Food Vendor GUIDELINES

Thank you for your interest in vending at the Broad Ave Art Walk (BAAW)!  Below are some rules and regulations that help keep everyone safe and our insurance costs down.  By submitting your Food Vendor Application, you are agreeing that you have read and agree to these Guidelines in their entirety.

• Vendors are expected to conduct themselves in a professional, respectful, and cooperative manner at all times while participating in the festival. This expectation applies to vendors, artists, employees, assistants, representatives, and anyone working on the businesses’ behalf.

• Vendors must be present, open, and fully operational during all scheduled festival hours. Early teardown, partial closure, or abandonment of a booth prior to the official end of the festival is not permitted and may impact eligibility for future participation.

• Vendors are responsible for maintaining a safe, orderly, and accessible booth space. Walkways, sidewalks, and emergency access routes must remain clear at all times. Vendors must comply promptly with instructions from Festival Staff (EventOps), City officials, Fire Marshal, Police, or other authorized personnel.

• Professional conduct is required in all interactions with festival staff, security, volunteers, fellow vendors, attendees, sponsors, partners, and city personnel. Harassment, intimidation, abusive behavior, discriminatory conduct, or refusal to comply with festival directives will not be tolerated.

• No offensive, discriminatory, excessively sexual, excessively provocative, or drug-related merchandise, signage, or materials may be displayed, sold, or distributed.

• Vendors participate in festivals at their own risk and assume full responsibility for their equipment, displays, and activities during the festival.

• Vendors are responsible for maintaining appropriate liability insurance commensurate with their operations. Certificates of Insurance are required only for vendors and activities identified in the Festival’s insurance requirements (including food vendors, alcohol service, and permitted structures). Festival Staff reserves the right to request proof of insurance if a vendor’s setup or activities present a safety or risk concern.

• Vendors must comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and ordinances, including tax, safety, and licensing requirements. Failure to comply with these standards may result in corrective action, including removal of noncompliant items, temporary suspension of operations, or removal from the festival without refund. Violations may also affect eligibility for future festivals

SELECTION CRITERIA

The 2026 Art Walk Food VEndor Selections will be based on the following, but may not be limited to:

• Quality of offerings

• Experience vending

• Ability to serve thousands of patrons outdoors

• Appearance of overall setup

• Overall variety/diversity of cuisine

• Reasonable prices & value

• Compatibility with existing restaurants in the Broad Avenue Arts District

SELECTION PRocess

All prospective food vendors must submit the following by September 15, 2026:

• Completed vendor application, including

• Proposed menu with pricing

• Current photo of operation

• Layout of site/footprint

• Confirmation of low-noise generator (see more generator information below)

GENERAL RULES

• Base food vendor fee is $300.

• In lieu of half of your vendor fee, you may opt to trade instead, providing $150 worth of complimentary meals, menu items, and/or day-of vouchers for event staff. This option is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

• Food and beverage purchases at BAAW are by cash, credit and debit cards. Vendors are required to use a POS approved by BAAW.

• Participating concessionaires are required to comply with all rules and regulations of the Shelby County Health Department, Memphis Police & Fire Departments, Memphis/Shelby County Office of Construction Code Enforcement and any other governing authorities’ rules and regulations which might apply.

• All participating food vendors must display professional looking menu boards specifying menu items and prices at all times.

  • No changes to menu boards will be allowed without prior consent from BAAW.

  • We are striving for a professional, elevated experience at BAAW; handwritten signs are prohibited.

SPACE

• Space may be tight, so the vendor’s entire display must fit within the allotted space.  This includes all signage, power generation, and tenting/weights.

• Vendors are expected to maintain their market space by removing trash & debris and remaining clean & tidy throughout the market.

• Operators must be physically present and must remain at their space for the duration of the event. 

  • Abandoned spaces for over 1 hour will be removed. 

  • Event Staff is not responsible for abandoned merchandise or equipment and is not responsible for any damages resulting in the remove of abandoned equipment, 

• No overstock, food service items, condiment tables, or signage may be stored on sidewalks. Sidewalks must stay clear for pedestrians and emergency personnel.

TENTING

• Food vendors are not required to have a tent in their space, but if you do…

• Tents must be safely weighted with at least 30lb weight per tent leg.

  • Canopy weights should not present a tripping hazard. 

  • Weights should be affixed to the lower leg of the tent - no free-dangling weights.

  • Absolutely no staking. 

  • Tents not adequately weighted may purchase available weights onsite ($150) or you may be asked to remove your tent.

Taxes & Permits

• Sales Tax and licenses/permits are the responsibility of the vendor. 

• The Shelby County Health Department Temporary Event Application Form must be completed and turned in to BAAW/EventOps. Event operaters will then submit these forms to the Shelby County Health Department on the vendors’ behalf.

Market Load-in

• Detailed, space-specific, load-in instructions will be sent via email 10 days prior to the event to the business email address included on your application.  Failure to follow load-in instructions will lead to removal of vehicle load-in pass. 

• Standard vehicle-assisted load-in is from 7:00am to 9:45am

  • Early vendor load-in, starting at 5:30am, is available for an additional fee

• One load-in vehicle is allowed per vendor. Additional load-in vehicle passes are available for purchase.

  • Vendor Pass must be displayed on vehicle dash at all times.

  • A person able to operate the vehicle must be near it at all times during load-in.

• Vendors are not to park in other vendor spaces.  

• Event staff will begin clearing vehicles at 9:30am and all vehicles must be fully clear no later than 9:45am.

• Parking for Vendors is available on adjacent streets or in one of the paid vendor lots. Parking information will be communicated via email alongside load-in instructions.

Market Load-OUT

• Vendor load-out occurring before the festival end at 5:00pm may result in no future acceptances to Broad Ave events.

• Standard vehicle-assisted load-out is from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.

• The street re-opens at 8:00pm.

• One load-out vehicle is allowed per vendor. Additional load-out vehicle passes are available for purchase.

  • Vendor Pass must be displayed on vehicle dash at all times.

  • A person able to operate the vehicle must be near it at all times during load-out.

• Vendors are not to park in other vendor spaces.  

• All spaces must be clear by 8:00pm.

• The Art Walk is not responsible for any left items or booths not clear by 8:00pm.

• Booths that are abandoned will be removed.

Security

• While there is event security for the Broad Avenue Art Walk, their primary concern is the personal safety of staff, vendors and guests.  They are not responsible for any theft or damage to goods or property.  Event organizers, and sponsors assume no responsibility for loss, theft, damage, or liability related to merchandise, equipment, transactions, accidents, or acts of nature.

  • If there is a security concern, please contact the Event Manager. Contact information will be provided to all vendors closer to the time of the event.

Electrical generators

• Food vendors may only use quiet-functioning generators (e.g. inverter or solar generators) for minimal disruption to patrons. Construction-style generators are not permitted.

• Loud, fumy, and/or poorly-functioning generators will not be tolerated.

• Generators must be locked up or secured. BAAW is not responsible for any theft or damage to generators by the general public.

RESTRICTIONS

• Food vendors ARE NOT allowed to sell, give away or consume alcoholic beverages.

• Food vendors ARE NOT allowed to sell non-food items unless they have purchased an adjacent merchandise vendor space.  

• Fire Safety: Tents using open flames—such as candles or portable heaters—must have one ABC fire extinguisher onsite that is fully charged.

  • Tents with open flames must have a printed certificate of flame-retardant materials on hand.

  • Propane and electric heaters are allowed as long as they are used safely, not near flammable materials, and are not operated in a way that could cause accidental damage or harm.  

• Registration: All payments and fees are non-refundable and non-transferrable.  Vendors must be paid in full prior to move-in.  Payments will not be taken on site. 

RAIN DATE

The Broad Avenue Art Walk rain date is scheduled for Sunday, October 25, 2026. If the Rain Date is activated, vendors will be notified ASAP via email.

PROMOTIONS

The Broad Avenue Art Walk agrees to promote both the event and its vendors publicly via organic reach and paid promotions. The Broad Avenue Art Walk will promote its vendors and activities in a positive light and will do so at the discretion of the promoters. 

Photographic Release

All Vendors and their staff agree to release their image, booth space, merchandise, and logos for the purposes of promoting the current any future events produced by EventOps and or the Broad Avenue Art Walk.  -