (30 x 30 space with tent size 20 x 20): Because of
improvements made at Mercer County Park, food vendors in the “Restaurant Row” booths will not be allowed to have vehicles at their booths.
• “Restaurant Row” Corner Booths: Corner booths in the “Restaurant Row” area will cost an additional $200 with two-‐sided access for customers.
• “Restaurant Row” Inside Booths: will have one side facing customers. • Sandwich Prices: Sandwich prices should not exceed $7 unless side dishes are included.
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Festival Dates & Hours:
Friday: September 26, 2014…3:00pm-‐11:00pm
Saturday: September 27, 2014…12:00noon-‐11:00pm
Sunday: September 28, 2014…12:00noon-‐9:30pm
Purpose of the Mercer County Italian-‐American Festival To provide a showcase for the businesses, agencies, natural resources and historical heritage of Italian-‐Americans in Mercer County. Exhibits and vending areas are established as public attractions. Exhibitors and vendors participating have the opportunity to display, promote and/or sell their respective items, products and services to the public. To provide the public with a recreational experience in a family oriented festival atmosphere.
EXHIBITOR AND VENDOR WAITING LISTS • Vendors who express a desire to participate in the Festival after all of the relevant designated spaces
have been allocated will be placed on a waiting list, to be contacted by the Festival Management in the event of a cancellation or vacancy of space(s). The name, address and telephone number of those requesting space and the date and time of the request will be recorded by the Festival Management. The relevant type of goods and/or services will also be noted. Whenever a cancellation or vacancy of designated space occurs, those who are on the waiting list for said space will be contacted.
VENDOR RESPONSIBILITIES
• All vendor concessions will remain set up and in full operation for the entire duration of the Festival. No vendor concession will be dismantled or taken from the Festival until the designated closing hour on the last day of the Festival. Vendors MUST be visibly present in their space(s) and be available to serve the public during ALL hours of operation. If you do not comply or who are absent from their assigned space(s) during the designated Festival hours of operation may have their permit(s) revoked by the Festival Management. There will be no refund for a revoked permit.
• All exhibitors and vendors will provide their own tables, chairs, set-‐up materials, tools, electrical
extension cords, hoses, backdrops and side drops as needed and display lighting as needed. No vendor concession will be dismantled or taken from the Festival grounds until the designated closing hour on the last day of the Festival.
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• All structures, backdrops, side drops or components that are erected within a designated exhibit or vending space will be free of splinters and sharp or jagged edges. All construction materials used will be of high quality. All designated exhibit and vending spaces will be visually aesthetic. The Festival Management will be the sole judge in determining whether or not these conditions have been met.
• Each day of the Festival all vendors will vacate the Festival grounds by midnight except for Sunday
night. On Sunday, all exhibitors/vendors will vacate the Festival grounds by 11 p.m. • All audio devices, players and/or equipment used by a vendor will be kept at a low enough volume
level so as not to disturb or interfere with any adjacent exhibitors or vendors. No radio or television broadcasts will be permitted at exhibitor or vendor spaces. No band performances will be permitted in exhibitor or vendor spaces.
• All space(s), for which a permit has been issued, will be used by the applicant/organization. No other
group or individual will be permitted to utilize said space(s). No permit for space(s) will be sold, transferred, sublet or assigned by any exhibitor or vendor.
• Any vendor who does not comply with the rules and regulations governing the use of exhibit and
vending space at the Festival may have his/her permit(s) revoked by the Festival Management and may also be denied exhibit or vendor space at future Festivals.
VENDOR REQUIREMENTS
• Canopy/tent regulations: State regulations prohibit any canopy from being less than five feet from any other. To insure proper spacing use a 20'x20' with a minimum of 5’ between canopies. All canopies must be fire rated. The rating must be attached to the canopy and visible for inspection. A full set of the State regulations are included in your packet.
• Menu Items Maximum Number: A maximum of seven (7) menu items for main food vendors and four
(4) menu items for Novelty food vendors will be permitted. All food vendors can sell straight, curly, steak or sweet potato fries, these “non-‐specialty fries” DO NOT count as a menu item. All vendors can sell non-‐alcoholic beverages including fresh squeezed lemonade.
• Menus: All menus MUST be included with application and approved before the festival begins.
Additions to menus will not be allowed after that time. The Festival Committee reserves the right to make changes to the submitted menus and suggest pricing changes to listed items.
• Signs: All signs must be done in a legible and professional manner and be able to withstand wet
conditions. The name of the restaurant or business must appear on the sign. Signs that are judged unacceptable MUST be replaced. Unacceptable signs include those on paper towels, napkins, and paper plates. Vendors will be prohibited from opening at the start of the Festival if signs are deemed unacceptable by Festival Management. Prices must be clearly marked.
• Vendor Check-‐in: All vendors and their canopy providers must check in with festival officials prior
to erecting their canopy on-‐site. Vendors must meet all fee and code requirements before being permitted to actively participate in the festival.
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• Set up Times: Vendors may set up their canopies anytime after 12 noon, Wednesday, September 24, 2014. Note: electricity will not be available until Thursday. Please report to the festival officials on-‐site prior to set-‐up. All stands must be erected and fully operational by 12:00 p.m. on Friday, September 26, 2014
• Stand Diagram: Each vendor must submit a diagram of the layout of their stand, detailing the
location of the cooking and serving areas, propane tanks, fire extinguishers and other items. This diagram must be included with application.
• Stand Decorations: Vendors must decorate their stands in festive Italian colors (Green, White and
Red) and decorations in keeping with the ethnic theme of the festival. The skirt around the booth must go all the way to the ground. The name of your company or restaurant must be prominently displayed on the front of your stand. Be creative and be Italian! There will be awards for the best decorated stands. Decorations are available at the festival administration tent if needed.
• Price Gouging: Price gouging is prohibited. Menu prices are to be fixed and approved before the
festival begins. Prices must remain the same as initially reported. Violators will not be invited to return.
• Prices (affordable and competitive): Vendors are encouraged to keep their prices "affordable" and
competitive. The quality of your product will create its demand. A moderate price will make it more attractive to festival patrons. Sandwich prices should not exceed $7.00 unless side dishes are included.
• Vendor Placement: Vendor placement is at the discretion of the Vendor Committee.
• Insurance: All vendors must provide proof of insurance for the event. The Mercer County Italian American
Festival Association, Mercer County Park Commission and West Windsor Township must appear on the Certificate of Insurance (see enclosed sample).
• Senior Discounts: Senior discounts are encouraged. Please indicate clearly on your menu if you will
provide discounts to senior citizens.
• Alcoholic Beverages: No alcoholic beverages or controlled substances will be sold, consumed or possessed on the Festival ground by any exhibitor or vendor or their agents and employees. The sale of tobacco products will not be allowed on the Festival grounds.
• Counterfeit Products: No counterfeit products will be permitted to be sold at the Festival grounds.
Selling counterfeit products will be cause for your permit(s) for space to be revoked and you will be escorted off the Festival grounds and punishable by law.
• Fireworks Prohibited: All exhibitors and vendors will be prohibited from selling, distributing or
possessing fireworks of any kind, items that explode upon percussion (caps, “bang torpedoes”, stink bombs, etc.) firearms, toy guns of any kind, knives of any sort, martial arts paraphernalia, flammable sprays, super soaker type water guns, silly string spray or any items intended to inflict bodily harm or discomfort. Any other products that are judged by the Festival Management to be undesirable for the best interest of the Festival will not be allowed. Page 4
• No Glass Containers for Served Beverages: No beverages may be served or sold in glass
containers. However, vendor may pour beverages from glass containers into paper cups. Beverages may be served in aluminum cans, plastic bottles or paper cups. No Styrofoam of any kind will be allowed on the Festival grounds.
Our Mission Statement "Dedicated to promoting and enhancing the heritage and culture of Italian-‐Americans"
[email protected] or www.italianamericanfestival.com CONDITIONS OF VENDOR SPACE All exhibitors and vendors at the Festival will agree to and abide by the conditions as set forth below: • All vendors will be subject at all times to inspection by the Festival Management as to the proper and
legal conduct of the business, activity or display for which a permit has been issued. The Festival Management reserves the right to require Vendors to remove from their displays any item(s) judged to be inappropriate for or offensive to a family theme. The Festival Management will be the sole judge, with power to annul an exhibitor’s or vendor’s permit immediately, without recourse, when in the best interest of the operation of the Festival.
• All vendors will keep their assigned space(s) in a neat, clean and sanitary condition at all times by removing all debris, litter and refuse and depositing the trash in containers provided for this purpose. There will be no storage of trash behind or around vendor stands.
• No vehicles or trailers are permitted on the main Festival grounds. • Smoking will not be permitted in any vending space, food or commercial areas. • Animals that are not an integral part of an exhibit will not be allowed on the Festival grounds.
• All fronts of tables that face the public must be covered from table/counter top to ground. REFUNDS OF PAYMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS • No refund of any payment(s) made for space by any exhibitor or vendor who cancels his/her
reservation after July 30, 2014 for an exhibit or vending space will be made by Festival Management. • Any exhibitor or vendor who fails to set up for the Festival by the date and time specified will forfeit
the space(s) assigned and no refund of payment(s) for said space will be given by the Festival Management to the exhibitor or vendor concerned.
• No refunds will be granted by the Festival Management, nor will any vendor be entitled to a refund on
account of any loss or reduction in vending hours as a result of, but not limited to, weather, theft, fire, explosion, vandalism, or arising out of failure of electric power or related equipment or for any act or force of nature, civil commotions or disasters of any kind, or for any other condition beyond Page 5
their control resulting to persons, equipment, merchandise, display or vendor space contents, which result in the Festival being delayed or cancelled.
FESTIVAL SERVICES
• Fire safety: Vendors must have fire extinguishers available for use. Electric extension cords must be of outdoor grade. All canopies must be fire rated. All lighting must be out door rated and UL approved (see enclosed electrical regulations and safety checklist).
• Health regulations: Vendors must adhere to all existing State and municipal health code regulations regarding the handling, preparation and serving of food. (See the enclosed West Windsor permit and questionnaire.) There are new state regulations regarding "Risk Type 3" food establishments (NJ State Sanitary Code Chapter 24 [N.J.A.C. 8:24]). See enclosure. No vendor requiring certification under this statute will be allowed to vend at the festival unless they provide proof of their certification.
• Security: The Festival Management will provide reasonable security at the Festival grounds. Vendors will be responsible for the safekeeping of their exhibits, displays, merchandise and supplies. The Festival Management will not be responsible for the loss, theft or destruction of the same.
• Electric and water Both electricity and water will be available on-‐site for vendor use. Electric is limited to one 20 amp service per vendor: No exceptions.
• Ice: Ice may be purchased on-‐site for $10 per 40 pound bag. Contact the Festival Office at (609) 631-‐7544 for further information or to order in advance.
• Each vendor space will be clearly marked prior to the set-‐up dates. Look for your assigned number and stay within the allotted space. The 20'x 20' canopy must be within the allotted space to insure your rigging meets code.
• Sale and/or abuse of alcoholic beverages by vendors is prohibited. No alcoholic beverages are allowed to be dispensed by vendors to their patrons or staff. Serving of alcoholic beverages by vendors is a violation of State and local laws. Violators will be subject to the penalties allowable under the law and prohibited from future participation in the festival. The consumption of alcoholic beverages is only permitted in designated areas.
• Please make sure you have completed and signed all the forms in your packet and return them along with your money order or cashier’s check (no personal/business checks please).
Please direct any questions to the Festival Office at (609) 631-‐7544.
Molte grazie, (Many thanks)
Joseph DiPaolo Joseph DiPaolo Food Court Chairman
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CHECKLIST Tent Number: ________
Business or Restaurant Name:____________________________________________________________
Daytime Phone: __________________Cell Phone: __________________Fax: ______________________
E-‐mail address:__________________________________________________________________
_____ Menu Prices: Submit menu and prices -‐ no changes will be allowed at the time of the Festival.
_____ Tent Decorations: All vendor areas must appropriately be decorated in Italian decorations.
_____ Passes: 6 passes will be given to “Restaurant Row” Food Vendors with a 30 x 30 space
_____ Vendor parking has been designated in specific areas. Consult with Festival staff upon arrival. Enclosed are two vendors parking permits that must be displayed on your vehicle dashboard.
_____ New Jersey Sales Tax Certificate of Authority: Attach a copy of State of New Jersey State Tax Certificate of Authority for 2014. Only one vendor per NJ Sales Tax Certificate will be permitted to apply for vending space.
_____ Hold Harmless Agreement
_____ Certificate of Liability Insurance
_____ Fire Safety Permit
_____ Health Department
_____ Serv Save Certification
_____ Stand Locations: A map of stand locations and a list of participating vendors will be provided before the Festival begins. The number alongside of each vendor on the list corresponds to the same number of a designated space on the map. The committee has assigned these locations with the intent of providing an interesting mix of foods and desserts for our attendees. All Designations are Final! As previous years have proven, there are no bad locations if the quality of the vendor’s product is good
Signature:_____________________________ Date__________________
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TENT NUMBE
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Day Ph
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Busin
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Mailing Ad
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Owner Name:_______________________________________________________ Tent Number:_________
Business /Restaurant Name:___________________________________________________________
Phone________________________Cell:___________________ Fax: _____________________
E-‐mail Address: ______________________________________________________________________
HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT
The undersigned, "Participant" will indemnify and hold harmless the officer(s), member(s), promoters(s), and/or sponsor(s) of The Mercer County Italian American Festival Association, Inc. in conjunction with the event which is scheduled for September 26, 27, 28, 2014, at the Mercer County Park in West Windsor Township, New Jersey hereinafter referred to as "Festival", from any loss, damage or injury to any person or property whatsoever in and around the Festival, resulting from any cause whatsoever, including, theft and vandalism, unless due to the negligent or willful misconduct of the aforementioned parties. In the event of negligent or willful misconduct on the part of any aforementioned entities only the party which was negligent or committed willful misconduct will have liability pursuant to this section.
The Participant will indemnify and hold harmless the officer(s), member(s), Promoter(s), and/or sponsor(s) of The Mercer County Italian American Festival Association, Inc., form and against any and all liability, losses, claims, demands, costs and expenses to which Participant may become subject by reason of any act or failure to act of the officer(s), member(s), promoter(s), and/or sponsor(s) of The Mercer County Italian-‐American Festival Association, Inc. event, or arising out of or in any way connected with the consumption in or around the "Festival" of any alcoholic beverage by Participant or any of the Participant's guests.
PARTICIPANT
By:__________________________________________________
Sworn to and Subscribed to Before me on this ___________ Day of _______Month, 2014
Notary Public of New Jersey ____________________
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Registration # _____________ Date Rec’d ___________________ Check # ________________ Amount Rec’d_______________ Space Assignment #_______ Tent # _____________________ Comments:___________________________________________________________________
Registration “Restaurant Row” (30 x 30) Food Vendor Checklist
Business or Restaurant Name: ________________________________________________________ Address:____________________________________ City:_________________State:____ Zip:_____ Description of Your Festival Activity:___________________________________________________ Contact Name: _____________________________ Phone:_________________________________ Email address: ____________________________________________________________________ “Restaurant Row” Food Vendor Fees:
Restaurant Row Food Vendor Corner Booth
Restaurant Row Food Vendor Inside Booth
30 x 30 “Corner” Space 30 x 30 “Inside” Space
$ 1,195 Festival Fee $ 995 Festival Fee $ 80 Health Dept. Permit $ 80 Health Dept. Permit $ 65 Fire Permit $ 65 Fire Permit $ 60 Electric ($20/day) $ 60 Electric ($20/day) $ 1,400 TOTAL (includes trash fee) $1,200 TOTAL (includes trash fee) Return this completed form, enclosed checklist along with your money order or cashier’s check. No personal/business checks will be accepted. Vendor fees are due no later than Wednesday July 30, 2014
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Mercer County Italian-American Festival Association 2421 Liberty Street, Hamilton, New Jersey 08629
Phone (609) 631-7544 Fax (609) 631-9116
May 15, 2014 Dear Vendor, Thank you for your interest in participating in the 2014 Mercer County Italian-‐American Festival to be held at Mercer County Park on September 26, 27, 28. We are looking forward to your participation in helping make our Festival a huge success! If you have been out to Mercer County Park recently, you probably noticed a lot of construction going on. The Park Commission is in the process of upgrading the park and festival grounds. Because of these new improvements, the layout of our festival will be different than in past years. We believe the changes will make the festival better than ever for you, our vendors. We are really excited to showcase Mercer County Park’s new upgrades at our 2014 Italian Festival! The food vendor set-‐up will be reminiscent of the food and merchandise booths that lined the streets of Chambersburg (The Burg) where La Festa della Madonna Maria SS. Assunta in Cielo, Prottetrice di Casandrino, more commonly referred to as The Feast of Lights, first began in 1906. As our patrons travel down our newly created Butler, Elmer, and Mott Streets sampling the wonderful foods and desserts of our vendors, we hope to bring back the memories of years gone by and the feelings associated with the original Feast of Lights held in “the Burg”. As you will see from the enclosed new layout map, there will be a total of 40 “Restaurant Row” food vendor spaces (30 x 30) with 10 vendors in each section. This layout may change based on the actual number of food vendors participating. Butler Street
Section 1: 4 “prime” corner spots Section 2: 4 “prime” corner spots 6 “inside” spots 6 “inside” spots Elmer Street Section 3: 4 “prime” corner spots Section 4: 4 “prime” corner spots 6 “inside” spots 6 “inside” spots
Mott Street The Corner “prime” spots will have 2 sides open to the public and must serve from both sides of the booth that face aisles. Because of the 2-‐side access for customers, the cost of corner spots will be an additional $200. Each section of 10 vendors will share a common area for electricity and water. The County’s new regulations do not permit vehicles at the vendor booths. A secured, designated area will be set up for vendor trucks and supplies not far from the food booth tents. Please review the enclosed contract requirements and guidelines. All paperwork needs to be returned to us no later than Wednesday, July 30, 2014 with your full payment. Please note that the “prime” corner spots will go fast, so the sooner you send in your payment, the better chance you have of securing the space you want. Request for corner spots will be given to vendors on a first come, first paid basis. Mail completed form and cashier’s check or money order made payable to “MCIAF” to: The Mercer County Italian American Festival PO Box 2862 Hamilton Square, NJ 08690 Attention: Vendor Committee Please direct any questions to the Festival Office at (609) 631-‐7544 or email us at: [email protected] Molte grazie, (Many thanks)
Joseph DiPaolo Joseph DiPaolo Food Court Chairman
