We would love for you to be involved in the 2024 Vegan Roots Fest. 

Just fill out the 2024 Vendor Interest Form, and we'll get back to you. Space is limited in IX Park, so you are not guaranteed a space until we have approved your application.

Want to be a vendor or exhibitor at Vegan Roots Fest? We have an easy, two-step process:

1. Fill out the interest form below. You are required to check out the Terms and Conditions of the Vendor Contract first (it's at the bottom of this page).

2. Once you get the go-ahead from us (space is limited, so we want to make sure that all vendors/exhibitors are a good fit), we will send you links to sign your contract and pay your registration fee, among a few other things. Sign, pay, and you're good to go!

Registration Fees

Vendor Contract Terms and Conditions for Vegan Roots Fest

RULES GOVERNING ALL EXHIBITORS

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

FESTIVAL MISSION Exhibitors must support the Vegan Roots Fest mission of promoting veganism and nonviolence toward all sentient beings. All products sold must be vegan and cruelty-free: they must be entirely free of animal ingredients, animal testing, and links to human slavery. For more information on the links between veganism and social/food justice, please see the Food Empowerment Project. To be clear, no product (food or otherwise) should contain anything derived from animals, including flesh, fat, bone, horn, broth, gelatin, egg, dairy, casein, whey, honey, skin (leather), silk, hair/fur, etc. All efforts should be made to source products as locally and sustainably as possible. Moreover, there shall be no representations—visual or written—that enable or promote violence against animals or humans. Festival organizers reserve the right to refuse any vendor/exhibitor-applicant admission to the festival if they deem the exhibitor’s display or message inappropriate to the festival's mission.

SIGNAGE Exhibitors must display adequate signage clearly identifying the name of their operation. Exhibitors with food must include a list of food offerings, ingredients for each offering, and prices on their signs.

We ask those non-food vendors and exhibitors whose product or message is not explicitly vegan to display a brief statement on the front of their table describing how their product or message intersects with veganism. We are asking for this because we are particularly interested in strengthening connections between groups that advocate for animals, humans, and the broader environment, as we believe that these movements—while often seen as disconnected--have much to learn from each other and are ultimately interconnected. Let’s join forces!

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 sub-let exhibit space partially or in its entirety. Subletting of exhibit space is grounds for dismissal from the festival.

BOOTH SIZE AND LOCATIONS Booths will be located in IX Park and. VRF organizers will assign booth locations. Booths must not be larger than 10' x 10' unless otherwise noted.

SETUP INSTRUCTIONS Exhibitors must allow adequate time to set up their booths. During setup hours, beginning at 10:00 AM on festival day, festival volunteers and officials will be available to direct exhibitors to their booth locations and to answer setup questions.

HOURS OF OPERATION Exhibits must be ready for operation 30 minutes before the festival opens at NOON and must remain open until the festival closes at 6:00 PM.

BOOTH STAFFING Exhibits must be staffed during the entire festival, from NOON to 6:00 PM.

ELECTRICITY Electricity will not be provided to exhibitors unless it is essential to the operation of their exhibits and upon availability.

PARKING Exhibitors are responsible for parking their vehicles.

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 found. Festival organizers will provide compost bins and recycling containers in IX Park. 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. This is a TRASH FREE event, which means you are expected to take any trash that you produce with you when you leave for the day.

FESTIVAL CANCELLATION If any contingency interrupts or prevents the holding of the Vegan Roots Fest, including but not limited to inclement weather and other acts of God, festival organizers 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 VENDORS/EXHIBITORS DISTRIBUTING FOOD

ALL FOOD MUST BE VEGAN AND CRUELTY-FREE Vegan food contains no animal products whatsoever, thus excluding such items as eggs, dairy products, honey, and gelatin, in addition to all animal flesh (see more comprehensive list above). Moreover, all food should be free of any links to human slavery. Keeping in mind the detrimental effects of synthetic chemical agriculture on animals, people, and the planet, all efforts should be made to source food as locally and sustainably as possible. As mentioned above, for more information on the links between veganism and social/food justice, please see the Food Empowerment Project.

MANNER OF FOOD DISTRIBUTION Exhibitors distributing food may sell their food, give samples away, or do both. We are making a strong effort for the festival to be environmentally responsible, so food vendors are REQUIRED to use only compostable disposables for serving food (paper, wood, bamboo, or compostable plastic for all plates, bowls, utensils, etc.)

HEALTH DEPARTMENT REGULATIONS Vendors/exhibitors distributing food must abide by Virginia Department of Health (VDH) guidelines and must have permits for such distribution. Food vendors/exhibitors without a currently valid VDH permit will need to apply for a Temporary Food Establishment permit (those with a current VDH permit do not need an additional permit). Guidelines for applying for the Temporary Food Establishment permit are available at this link. Permit applications must be submitted to the Thomas Jefferson Health District at least 10 business days before the festival (applications can be mailed, submitted in person, or emailed). A $40 annual application fee is required of most for-profit exhibitors. Exhibitors should contact Thomas Jefferson Health District for details (434-972-6219). The temporary permit application can be found here: link to permit. 

SPECIAL NOTE: As of July 1, 2018, the VDH requires that food establishments have on site "at least one employee with supervisory and management responsibility and the authority to direct and control food preparation and service who is a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM)." More information about the requirement can be found here. 

HEALTH DEPARTMENT INSPECTION On the morning of the festival, the Virginia Department of Health may be present to inspect booths at which food will be distributed. Exhibitors distributing food must be ready for inspection no later than 11:30 AM. Exhibitors must have a valid permit from the health department before serving food to the public.

Additional Rules Governing Exhibits Including Living Animals

LOCATION OF EXHIBITS INCLUDING LIVING ANIMALS Festival organizers will assign locations that provide the best environments for animals. 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 only animals who are socialized with humans 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 ground or to alter exhibits to comply with Festival rules. 

CONTAINMENT OF ANIMALS Exhibitors must ensure that all animals are contained while on Festival grounds.

ADEQUATE STAFF TO CARE FOR ANIMALS Exhibitors must provide staff and/or volunteers to care for animals.

PROVISION OF FOOD AND WATER Exhibitors must provide adequate food and water for animals.

Where does my registration fee go?

The money we raise from registration fees goes towards the costs of organizing and putting on the festival so that we can keep it free to the community. Thanks for helping us make that happen!