Where is the fair held?
WeÕre approximately 15 miles
south of Tacoma, Washington in Spanaway. The fair is being held at a new
location this year – the LeMay Family Collection (Car Museum) grounds at
Marymount Event Center, 325-152nd Street East, Tacoma, WA 98445. You
will be sent a location map with your vendorÕs packet. You can also see where
we are located from www.celebratespanaway.org by clicking on ÒAbout the Fair, then ÒFair Location.Ó
How big a crowd do you
get?
Because of the LeMay Family Collection support,
and the chance to visit their museum, we expect larger attendance than normal,
in the 5,000 to 7,000 range. In addition, we are expecting a large group of
persons to attend the large car shows planned for each day.
Do I have to have
insurance? We recommend it for
crafter, nonprofit, exhibitor, and commercial booths. We require
insurance for any animal-related
activity and food booths. Your
insurance carrier can issue a
certificate naming Celebrate!Spanaway
Committee, Inc. as an additional insured. Most insurance companies will provide
this additional-insured letter free of cost.
Can I choose my own spot?
Space is assigned on a
first-come, first-served basis, with two-day vendors given priority. We will
accommodate special needs when possible.
What if I can only come
for one day?
So long as we know this
when you apply, we can accommodate a limited number of one-day vendors. However,
the fee is the same whether you are here for one or both days, and two-day
vendors have priority when we assign locations.
Can I leave early?
With your application you
make a commitment to Celebrate!Spanaway
and to the public to keep your booth open during advertised fair hours. These
are Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. If you must
leave the fair early because of illness or other emergency, you must notify the
fair grounds coordinator at the information booth. Please note that for the
safety of fair visitors, you may not dismantle your booth or remove ware until
after the fair closes for the day; under no circumstances may you bring a
vehicle into the fairgroundsÕ vendor area during fair open hours.
Can we set up Friday
evening instead of Saturday morning?
Sorry. Setup time is 7 a.m.
to 9 a.m. Saturday morning, as we do not employ security for vendor booths on
Friday night. Re-open setup on Sunday is 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. You may drive your
vehicle on the grounds to unload at your booth space, but please note: to avoid blocking access for other
vendors, you must unload your
vehicle and remove it to vendor parking before you take time set up your booth
and display.
Do you provide tables and
canopies?
No. You must provide all
the supplies and equipment you require. We recommend you bring a weather
canopy. Keep in mind that you may
be setting up in an area where stakes cannot be driven into the ground. Bring
sandbags, concrete blocks, milk jugs filled with water, or similar hold-downs
to secure your canopy against wind.
Why do you require a
flammability rating on my canopy and fabric table coverings?
We must comply with Pierce
County Fire Prevention Bureau regulations. The PCFPB requires that canopies,
canopy walls, and all table coverings be fire retardant. The fire marshal
inspects all booths and displays between 9 and 10 a.m. on Saturday morning to
ensure compliance and will require that we close and remove any canopy that
cannot demonstrate its flammability rating. This rating may be on a sewn-in tag or on the original box
or instruction sheet. If you have lost this information, contact the
manufacturer, who can send you another copy.
Do I have to have a
metal trashcan with lid?
This is a requirement of
the Pierce County Fire Prevention Bureau for any booth that may have flammable
waste, such as packing materials removed from your product in order to display
it. If you do not have flammable waste in your booth, then a metal garbage can
is not required. However, we do recommend that all booths have a covered metal
waste container, since small ones are available for about $20.
What about electricity
and water?
We have limited electricity
available for essential need only. You may provide your own generator, subject
to Pierce County Fire Prevention Bureau regulations. Please read the fire
prevention rules at
http://www.celebratespanaway.org/BoothFirecode2.pdf.
Will I need a permit?
Food vendors must have a
temporary food license and food service handlerÕs card from the Pierce County
Health Department. The type of license, minimal equipment required, and cost
varies with the type of food service and number of days you plan to serve from
a temporary booth in Pierce County.
A food handlersÕ card is not
necessary to sell canned or bottled beverages or individually-wrapped,
commercially packaged snacks.
If you have an annual food
booth license, you still must notify the Pierce County Health Dept. 30 days
prior to the fair of your intent to serve there.
Any booth that distributes
food or drink samples, other than bottled water, must meet health department
requirements; this includes coffee/latte service.
See the Pierce County Health
Dept. site at http://www.tpchd.org/food/temporary-food-establishment/
or call 253 798-6460.
Can I sell drinks?
Yes, soft drinks, lemonade,
coffee, and the like. You will need a food handler card and temporary food
license. You must notify us of
your intent to sell drinks. No alcoholic beverages are permitted.
Will you have security?
Yes.
Private security guards patrol Saturday night. However, we recommend you not
leave your booth unattended during the day nor leave especially valuable items
in your booth overnight. The safety and security of booths, equipment, and
contents is ultimately your responsibility. Please plan accordingly.
Can I stroll the fair to
sell my product?
All sales and solicitations
must be contained within your assigned booth space. However, we do encourage
vendors to network with one another.
How
do you advertise the fair to the public?
We
are limited by Pierce County code in placing street signs; however we put signs
and banners at major traffic intersections in the area and at key locations in
Spanaway Park. We also use six large commercial readerboards.
Virtually
all local businesses - including banks, restaurants, and grocery stores -
display our posters or hand out flyers to their customers. We advertise on our
own website, www.celebratespanaway.org, on
dozens of appropriate tourist and festival websites, run radio spots, and list
in five local newspapers event calendars, including the areaÕs primary paper,
the News Tribune.
The Bethel School District, Boys &
Girls Clubs After-School Learning Center, local churches, and the Bethel
Community Coalition help advertise our fair to their constituents.
In addition, the LeMay Museum will be
assisting with advertising and we plan maximum use of social media such as
Facebook to promote the fair.
Can I play music or a
video in my booth?
Yes, provided it cannot be
heard beyond your booth space and does not disturb the other vendors in your
quad.
What if I am near the
stage and donÕt like the music or other performances?
We do not discriminate
against any race, creed, national origin or religion in accepting vendor or
entertainment applications. We merely require that all activities, products,
and performances be in good taste and suitable for families with children. We
offer a wide variety of music all day, from gospel rock to Rap. If you do not
want to be within hearing or sight distance of the stage, please let us know on
your application.
How can I apply?
Complete and mail the
appropriate application with a check or money order. Keep a copy for your
records. Please note: Booth space will not be assigned until payment is
received. Space is limited.
When will I know if
youÕve accepted my application?
You will receive a
confirmation by e-mail or phone within two weeks of mailing your application
with a check or money order. Please put celebratevendor@nventure.com in your address book to bypass your spam blocker.
WhatÕs the application
deadline?
Please apply no later than
July 1, so we have adequate time to locate a space for you and for your vendor
packet to reach you before the fair date on July 28, 2012. You should receive
your vendor packet by July 15. We will accept applications after July 1st,
but the vendor will incur a $10.00 late processing fee.
Can I get my money back
if I cancel?
Yes, less a $5.00 handling
fee, provided you notify us by the cancellation deadline listed on the
application.
I received a ÒpassÓ in my
vendor packet. What is that for?
YouÕll need this to bring
your car into the exhibit area to unload your supplies. Please keep the pass in
your vehicle on your dash.
Different people are
working in shifts at my booth. Do they each need a pass?
Only if they must come onto
the fairgrounds with a vehicle, to unload during setup or take down. Let us
know if you need more than one pass.
How will we find our
assigned booth space?
You will receive a map of
the fairgrounds in your vendor packet with your location number indicated. We
will also have volunteers on Saturday morning to assist you.
Where do I park?
The Fire Prevention Bureau
regulations prohibit parking modern vehicles anywhere near your booth or
exhibit area. After you unload
your vehicle at your assigned space, we will direct you to the designated
vendorsÕ parking lot. If you require handicap parking, please let us know with
your application.
Do you have RV parking?
There are several RV parks
in the vicinity. You can research appropriate overnight parking at
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Tacoma+RV+park&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
Can you recommend a
hotel?
There are eleven mid-priced,
national chain hotels within six miles of the fairgrounds. From I-5 north take
exit 129 East (74th St); turn south onto Hosmer Street, which parallels the
east side of I-5. The motels line Hosmer between 74th and 90th Streets. We
cannot recommend any motels on Pacific Avenue. (SR-7). There are several high-end
hotels in downtown Tacoma.
To reach the fairgrounds
from Hosmer, continue south, crossing SR512 onto Steele Street. Stay on this
road as it becomes 116th Street then Spanaway Loop Road. Turn left
at the 152nd Street (Old Military Road) light. Cross Pacific Avenue
and the Marymount Event Center is on the left about three blocks down.
What about rain, snow,
sleet, and dark of night? It has only rained twice in 10 years,
but temperatures have ranged from 60Õs and windy to the 90Õs. Keep your galoshes, bumbershoots, and
parasols handy. Like mail service, weÕve made a commitment to the public and
the fair goes on – rain, wind or shine.
More Questions?
Contact Vendor Coordinator James Eggleston at 253-468-7668 or
celebratevendor@nventure.com.