EXHIBITOR CONTRACT

RULES GOVERNING ALL EXHIBITORS

Please read carefully. These rules are part of this contract. Failure to abide by the rules may result in removal from the festival grounds.

FESTIVAL MISSION: Exhibitors must support the Vegetarian Festival mission of promoting vegetarianism and/or the celebration of a healthy and humane lifestyle. Festival organizers reserve the right to refuse any exhibitor-applicant admission to the festival if they deem the exhibitor’s display or message inappropriate.
SHOW-AND-SALE LICENSE: Festival organizers purchase a Show-and-Sale License for the festival from the City of Charlottesville that exempts exhibitors from purchasing vendors’ permits or business licenses for the festival.
SUBLETTING NOT PERMITTED: Exhibitors may not sublet exhibit space partially or in its entirety. Subletting of exhibit space is grounds for dismissal from the festival.
BOOTH LOCATIONS: Booths will be located in Lee Park and on Second Street NE between E. Market Street and E. Jefferson Street. Festival organizers will assign booth locations. Exhibitors can request specific locations, but festival organizers cannot guarantee these locations will be available.
SETUP INSTRUCTIONS: Exhibitors must allow adequate time to set up their booths. During setup hours, beginning at 6:00 AM on festival day, festival volunteers and officials will be available to direct exhibitors to their booth locations and to answer setup questions. Second Street NE will be closed to motor vehicle traffic from 6:00 AM until 6:00 PM on the day of the festival.
HOURS OF OPERATION: Exhibits must be ready for operation 30 minutes before the festival opens at 11:00 AM and must remain open until the festival closes at 4:00 PM.
BOOTH STAFFING: Exhibits must be staffed during the entire festival, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Festival organizers reserve the right to dismantle booths that are not staffed.
ELECTRICITY: Electricity will not be provided to exhibitors unless it is essential to the operation of their exhibits and upon availability. Exhibitors will be notified two weeks before the festival whether electricity will or will not be provided to them.
SIGNAGE: Exhibitors must display adequate signage clearly identifying the name of their operation. Exhibitors with food must include a list of food offerings and prices on their signs.
TABLE COVERINGS: All tables must have coverings such as tablecloths. Exhibitors must supply their own table coverings.
PARKING: Exhibitors are responsible for parking their vehicles. Exhibitors can find directions to the festival and parking options at http://cvillevegfest.org/directions.php
CARE OF SPACE: Exhibitors must keep the areas around their exhibits clean. Exhibitor spaces must be surrendered in the same condition in which they were when taken over. Festival organizers provide garbage cans in Lee Park and on Second Street NE. Festival organizers provide a fresh-water and hand-washing station, a hose with potable water, and a waste-water dump station on Second Street NE. In case of damage to spaces or to materials provided by the festival, exhibitors are responsible for paying any and all claims necessary to restore spaces and/or materials to their original conditions.
FESTIVAL CANCELLATION: If any contingency interrupts or prevents the holding of the Vegetarian Festival, including but not limited to inclement weather and other acts of God, festival organizers and Voices for Animals shall in no way be liable to exhibitors. Exhibitor registration fees cannot be refunded if the festival is interrupted or cancelled since the fees are disbursed before the festival for operating licenses, permits, and liability insurance required by the City of Charlottesville and for equipment rentals, festival supplies, and festival promotion.
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: Exhibitors agree to make no claim for any reason against festival organizers or Voices for Animals for loss, theft, damage, or destruction of goods, nor for any injury to themselves, employees, volunteers, or festival visitors incurred at the festival. Exhibitors agree to indemnify festival organizers and Voices for Animals against and hold them harmless for any liability arising out of exhibitors’ participation in the festival. Each exhibitor agrees to accept full liability for any loss, theft, damage, destruction of goods, or injury caused by the exhibitor.

ADDITIONAL RULES GOVERNING EXHIBITORS DISTRIBUTING FOOD

ALL FOOD MUST BE VEGETARIAN: Exhibitors cannot serve, sell, give away, or otherwise distribute products containing animal flesh such as beef, pork, poultry, or seafood, or broth made from animal flesh, or animal fat, or gelatin. Festival organizers ask that exhibitors distribute only vegan food. Vegan food contains no animal products, and thus excludes honey, eggs, and dairy products (examples: milk, cheese, butter, casein, and whey). Festival organizers can suggest vegan food choices. Exhibitors cannot distribute restaurant menus or coupons that list meat dishes.
MANNER OF FOOD DISTRIBUTION: Exhibitors distributing food may sell their food, give samples away, or do both.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT REGULATIONS: All exhibitors distributing food must abide by the Temporary Restaurant Policy of the Virginia Department of Health. These regulations include submitting an Application for a Temporary Restaurant Permit to the Virginia Department of Health at least 10 days before the festival. A $20 application fee is required of most for-profit exhibitors and some non-profit exhibitors who distribute food. The regulations also require the provision of overhead protection, such as a canopy. Exhibitors distributing food must supply their own overhead protection. Some prepackaged food is exempt from certain health department regulations. Exhibitors can contact the Virginia Department of Health for details (434-972-6259).
HEALTH DEPARTMENT INSPECTION: On the morning of the festival, the Virginia Department of Health will inspect booths at which food is distributed. Exhibitors distributing food must be ready for inspection no later than 10:00 AM. Exhibitors distributing food cannot begin serving food until the Virginia Department of Health has issued them a temporary operating permit.

ADDITIONAL RULES GOVERNING ADOPTION FAIR EXHIBITORS

LOCATIONS OF ADOPTION FAIR EXHIBITS: Festival organizers will assign locations for Adoption Fair exhibits that provide the best environments for animals brought for adoption. Most exhibit locations should provide tree shade for at least part of the festival. However, tree shade cannot be guaranteed for all exhibits or for the entire duration of the festival, so exhibitors are encouraged to bring appropriate shelters, such as overhead canopies, for their animals.
ONLY SOCIALIZED ANIMALS ALLOWED: Exhibitors must bring for adoption only animals who are socialized with people and other animals and who do not pose a risk to the public or other animals. For the safety of the attendees and participating animals, festival officials reserve the right to ask exhibitors who bring animals exhibiting signs of health and/or behavioral problems to remove these animals from the festival grounds. Exhibitors agree to cooperate with festival officials if asked to remove animals from festival grounds or to alter exhibits to comply with festival rules.
LEASHING OR CONFINEMENT OF ANIMALS: Exhibitors must ensure that all animals they bring to the festival grounds are leashed or confined to cages, corrals, or other enclosures at all times while on festival grounds.
ADEQUATE STAFF TO HANDLE ANIMALS: Exhibitors must provide adequate staff and/or volunteers to handle animals. Festival organizers recommend one person for caged cats and on person for every two dogs.
PROVISION OF FOOD AND WATER: Exhibitors must provide adequate food and water for animals while they are on festival grounds.
REMOVAL OF ANIMAL WASTE: Exhibitors must clean up and dispose of animal waste in waste receptacles immediately.
STERILIZATION OF ANIMALS: Exhibitors must sterilize all animals prior to relinquishment to adopters.
ONSITE ADOPTIONS DISCOURAGED: Festival organizers discourage exhibitors from relinquishing adopted animals on the day of the festival. Festival organizers strongly encourage exhibitors to perform pre-adoption home inspections before finalizing adoptions.