• OysterFest Policies and Procedures
• Welcome to OysterFest 2011
• Prospective OysterFest Vendors & Exhibitors
• Notice of Important Changes
• Application

The success of OysterFest is largely due to its many vendors and exhibitors, which provide a variety of seafood and non‐seafood gastronomical delights, as well as education and information about stewarding our marine resources and our communities. After all, what would OysterFest be without colorful booths, enticing food and friendly people providing fascinating facts? We hope our collective efforts will result in another entertaining and educational event that will bring families back year after year.

If you have been an OysterFest vendor in the past, welcome back! You’ll find it is easy to apply online by clicking on the “application” bullet, above.  If you have not, please begin by reading the following basic requirements:

IS MY ORGANIZATION ELIGIBLE TO BE A VENDOR/EXHIBITOR?

OysterFest is a non‐political, non‐commercial event. Vendors and exhibitors must be 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organizations operating in Mason County, Washington. All Vendor proceeds must benefit Mason County‐based 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organizations. At OysterFest, our vendors sell food. This is not a craft fair.

                        Exhibitors must fit the OysterFest theme of aquaculture, water quality, natural resources, public safety;. no political or commercial exhibits are allowed.

NEXT STEPS FOR VENDORS AND EXHIBTORS:

OysterFest Exhibitors

Policies & Procedures 2011

Exhibitor/Vendor Meeting:

A representative of your organization must attend a Vendors’ and Exhibitors’ meeting at 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, September 6 at 6PM at the Mason County Public Works Bldg, 100 Public Works Drive, SHELTON.  Passes for the volunteers working at your booth will be given to you at that time.

Set up:

Set‐up for OysterFest 2011 begins Friday, September 30 at 3:00 p.m. If you have special needs that require earlier setup, please contact Candace Cahill, Exhibitor Chair, at candace.skookumrotary@gmail.com, or call her at 360/790‐6879.

Starting time/closing time:

OysterFest opens at 10:00 a.m. and closes at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday. The gates open again at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday and close at 5 p.m.

Equipment:

No equipment is provided for booths. Vendors Exhibitors must provide their own tables, chairs, extension cords, etc.

Insurance:

Vendors and Exhibitors at OysterFest must provide their own liability and casualty insurance and will provide proof of insurance to the Exhibitor Chair at set up. Your provider needs to note that Port of Shelton and Shelton Skookum Rotary Foundation are additional insureds. OysterFest assumes no responsibility or liability for vending and exhibiting.

Vehicles:

No vehicles of any kind will be allowed on the facility BEFORE 3 P.M. on Friday. This time period is dedicated to Kids Day. For safety’s sake, the fairgrounds must be clear of all children before it reopens to vehicles. Vehicles are also allowed on site Saturday morning from 7:00 a.m. until 9:30 a.m.

Signage:

Skookum Rotary Club provides participants with a sign identifying their organization and display theme. Your preferred language for your sign is part of the registration form.

Security:

Skookum Rotary provides security staff on the fairgrounds from Saturday night through Sunday morning of OysterFest.

Power:

Power is provided, according to the information on your registration form. As the power at the Fairgrounds was installed largely by volunteers, it can be temperamental. The key to reliable power is to ensure ALL your needs are listed accurately and any last‐minute changes are discussed with the Exhibitor Chair.

Garbage:

Trash pick‐up will be provided by Skookum Rotary. Please recycle whenever possible. Your efforts will reduce garbage dumping fees and provide bigger returns to our community. Please help us maintain a high standard of cleanliness at this event.

Contact:

Exhibitor Chair : Candace Cahill 360 790‐6879 email : candace.skookumrotary@gmail.com

Mailing address: Skookum Rotary OysterFest, Exhibitor Chair), PO Box 849, Shelton, WA 98584

Please register on‐line prior to August 15th

 

 

OysterFest Vendors

Policies & Procedures

2011

 

 

Choosing food items:

If you’re a new vendor, or an existing vendor who’s decided to try a new product, you need to know that Skookum Rotary Club retains the absolute right to approve food items for sale at OysterFest. Why? In order to ensure success for all, we make every effort not to duplicate food items. The best way to be certain you are not duplicating another vendor’s product is to contact the Vendor Chair, Patti Case, at 360/790‐6182 or pcase@greendiamond.com. That contact could save a great deal of time and even money on the part of your organization.

If you’re not sure what you want to sell, we are planning a special meeting so that you can consult with actual restaurateurs to put together a winning food item and efficiently produce it. Again, contact Vendor Chair Patti Case for more information on the meeting.

Food portions:

Aim to sell small samples of your product, not full meals. OysterFest patrons are looking to sample a variety of foods. They typically visit many booths during the day. Experience has shown that vendors make more money if they keep their portions small and have repeat customers.

Awards :

We really want to encourage food vendors to promote our seafood theme when selecting products to sell. The People’s Choice Award offers our customers the opportunity to tell us what they liked. See our winners below: 

This year we encourage your organization to again think competitively so we give our patrons a memorable OysterFest experience. In addition to the People’s Choice Award, we choose a best decorated and themed booth. Start now on your path to win these coveted awards and make OysterFest a grand experience for all of us!

Vendor Meeting:

 

A representative of your organization must attend a Vendors’ and Exhibitors’ meeting at 6:00 p.m., TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, at the Mason County Public Works Bldg, 100 Public Works Drive, SHELTON. Passes for the volunteers working at your booth will be given to you at that time.
 

Payment:

There is no fee for space at OysterFest. Instead,1/3 of your net profit will be paid to Skookum Rotary Club Foundation. You can download the Skookum Rotary Foundation accounting form by clicking here. The completed form is due within 5 days of OysterFest, as is your payment and copies of any receipts for deducted expenditures. Please fill the form out in detail and send form, payment and receipts within 5 working days after OysterFest, to Skookum Rotary, Vendors Chair, PO Box 849, Shelton, WA 98584. Please be prompt. All deductions will be subject to audit, on request, by Skookum Rotary’s finance department.

Equipment: No equipment is provided for booths. Vendors and exhibitors must provide their own appliances, tables, chairs, extension cords, etc. Picnic tables on the grounds are for the use of all OysterFest patrons.

Set up:

Set‐up for OysterFest 2011 begins Friday, September 30 at 3:00 p.m. If you have special needs that require earlier setup, please contact Patti Case, Vendor Chair, at pcase@greendiamond.com, or call her at 360/427‐4733.

Starting time/closing time:

OysterFest opens at 10:00 a.m. and closes at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday. The gates open again at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday and close at 5 p.m. In order to ensure our mutual success, plan your food service to fill all open hours.

Take Down:

Tear down starts once our guests leave on Sunday, but not before 5:00 p.m. We will open the gates once all foot traffic has been cleared. All booths, decorations and fixtures must be removed from the facility by 9:00 p.m. Sunday. Before you leave, you must check out with the Vendor Chair to ensure your space is spotless. Should you have special needs, contact the Vendor Chairman.

Dishwashing facility:

We provide dishwashing and grease dump facilities at the Food Court and behind the restrooms at the southwest corner of the fairgrounds. For everyone’s safety and productivity—be sure to keep these facilities clean after use.

Safety:

Food: Your organization will need a Temporary Food Establishment Permit from the Mason County Department of Environmental Health. In addition, volunteers will need Food Handler permits. Contact Jess Mosley (360‐427‐9670) ext. 361 or email mosleyj@co.mason.wa.us for more information.

The Washington State Department of Health now offers an online class to apply for or renew food worker cards. Visit
www.foodworkercard.wa.gov to take the online class.

All vendor booths need to have a bucket of water with bleach (to wipe counters), soap, paper towels, a hands‐free water container with a spout (to wash hands) and a catch basin (for water from the hand wash container).

Expect the Mason County Health Department to inspect your booth and operations. Please be courteous and cooperative; we want to ensure all our customers have a safe eating experience!

Fire: No cooking which releases grease‐laden vapors is allowed INSIDE any building on the fairgrounds. No open flames are allowed inside any building. All propane tanks must be secured and/or tied down for safety purposes.

All vendors cooking food must furnish a fire extinguisher for their booth. It must be a 2A 10BC rated 5 lb. dry chemical extinguisher. If your product results in grease‐laden vapors a Class K type extinguisher will also be required.

Skookum Rotary rents fire‐resistant tents for use by vendors. Should you decide to add cooking space, keep in mind this requirement for fire‐resistance.

Wind: Yes, it can get mighty windy at the fairgrounds! For that reason, please ensure that any equipment you bring is very secure. Our buildings and grounds personnel may have to ask you to remove a tent, awning, sign or other item if its stability is in question

Mason County Fire District 11 officials will be on site to inspect your booth. All questions regarding fire safety need to be directed to the Mason County Fire Marshal (360‐427‐9670) ext. 285. Please also review the Fire & Life Safety Protection Plan for Mason County Fairgrounds, on file at the Port of Shelton administration offices.

Insurance:

Vendors and Exhibitors at OysterFest must provide their own liability and casualty insurance and will provide proof of insurance to the Vendor Chair at set up. Your provider needs to note that Port of Shelton and Shelton Skookum Rotary Foundation are additional insureds. OysterFest assumes no responsibility or liability for vending and exhibiting.

Vehicles:

Set up for OysterFest Vendors starts at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, September 30, 2011. No vehicles of any kind will be allowed on the facility BEFORE 3 P.M. on Friday. This time period is dedicated to Kids Day. For safety’s sake, the fairgrounds must be clear of all children before it reopens to vehicles. Vehicles are also allowed on site Saturday morning from 7:00 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. The same applies to Sunday morning, if you need to re‐stock.

All vehicles must be cleared from inside the Fairgrounds by 9:30 Saturday and Sunday. If you need help with restocking on site after that time, contact your Vendor Chair.

Signage:

Skookum Rotary Club provides participants with a sign identifying their organization and product or display. New vendors must pay a one‐time $30 sign creation fee, which must be submitted with your application. Language for your sign is part of the Vendor application. Vendors must provide their own signage pertaining to product pricing.

THIS IS A NON‐COMMERCIAL EVENT! No business advertising is allowed in your booth. No products, restaurants, brands etc. are to be displayed in, on or around your organization’s booth.

Some basic don’ts:

Skookum Rotary retains exclusive rights to sell all beverages, including beer, wine, pop and soft drinks. However, by special prearrangement, the sale of coffee and/or other specialty beverages may be considered for sale at OysterFest.

Raffles or other forms of solicitations are not allowed at OysterFest.

Skookum Rotary Club retains exclusive rights to sell all souvenirs at OysterFest. If your organization wants to sell a non‐food item (ie., cookbook or other merchandise), you must contact our souvenir chairs, Jill Himlie or Gayle Weston. All merchandise sales will be conducted through the official Walking Oyster Souvenir venue.

By Washington State Liquor Control Board regulations‐‐no vendor volunteer may consume any alcohol in and/or around their booth. Help us protect this great event by abiding by this regulation.

Skookum Rotary Club provides no onsite banking services for cash or change requirements at your booth. You are expected to provide for your own need. Please plan ahead.

Security:

Skookum Rotary provides security staff on the fairgrounds from Saturday night through Sunday morning of OysterFest.

Power:

Power is provided, according to the information on your vendor application forms. You will find information about power use on the back or bottom of your appliance(s. As the power at the Fairgrounds was installed largely by volunteers, it can be temperamental. The key to reliable power is to ensure ALL your needs are listed accurately and any last‐minute changes are discussed with the Vendor Chair. Some of the most innocuous appliances cause the biggest power spikes, so please pay special attention so that you (and other vendors) aren’t caught, powerless, during rush hour(s).

Garbage:

Trash pick‐up will be provided by Skookum Rotary. We will have special containers for recycling plastic, glass, cardboard and oyster shells. Please recycle whenever possible. Your efforts will reduce garbage dumping fees and provide bigger returns to our community. Please help us maintain a high standard of cleanliness at this food event. Your customers appreciate your attention to this.

Contact:

Vendor Chair: Patti Case 360 790‐6182 email: pcase@greendiamond.com

Exhibitor Chair : Candace Cahill 360 790‐6879 email : candace.skookumrotary@gmail.com

Mailing address: Skookum Rotary OysterFest, Vendor Chair (or Exhibitor Chair), PO Box 849, Shelton, WA 98584

Please register on the on‐line application prior to August 15th

 

Contact: 

Vendor Chair:  Patti Case 360 790‐6182 email: pcase@greendiamond.com

Exhibitor Chair :  Candace Cahill   360 790-6879   email : candace.skookumrotary@gmail.com 

Mail to:   Skookum Rotary OysterFest, Vendor Chair (or Exhibitor Chair), PO Box 849, Shelton, WA 98584

 Please register on the on-line application prior to August 15th