Want to do a big event?

I think a lot of wood be vendors think they can go to any large event a make the big bucks but look at this event, and the fees involved:
 
Evanston's 38th Annual Custer's Last Stand Festival of the Arts will be held on Saturday and Sunday, June 19 & 20 in the heart of the Main Street Station Shopping District.

We are now accepting General Applications and Food Vendor Applications. Download or apply online at www.custerfair.com. Paper applications will be sent out by December 2009.
 
Eligibility
Private businesses, not-for-profit organizations and individuals are eligible to apply.
The FoodFest Committee will select vendors based upon criteria, providing a wide
variety of ethnic and gourmet foods, not generally available to the public.
 
Festival Hours
Food concessions must be open at all times during the hours of the Fair:
10 am to 7 pm at the Custer Ave. site
10 am to 9 pm at the Chicago Ave. site
Setup time will be on Friday evening.
 
Fees
The fees are listed below. There is an additional fee of $150 for Vendors on Chicago Avenue, which stay open four additional hours. These booths are in the Jazz Stage area. Food booths are in high demand, so apply early!


For movable carts such as: popcorn, pretzel, ice cream tricycles, etc. ….$300.00


For 10' x 10' spaces, ice cream trucks, stationary wagons & carts, etc. …$800.00


For 16' x 16' space …………..$950.00
 
Health Department
In addition, all vendors need to register with the City of Evanston Health Department. Forms are enclosed for you to fill out and send with your permit fee of $103.00.
 
 
Electricity is generally available in 120v, 30 amp mode only. In all cases if you are using electricity you need to have an electric panel or board with outlets attached to the booth and elevated off the ground.

There is a $300 fee for electricity.

If you require additional service (i.e. 220v or higher amperage), an additional fee will be determined, Generators are not allowed in Evanston!
 
Clean-up
A cleanup deposit of $300 is required with each application.  The deposit check will be returned to you upon proof of satisfactory cleanup.
 
Parking
By order of the City of Evanston, you must either purchase parking from Custer Fair or provide proof of your parking arrangements.
 
 
Menus You are allowed 3 menu items. Beverages are not included in the three item limit, No lemonade drinks are allowed.
 
The committee will review all proposals received and make their selection based upon the guidelines set forth on the enclosed City of Evanston Food Service Guidelines.
 
Membership
This $75 annual membership is good only for the year in which you apply.
 
Membership benefits include:
• A guaranteed parking place.
• You may retain your same booth space the following year or request a particular booth space. We will honor this request where placement rules permit, provided the space is not already reserved by another member.
• One free Custerʼs Last Stand T-Shirt.

At least you get a T Shirt! haha!!! Thats alot of $$$$

WOW! That's expensive. Its hard to justify those costs if you're a first time vendor there. it usually takes us a couple of years to get a good following when we do a new show like this. If the crowd is spectacular and you've been doing this show for a long time it might pay off.

For many events only the peole selling vendor spaces make money.  Expensive, then they have the nerve to nickle and dime you too, for hundreds of dollars no else.

On top of that, some would have the nerve to demand fees for 2 spaces if your trailer is over 16' long in this case.

Most people don't understand that we the food vendor are a critical component of any event and it will not do well without us.

Rootsman your right on the money, pun intended. The problem is there is always some sucker ready to step in and take a shot at it and these kind of events thrive on new vendors every year to survive. It's sad.

Yep!  You better start scaling back if you show up at an event and its mostly new vendors.

Potential vendors see a swarm of people and a swarm of vendors and think its a money bonanza.

Who needs to actually have a festval. Its seems everyone is making plenty in fees.

What about a fair without food vendors....lame:
http://www.slashfood.com/...8/broward-county-fair/     

That's interesting, but it'll be a complete failure. And the line in the article:

"but it will give all fair visitors time to concentrate on what are the most essential and important elements of any and all fairs: ... the community's agri-business and its students."

Is wishful thinking at best.
Jack

As far as the Custers Last Stand festival, what size crowd to they predict? The limit to three menu items is unusual.

Slammin I'm not sure your correct in that being unusual.

It's become much more the norm in the Midwest and west at Art Fair Events. In fact many are limiting vendors to one food item and drinks.

It's the mind set that the event promoters don't want food lines, because it takes customer time away from the art vendors. The artist started complaining about people in long food lines and this practice was a direct result.

Custer last stand web site :

350 Artists and craftspeople from across the nation to exhibit and sell paintings, ceramics, pottery, photographs, jewelry, graphic arts, wearable art, country and home craft, antiques and collectibles. They are joined by 150 local businesses and commercial exhibitors who put on an old fashioned Sidewalk Sale.

Over 30 food vendors offer a full international menu featuring the old favorites as well as new fare.

They draw about 70, 000 people over two days. So I don't know if it would be a money maker or not. But my point was it's a big gamble especially if you end up with one or both days of bad weather.

Jack

On the other hand to give encouragement to people who think they would like to do this here's my assessment.
60,000 people, where ever I am located I need to attract 5% minimum. 60000 x .05 = 3000 people.
My average ticket is $2.68.  $2.68x3000= $8,040.00.
$8040.00 x .18 = $1447.20.
So an 18 % price increase = $2.68 x .18 = $3.17.
Or a price increase of 49 cents.
Ever go to a place with a captive audience and not see prices near double?
Oh yes the weather, that's our business fighting the weather.

around here, most say 3 main food items is the limit. that usually doesn't include hot dogs and nachos.

At large busy events I think limited menus is a good idea for everyone.

1) Lines move faster
2) Less menu overlap between vendors
3) Vendor logistics are simplified, resulting in safer and probably better food
4) Less signage clutter at booths
5) Less staffing probably required

Even if it is not required, I limit my menu at larger events.

Many of the events here limit you to 3 menu items, of which only 2 can be "dangerous" ie uncooked meat, eggs, etc.

Just another good little tid bit of info, found only here. on roadfood.com..really though, I am learning the ropes like I have my entire 44 years, Hands On training. I never would have guessed that one, my menu is that of a deli, with a convient store. Each side always has a good point of view. So many different rules.