Thanks for your interest in ShadowFest!
APPLICATION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 23, 2024
ABOUT SHADOWFEST
SHADOWFEST IS THE BEST PLACE TO ENJOY THE 2024 TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE WEEKEND WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS!
ShadowFest is a 3-day, 2-night family music festival in celebration of the total solar eclipse. The event will take place from 10am on Saturday, April 6 through 7pm on Monday, April 8. Campers will be on site for that entire time. Day-pass holders have access all day each day as well, but (obviously) don’t stay overnight. Please refer to the Event Calendar for more details.
THE VENDOR PROCESS
- Fill out the application below. The deadline to apply is February 23. To confirm your interest, you must pay a refundable $150 Vendor Deposit before submitting your application.
- The Vendor Coordinators will review early applications and may reply with a decision within 7 days, but will definitely reply no later than February 23rd. After February 23rd the Coordinators will reply on a rolling basis within 7 days.
- We want all of our vendors to do well, so the Coordinators will be looking for a variety of items and will be avoiding overlap. Some types of food or merchandise may have more applicants than others and preference will be given to earlier registrations, so sign up soon!
- The deposit paid by those vendors who are not chosen will be refunded immediately after February 23 or on the day their submission is rejected.
- Confirmed vendors will continue to communicate with the Coordinators through the event.
- We create an awesome eclipse event!
- We settle accounts and refund deposits. More settlement details TBA.
WHAT WE EXPECT FROM VENDORS
FIRST THINGS, FIRST: You have our undying respect!
We appreciate your hard work and creativity, and are excited about the fun you’ll be adding to the ShadowFest event!
FOOD VENDORS
Depending upon what types of foods or beverages you offer, this festival could involve some fairly long hours. We will be looking for vendors who can cover breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, late-night foods and beverage needs for the following times:
- Friday, April 5: This is set-up day. Vendors should do primary set-up today, with final touches finished by 10am Saturday morning. You will have an assigned location and power will be available. Food vendors may use food trucks or booths.
- Saturday, April 6: Gates open to campers at 10am today, and day-pass holders will begin to show up at around Noon. Programming ends at Midnight and gates close at 1am Sunday.
- Sunday, April 7: Gates open at 8am. Classes in the Wellness Village start at 9am, and music starts at noon. Music ends at 9pm and is followed by a showing of the Apollo 13 movie outdoors on big screens. Gates close at Midnight.
- Monday, April 8: Gates open at 8am and classes in the Wellness Village start at 9:30am. There’s a drum circle at noon and the eclipse will start to occur at about 2:30. Food vendors can begin to close up shop when the eclipse begins or stay through 7pm when the gates close on the festival.
- All vendor items will need to be removed by 8pm on Tuesday, April 9.
OTHER VENDORS
Interactive vendors (face painting, hair decoration, quick-draw art, etc): Depending on the offering, interactive vendors may be able to join our Wellness Village or Kids Activities areas, so would need to be open during those time periods.
- Wellness Village Hours: Saturday, April 6 from Noon-7pm; Sunday, April 7 from 9am-7pm; Sunday, April 8 from 9:30am-Noon.
- Kids Activities Area: Saturday, April 6 no kid activities hours; Sunday, April 7 from 10am-Noon; Monday, April 8 from 10am-Noon.
Merchandise vendors: Shadowfest will open a merchandise shopping area on Sunday, April 7 from 10am until dark (approximately 8pm).
Set-up and tear-down times will be communicated later and will be based on your location.
All vendor items will need to be removed by 8pm on Tuesday, April 9.
VENDOR FEES
The fee to vendors is 15% of gross sales. Each vendor is also responsible for collecting 7% IN sales tax if it applies to them.
Shadowfest is exploring cash-free payment systems, which may mean the festival will be paying vendors their share after the event is over rather than the other way around. Whoever is paying whom, vendors are encouraged to keep records of their sales in order to pay, or receive payment for, an accurate percent of sales. Vendors will be asked to provide their records when settlement occurs; at that time the $150 vendor registration fee will be refunded. Vendors will be provided with details and instructions in advance about how to use any payment system selected by the festival.
VENDOR BENEFITS
- Camping benefit: Vendors have free access to one 10’x10’ camp site. Four people aged 6 and older PLUS any number of people under age 6 are permitted on the site. Exchange of the 10’x10’ site with other larger sites will be made on a case-by-case basis by the Volunteer Coordinators and may require an upcharge fee.
- Ticket benefit: All vendors automatically receive two free 3-Day event tickets for booth workers, and a discount code good for 50% off on two additional tickets for friends and family. Additional booth workers will receive a 1-day ticket for the days(s) they work in the booth. All workers need to be registered in advance and approved by the Vendor Coordinators by April 1st.
- Parking benefit: Parking for vendors is free and in a reserved area of the parking lot.
- Any other benefits need to be negotiated on a case-by-case basis with the Volunteer Coordinators prior to the event.
CHECKLIST
- The festival will have 24/7 security on site; however, Shadowfest will not take responsibility for the safety of vendor items. Please secure or remove valuable items when your booth is closed.
- Every vendor will be assigned a specific location and power will be available. If you require power other than 15-20A 110V, please indicate those needs on the form below. Also bring up to 50’ of extension cords to be safe.
- Unless notified otherwise, vendors should assume their booths will be outside and will need to provide their own tents or other coverings. This event is in early April in Indiana, so please be prepared for chilly or wet weather conditions.
- You may bring your own tables, chairs and other display fixtures. Tables are available for rent from the Fairgrounds at a cost of $8 per table and $2 per chair.
- Note that the Shadowfest location – the Monroe County Fairgrounds – has excellent cell service, but can not provide wifi service.
- You are responsible for obtaining relevant Health Permits, Food Handlers Permits and insurance documents. You may provide copies via the form below or provide them to the Vendor Coordinators at any time prior to the event.
- Donations of meals, services or merchandise for our raffle is encouraged but not required. Raffle income will be donated to Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, a local food kitchen.
AGREEMENTS
You will be asked to agree to the following in the registration form below:
- You and your staff will be sober when working in the booth and will not sell products to attendees outside of the booth area.
- You agree to use any payment system provided by Shadowfest, and will pay 15% of gross sales to the festival.
- You will sell only the items pre-approved by the Shadowfest Vendor Coordinator.
- You will not sell or possess cannabis or paraphernalia; guns or other weapons; or obscene items. Nor will you provide tattooing or piercing services; or use the word “Shadowfest” on t-shirts or any other other items.
- You understand that Shadowfest may provide food vouchers to some musicians, contractors or volunteers. You agree to accept these vouchers; and realize you will be reimbursed by the festival at settlement.
- You acknowledge that Shadowfest is not an annual event. As such, the festival can not predict the number of attendees. Once registered and unless given written permission otherwise, vendors agree to participate at the event regardless of attendance numbers. Failure to do so will result in the forfeiture of the vendor’s deposit. The festival will provide vendors with attendance numbers weekly and then daily beginning February 29, 2024. As you receive attendance numbers please plan accordingly and come prepared with whatever you need to be self-sufficient. This is a very special time: food may become scarce, and traffic may become particularly heavy with the influx of people to the area.
- You have read, and agree to, the Shadowfest Event Guidelines.