Festival Market

LOCATION: East End Park and East End Business District, Ellsworth, WI 54011

DATE/TIME: Friday, June 23, 2023 from 4pm -10pm (Market open from 4-7pm, however, please note there are usually visitors arriving as early as 3pm.)
Saturday, June 24, 2023 from 9am -10pm (Market open from 9am – 7pm.)

ABOUT: The event is a 22-year tradition that celebrates Ellsworth’s designation as the Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin. The festival pays homage to the beloved cheese curd with hand-battered deep-fried curds and signature sauces, and other creative cheese curd-influenced cuisine.

ATTENDANCE: Our Festival has seen an estimated attendance of 30,000 in past years and we continue to build the festival’s reputation as a true foodie, music, and art event.

VENDORS WE ARE SEEKING: We are seeking vendors highlighting regional specialties and locally grown, handmade and handcrafted. Examples include pre-packaged specialty foods, reclaimed art and furniture, yard and garden art, clothing, jewelry and accessories, and Americana. Third-party sales will not be accepted. For vendors selling pre-packaged food items, samples are encouraged and permitted. No cooking is allowed except to provide free samples and demonstrate use of the item being sold.

FOOD SAFETY: All booths sampling food products must adhere to Wisconsin food code for safe serving. Inspectors may be on site.

VENDOR FEE: The vendor fee for this event is $200. If your application is not approved fee will be returned. Vendors requesting 2 booths, please indicate if they are side by side or separate and need to be placed in another area of the festival. The 10’x10’ booth space will be strictly adhered to. The festival will attempt to accommodate, however, space requests are not guaranteed.

BOOTH: Booth size is 10’x10’. A tent or canopy is strongly encouraged; tents may not exceed the 10’x’10 space allotment and must be able to withstand inclement weather (i.e. bring at least 100 lb of weights for your tent as you will not be able to stake into the ground). Vendors must provide their own displays, including tables and chairs. Vendor is entirely responsible for the leased space, and, for safety reasons, shall keep it free from any dangerous conditions. Booth clean-up and garbage removal is the vendor responsibility.

WEATHER: No refunds will be issued due to inclement weather.

ELECTRICITY: Electricity is limited. Please indicate if you require electricity ($25 charge). We cannot supply cords so please make sure you are equipped.

SET-UP: Set-up is Friday, June 23, 2022, from noon to 3pm. Assistance will be available from noon until 2pm on Friday to assist in hauling if needed. If you are not set up by 3pm on Friday vendors take the risk of not being invited back. This is for safety and organizational reasons. You may drive up to your booth space on Broadway Street to unload and must remove your vehicle before setting up to allow others to access their space. Vendor parking will be provided in designated festival areas. A permit will be issued at check-in and must be displayed at all times.

TEARDOWN: No early teardowns — you may begin dismantling your booth after 7pm on Saturday. Assistance will again be available from 7-8pm.

SALES TAX: All vendors are responsible for collecting appropriate sales tax (Wisconsin tax of 5.5%) for all sales during the Festival.

SECURITY: There will be security on patrol during the show and at night. To be safest please secure/remove all valuables before leaving your booth. We cannot be responsible for damage or loss of any items left overnight.

Questions? Please contact the Curd Crew by email vendors@cheesecurdfestival.com