Vendor Applications

Welcome, Vendors!

 The NC Whirligig Festival welcomes approximately 250 vendors to its weekend street festival. The festival stretches out over eight blocks of the downtown area. All vendors are mixed within each block – no specific zones for any type of vendor. All vendors are required to participate both Saturday & Sunday, see additional vendor guidelines below. NCWF has an 89% return rate of vendors. Come give it a whirl! 

Click the button below to apply TODAY! Deadline for vendor applications: Friday, September 6, 2025. Applications are considered in the order they are received until spaces are filled. For questions or concerns, email info@whirligigfestivalnc.org.

Food Vendor Application

Booth Fee
$250
– Beverage only Vendors
$250 – Non-Profit selling Food
$250 – Downtown Food Vendor/Restaurant (street/sidewalk booth set up, inside festival zone)
$500 – Food Vendors (fresh, on-site cooking) 

Art & Crafts Application

Booth Fee
$150
– Handmade Arts and Crafts 
$150 – Art Services (face painters, balloon artists, caricature)
$250 – Specialty Arts and Crafts (not made by vendor, third party handmade) 

Non-Profit Booth Application

Booth Fee
$25
– Military Organizations 
$50 – Non-Profit display only 
$100 – Non-Profit/Raffle/Fundraising/Pre-Packaged food 
$250 – Non-Profit selling Food 
$750 – Political Party/Candidates 
$25 – USA Military

Commercial Booth Application

Booth Fee
$175
– Pre-Packaged Foods (nuts, candy, jelly & jams, salsa, bakery, BBQ sauce; not cooked on site) 
$300 – Homebased Business (no store front) 
$850 – Commercial Vendors (store front) 

Downtown Merchant Application

Booth Fee
$50 – Downtown Merchant In-Zone (booth in festival zone)
$100 – Downtown Merchant Perimeter 
(perimeter zone, traffic affected)
$500 – Downtown MSD Merchant – in the MSD district, 50% off Commercial booth fee  Note: Downtown Restaurant wanting to sell on street/sidewalk must apply with Food vendor application. 

NC Whirligig Festival Vendor Policies

Click to print PDF of vendor policies. 

The full set of vendors policies and procedures will be emailed once your booth application is approved. Provided below are the top priorities by which vendors must abide. Logistical information such as load-in, set-up and load out will be provided upon acceptance of your vendor application. A signature on a submitted application conveys agreement with all policies and procedures. 

  1. All vendors are advised to print and keep a copy of these guidelines for your own records. 
  2. The main focus of the festival is to highlight the Vollis Simpson Whirligigs, true artisans and a mix of family entertainment, music, food vendors and to support our local non-profit organizations. 
  3. The NC Whirligig Festival is a diverse and inclusive event that incorporates vendors, organizations and sponsors that are supportive of our mission to welcome the whole community. If at any point a vendor’s items, products, services or promotions become divisive, exclusionary, or offensive the vendor will have the opportunity to take corrective actions or be dismissed from the festival. The decision of the Festival Director is final. 
  4. The festival zone is located in the heart of Historic Downtown Wilson, NC as a street festival held within several blocks of closed streets surrounding the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park. All booth will be placed on the street with their backs to the sidewalk. The sidewalks cannot be blocked or used for storage. 
  5. Once a booth application is submitted, the application fee will be charged immediately. The application will be reviewed by the Festival Director and designated Vendor Chair. Upon approval, the vendor will be contacted, and the booth fees processed as identified in the application. Once accepted, the booth application is non-refundable. Any vendor waitlisted may resubmit materials for further consideration. Any vendor denied may apply again next year. All decisions by the Festival Director and Vendor Chairs are final. Only approved vendors will be allowed to conduct business at the NC Whirligig Festival. 
  6. All types of vendors, nonprofit organizations, educational groups, food vendors, faith-based organizations, commercial vendors, political organizations, and sponsors are mixed within each block of the festival. Your neighboring vendors could be any type of vendor. We do strive to spread out vendors that sell very similar products. 
  7. Vendor fees vary depending on the type of vending, products sold and booth size needed for set up. See price list for details and distinctions. 
  8. Food vendors that grill with wood, charcoal or any type of fuel that cannot be shut off immediately are considered for the “Beer and Bones Zone” located within the approved fire district. All other food vendors with gas, propane or fuel that can be shut off instantly will be placed throughout the festival area. 
  9. Electricity and water access are available on a limited basis. Requests can be made on the application. The fees will only be charged if approved and assigned. 
  10. The festival is held rain or shine. The festival will only be cancelled by a declaration of emergency by the Governor. Should an act of God, pandemic, or other events beyond the control of the festival planners cause a cancellation, vendor fees will carry forward to the next year’s festival at a prorated amount. 
  11. Booth space is simply that – space. The standard booth space is 12 feet wide and 10 feet deep. This easily allows for a 10 ft x 10 ft tent. Vendors must provide their own tent, weights, tables, chairs and displays. All displays and materials must fit within the booth space. Sidewalks may not be used. 
  12. Vendors are required to participate both days of the festival, Saturday 10 am – 5 pm and Sunday, 12 noon to 5 pm. Any vendor shutting down early or skipping a day will not be considered for future festivals. 
  13. Food vendors are required to set up on Friday night in preparation for the Health Department Inspections. 
  14. All food vendors and oversized displays (triple and double booths) are required to set up on Friday night. 
  15. All vendors are encouraged to set up their tent, tables, and booth display equipment on Friday night. 
  16. Vendors may leave their booth structures, tents, tables, and equipment set up overnight on Saturday. 
  17. Vendors are only permitted to sell items within their approved category. For example, arts and crafts vendors may not sell food. A food vendor may not sell arts and crafts. Any crossover sales must be included in the initial application and must be approved by the Vendor Chairs of both categories. 
  18. Vendors must provide a NC Sales Tax number, which can be obtained from the NC State Revenue office. Vendors are required and responsible for the license, sales tax and shipping related to their sales. 
  19. Vendors are responsible for their own insurance. The NC Department of Labor requires us to ask this question and strongly encourages all vendors to carry insurance. The festival will not be held liable for any damages to you, your merchandise, equipment, or attendees shopping at your booth. The vendor application asks for vendors to provide their insurance policy number per the requirement of the NC Department of Labor. If you do not have one, do not leave it blank – please write in “no insurance”. 
  20. Upon submitting a completed booth vendor application, you agree to the following statement …. I have reviewed the NC Whirligig Festival vendor booth policies and to fully abide by what has been outlined. I understand that I am vending at your own risk, and I agree to be responsible for my own safety, protection of belongings and actions. I further agree to indemnify and hold harmless the NC Whirligig Festival organizers, City of Wilson, and any persons holding legal title to the lands upon which this event is being held, from any claims arising from my participation as a vendor in this festival. I understand once accepted into the festival, my application fee is non-refundable. 

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