• The main focus of this festival is Arts & Crafts. While the festival does have music, entertainment, food a kid zone and non-profit organizations, the focus and highlight of the festival are the artisans.

• All Arts & Crafts items must be handmade. Any commercial products, or mass produced products, will not be accepted.

• Any Arts & Crafts booth selling or displaying commercial, or mass produced products, will be removed from the festival.

• Vendors may only sell items in their approved category. For example: Arts & Crafts may not sell food items.

• Only registered booth participants and hired performers will be permitted to conduct business, performances and activities during the NC Whirligig Festival.

• A 5lb ABC fire extinguisher with a current service tag must be on location for all vendors.

• It is against NC Fire Code regulations for a vendor to extend past the outlined measurements. Vendors may not exceed the limits of their rented booth space including tent, display rack and storage of materials.

• Space is a premium in the festival. If vendors need more space than the assigned single booth of 15’ wide x 12’ deep, they may purchase a double or triple space. Vendors may not purchase 2 separate single booth spaces.

• Vendors may bring their own tents, displays and storage racks. For a single booth space a 10 x10 ft tent fits best. For safety reasons, all materials must fit within the rented booth space and must be weighed down. November is a windy month.

• Vendors must obtain their own insurance coverage for sales, products, operation, property damage and personal injury arising as a result of the vendor’s action.

• Vendors must have a NC Sales Tax Number which can be purchased from a NC State Revenue office. Vendors are responsible for the licenses and taxes related to their sales.

• Vendors are responsible for having their own insurance. The festival will not be held liable for any damages to you, your merchandise, your display or equipment. If you do not have insurance, you can inquire with your home owners or local agency. If you choose not to have insurance, you do so at your own risk. The festival cannot be held liable.

• If your booth requires power, it will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis. If approved, you must remain within the specified wattage limits. If you exceed and blow circuits, your booth will be shut down. We cannot jeopardize power throughout the festival zone. Please be exact and knowledgeable about your electrical needs. You must provide your own heavy duty power cords. We recommend 300’ minimum cord and to label your electric cord with your Vendor name. Electricians are on hand to assist with simple power issues. They may not make adjustments to a vendor’s equipment. Neither the City of Wilson nor the festival are responsible for power surges or damage to vendor equipment
due to power issues.

• If your booth requires water, it will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are granted the use of water, you must provide your own heavy duty, approved, water hose. We recommend 100’ minimum & label your hose.

• Prices of items for sale must be posted and visible to the public. The Whirligig Festival Vendor Committee will check your posted items against the items on your festival application. Vendors selling unapproved items or inflated prices will immediately be shut down.

• Generators are mostly prohibited. We have a few small designated areas where they are allowed. Must be pre-approved.

• The total amount of the application fee is due at the time of application. Deposits or portions of fees will not be accepted. Refunds will only be issued if the application is not accepted. A $25.00 fee will be charged for all returned checks.

• Please be aware that load-in and breakdown are very hectic. Load-in and break down traffic will be directed by Festival Officers. Volunteers will be available to help you unload your vehicles. Load in time does not include set up. Load in is strictly for unloading of supplies. Once materials are unloaded, your vehicle must be moved to the parking area. The same applies to break down. No vehicles are allowed to be parked next to booth area. All parking is located outside the festival zone.

• Booth structures may remain in place on Saturday night, for Sunday usage. However, it is recommended all merchandise, products and items of worth are stored in a locked vehicle or trailer overnight. Wilson Police will patrol the area and traffic will not be allowed to pass thru the streets over night, but security cannot be provided for individual
booths.

• Security for your merchandise, booth and property are your responsibility. Please be watchful.

• Only registered booth participants will be permitted to conduct business during the Whirligig Festival.

• The Whirligig Festival is a rain or shine event. No refunds will be given.

• All vendors are expected to participate in the festival for the full schedule, both days. This includes all vendors!

• The festival will be held rain or shine, please come prepared. No refunds.

• Booths are actual space. No tables, chairs or other equipment are provided.

• Booths are 15 feet in width and 10 feet deep. Only those that registered and paid for double or triple space may expand beyond this size.

• Only 10 x 10 or 10 x 12 pop up/tail gate tents are approved for usage and must be weighed down for safety. Tents must be made of fire-retardant materials. Weights should be at least 10 lbs per leg – 40 lbs per tent. All tents will be
inspected.

• All storage must remain within your booth space. Sidewalks cannot be blocked.

• Water and electrical are limited. If you are approved for either, it is confirmed in your application. Please bring extra-long cords and hoses.

• Booth assignments place artisans, non-profits, sponsors, businesses and food vendors equally throughout each block of the festival. Food vendors tend to be placed at the intersections due to utilities, but some are within the blocks too.

• All booth assignments are subject to change to best serve the overall festival needs.

• All trash must be removed from your booth location by 6 p.m. Use the provided portable, rolling garbage cans. Do not leave piles of trash behind. City of Wilson Environmental Services will be on hand at the end of each day to clear debris.

• Due to the musical nature of the Whirligig Festival, generators are considered on a limit basis and require pre-approval. Even if approved, if a generator is found to be too loud, the festival reserves the right to refuse usage. We recommend using generator mufflers.

• All Wilson County Department of Public Health state regulations regarding food preparation and procedures must be followed.
• Illegal paraphernalia cannot be sold or displayed at the festival.

• All arts and crafts must be handmade items. No manufactured products can be included for sale. The festival coordinators reserve the right to refuse products from sale deemed manufactured or mass produced.

• The participation of downtown business owners is crucial to the continued success of the festival. For this reason, businesses within the outlined festival zone are given first option to use the street space in front of their business. Applications must be received by the published deadline or the space in front of their store will be assigned to another
festival vendor.
          o Once an application is received, the festival planners will reserve a booth space for downtown merchants as close as possible to the front door of their store. This is not a guarantee that it will be exactly at your door front. Booths are measured in 12 foot lengths starting at the intersections and many factors play into booth placement. But the festival logistics committee will work their best to place your assigned booth location as near your store front as possible. Understanding and flexibility are required.
          o Businesses may only sell items in their booth from their existing business and items normally carried in their store. For example, a hammock store may not sell balloons or funnel cakes during the festival. To sell other items, or expand your sales, you must submit a separate vendor application with the appropriate fees. Food sales must also submit a separate application.
          o The street booth must have an attractive display, demonstration, sidewalk sale or some type of activity. While an empty open space may seem like easy access to your business, in reality it gives festival attendees the impression that a vendor is missing and the space is just empty (not good). Use the space creatively to attract customers indoors!
          o Businesses may not donate their space to another organization, non-profit, family, friend or side-business. It is may only be used to promote your current existing store/business.

• The festival is held on Wilson’s main downtown streets. At the end of the day booth participants are asked to clean your area and pack out all trash, leaving the booth area, street and sidewalks in the original clean and clear condition.

• With the completion and approval of the City of Wilson Procession Permit/Street closure application, the streets are no longer public domain, but now considered an event. Similar to renting a venue, the City Streets, sidewalks and areas within the designated festival zone are now considered an event venue.

• All activities within the approved street closures are under the permission and approval of the NC Whirligig Festival.

• All types of community groups, including civic organizations, non-profits, schools, artisan, crafters, commercial and faith based organizations are encouraged to apply. However, only groups that support inclusive membership and support community building will be considered. The festival reserves the right to remove, deny or excuse any vendor or signage.

• Strolling solicitation throughout the festival is not allowed. Vendors, organizations and individuals may not walk throughout the festival with donation buckets, selling items, raffle tickets, passing out handbills or brochures.

• All activity must be maintained within your assigned booth location. Your staff or volunteers must be able to touch your tent. If not – you are too far away.

• Shouting, barking or loud marketing efforts are not allowed from any booth. If you overstep the areas or over shout the next booth this is poor manners!

• Political candidates, protests, demonstrations, etc… must be approved by the NC Whirligig Festival 30 days prior to the festival.

• The Free Speech Zone is established on the Courthouse Plaza and steps only. The stated purpose of free speech zones is to protect the safety of those attending the festival and for the safety of the presenters themselves. The existence of free speech zones is based on U.S. court decisions stipulating that the government may reasonably regulate the time, place, and manner – but not content – of expression.

• Political candidates are welcomed to be part of their party’s vendor booths and speak with potential constituents from the booth. As no strolling solicitation is allowed, candidates must remain with their party’s booth display.

• For safety and protection, pets are discouraged, but if present at your booth, they must be leashed and restricted behind booths to minimize interaction with festival participants. This is for the safety of your pet as well as visitors.

• Any attendee, vendor, merchant, visitor, or person within the festival zone causing a disturbance or disruption of the festival activities or is contradictory to a family friendly atmosphere will be asked to leave the festival. Should the person not leave, the festival can file a no trespassing order and have the disturbance removed from the festival zone.

• Any questions regarding the operation of and activities during the NC Whirligig Festival should contact their respective Vendor Chairs, Sponsorship Coordinator or Festival Director. Thank you for giving it a whirl!

Manage your lines – You are responsible for your lines! Your line may not block the vendor next to you. Customers waiting in line may not stand in front of your neighbor’s booth. We know your busy with sales – but you cannot allow people in line for your booth to block a neighbor’s booth. Take a quick pause, and curve the line so they remain in order, but do not block anyone.