The Issaquah Salmon Days Festival, located in the heart of Historic Downtown Issaquah, is the annual Fall celebration of the salmon returning to our lakes, streams and downtown hatchery. The weekend celebration attracts more than 150,000 visitors as the Festival includes exhibits, Arts & Crafts booths, a Grande Parade, Foods of the World, the annual certified 5K and 10K runs, the Field of Fun with activities for all the kids, and four stages of continuous live entertainment. Free events and activities are planned for all ages all weekend long. Salmon Days is Washington's signature Festival for the first weekend in October every year.

This year's Festival will include approximately 40 Food Vendors. Salmon Days strives to present the best and most diverse selection of food offerings that are appreciated by our Festival visitors. Competition for the Food Vendor spaces is strong. Applicants are selected based upon reputation, menu, experience, booth appearance and past history with Salmon Days. Past participation does not guarantee acceptance; however, favorable past participation is factored strongly in the selection process. Therefore, competition for the few spots that open each year for new vendors is very intense. We encourage you to submit your best Complete Application Package to represent your booth and menu with your Salmon Days 2008 Application.

   Download 2008 Application

Application Deadline:  June 1, 2008.

Food Categories
There are four (4) Food Vendor categories for Salmon Days 2008. Each booth must select a single category for the selection process. Your category must reflect your main menu items. Your Salmon Days menu MUST be the same as the menu you include with your application.

2008 Food Vendor Rules & Regulations and FAQ Topics

Booth Fee
The Food Vendor Fee includes a Booth flat fee related to booth size, fees for a BBQ space and electrical, if applicable, and a commission on gross receipts. A check or  money order  for your booth and BBQ flat fees must accompany your application. Booth fees are returned July 25, 2008, if Vendor is not selected.

BBQ Space must be requested separate from your Booth Space. BBQ space is uncovered.

Booth Space and Structure
Booth space sizes are associated with your Booth Flat Fee and BBQ Fee. Vendors must stay within the booth space, including side awnings, walkways, etc. Vendor is responsible for providing their booth structure. No stakes may be used in any park or grass area. No items, signs, banners or booth anchor lines are to be attached to trees or shrubs. The booth structure must be self-standing and, if appropriate, weighted by means that are not a trip hazard or affixed to the ground or any other structure. Vendor must be prepared with a proper booth structure in case of wind or inclement weather.

The Festival's goal is to place returning Food Vendors in their same location, whenever possible. New vendors are placed in the main food area, Foods of the World, according to their electrical needs and on the street as space allows.

Cancellation
Booth fees are refunded if the Food Vendor's cancellation request is received before July 31, 2008.

Certificate of Insurance
Accepted Vendors must provide the Festival with a Certificate of Insurance, by August 8, 2008, for one million ($1,000.000) dollars naming the Issaquah Chamber of Commerce and the City of Issaquah as additional insureds as pertains to your participation in the Issaquah Salmon Days Festival.

Commission Payment & Sales Reporting
All Vendors must report Salmon Days gross receipts and make their commission payment at Checkout, Sunday, October 5th, 2008.

Crowd Control
All street booths must bring eight (8) stanchions and two (2) 50' lengths of rope. Vendor must stanchion customer line if it extends into the street and causes congestion.

Disabled Accommodations
Food Vendors must be prepared to serve disabled customers who may not be able to reach your window. If a customer comes to a Food Booth in a wheelchair, the Food Vendor needs to have an employee who can go out to take the order, collect payment and deliver the food order to the customer.

Electricity
Electricity will be handled directly with Hollywood Lights. Contact Star Moser at Hollywood Lights 206-838-5063 or 800-547-2353; email: star@hollywoodlights.biz with your electrical requirements.

The Festivals Office must be notified of any proposed use of a generator on the application and must grant approval for ALL generators. Generators must be placed on a hard surface: concrete, gravel or plywood.

Vendors must provide their own electrical cords.

Festival Awards
Awards will be presented for Best Entrée, Snack Food and Best Dessert based upon taste and presentation.

Fire Safety
If you are a new Food Vendor or have less than three years participation, you must submit a Booth Layout drawing for approval to Eastside Fire & Rescue (EFR). All Vendors must adhere to EFR Regulations for Temporary Tents and Canopies, Cooking Booths, and BBQ Cooking at Festivals. Fires, including BBQ's, must be completely extinguished at the end of each day.

Food Sinks
Two four-compartment sinks are available for Food Vendor use and are located at either end of the Food Depot area. Soap, sponges and bleach water are provided.

Garbage & Recycling
Vendor is responsible for a clean booth area, free of debris, for providing a trash can for inside the booth and for disposing of all garbage and recyclables as directed by the Festival. Vendor is responsible for placing non-recyclable trash in dumpsters rather than the Festival garbage cans. The Festival recycles cardboard, tin, PET plastic, aluminum and glass. All cardboard much be broken down. Vendor is responsible for bringing an ashtray if Vendor is a smoker.

For many years the Festival has been recycling cardboard and plastic products.  In the past two (2) years, Salmon Days has partnered with the City of Issaquah's Resource Conservation Office, Master Recyclers and Cedar Grove Composting to recycle food waste.  The project has been highly successful with one (1) ton of food waste recycled in 2007.

This year our recycle partners have requested we eliminate the use of all Styrofoam.  In an effort to meet this request, we are asking our Food Vendors to use other compostable products.  Alternative products are available and a list products and contact information can be accessed here.

If Booth space is not left clean and free of debris at the end of the Festival, Vendor must pay a $100 Booth Clean-Up Penalty.

Grease Barrels
Grease barrels are provided in the food sink areas.

Health Permits
Vendor must have appropriate King County Department of Public Health permits. Questions about Health Dept. permits, should be directed to Leonard Winchester, 206-296-9842, email: leonard.winchester@metrokc.gov .  Do not contact the Salmon Days office with these questions as we cannot advise you on Health Dept. regulations.

Ice
An Ice vendor will be onsite for Food Vendors who need to purchase ice for their booths. Salmon Days does not provide refrigerated trucks for cold storage.

Local Lodging Accommodations
A listing of local accommodations will be included in the Acceptance Packets mailed July 25, 2008 and will be posted here on the website.

Menu
Vendor must include a complete Menu/Price List with their application. Only menu items (at prices) listed on the Vendor application may be sold at the Festival. Changes or additions are only allowed with pre-approval by the Festival prior to August 8, 2008.

Menu items in glass containers are not allowed.

The Salmon Days Festival reserves the right to restrict certain food items or beverage brands due to contractual exclusivity with Festival Spawnsors. Vendors will be notified of any such restrictions that may conflict with their menu offerings before acceptance. Vendors who sell soft drinks or bottled water as part of their regular menu will have the opportunity to offer the Salmon Days Ohfishal Beverages in their booth and to source the product from an on-site truck.

Notification of Status
All applicants are notified of acceptance status July 25, 2008. Information regarding the status of Food Vendor applications will not be given out prior to the receipt of the Notification Letter.

Parking
One parking space is reserved for each Food Vendor. The spaces are normal-size parking spaces and will not accommodate large trucks. Do not expect that you will be able to exit from these parking spaces during Festival hours. Additional parking is available on side streets around the Festival area. Also, there are pay parking lots around the Festival perimeter managed by local non-profit groups. Cost is usually $5 per day.

Photos
Vendors are required to submit three (3) color photos which represent the main menu items they will sell at Salmon Days along with a current color Booth photo with the application.

Restrictions
Vendors are not allowed to 'rove' with their merchandise at any time.

Restrooms
A portable restroom for Food Vendors, with a warm water hand wash, is located at one end of the Food Depot.

Sales Tax
The Festival purchases a temporary city business license from the City of Issaquah for each Vendor. Vendors are responsible for collecting, reporting, and paying WA state sales tax to the State of Washington under Sales Tax Code #1714.

Security
Booth structure and contents, including inventory, are the responsibility of the Vendor. The Festival, Chamber of Commerce and the City of Issaquah do not assume any responsibility for injury to persons, or loss or damage to any property of the Vendor, including theft, accident or acts of God.

Selection
Applicants are evaluated based on reputation, menu, experience, booth appearance and past history with Salmon Days. Salmon Days does not accept product samples. Application and past participation does not guarantee acceptance. The Issaquah Salmon Days Festival reserves the right to refuse any application or withdraw acceptance, in which case the vendor Booth and BBQ fees will be returned in full.

Any proposed changes to the Application's technical information must be provided to the Festival in writing by Friday, July 25, 2008 and must be approved by the Festival.

Set Up & Take Down
Vendors will be advised of the load-in time after acceptance. Set-up must be complete and vehicles must be removed from the street by 8:30 am on Saturday and Sunday. Late arrivals must walk in their supplies.

Load-out begins after 6 pm on Sunday, October 5th. Vehicles are allowed access as soon as the Issaquah Police Dept. declares that it is safe to open the streets.

Signage
Vendors must provide their own signs. Signs must look professional. Handwritten signs are not allowed. Only the Booth Name, as stated on the application, and Ohfishal Salmon Days Food Spawnsor names are allowed on the signage. The Issaquah Salmon Days Festival name, logo, and theme are trademarked. Any use must be pre-approved by the Festivals Office.

Vendors may not advertise outside of their booth space including use of rovers, flyers and sandwich boards.

Trailers
If your booth structure is a trailer, the trailer footprint, including hitch, must fit within the Booth Space allotted by the Festival.

Washington State UBI
Washington State requires a UBI (Uniform Business Identifier). To obtain a UBI, call Mark Bader at 1-866-248-1287 Ext. 3 or 206-956-3443; email: markbad@dor.wa.gov or  www.dor.wa.gov. Applications cannot be accepted without an UBI.

Welcome Packets
Food Vendor welcome packets are mailed in mid-September with the move-in details including booth assignments, location maps, and load-in instructions.

Contact Salmon Days
For questions related to Vendor applications and participation, email vendorinfo@salmondays.org or call 425-392-0661 Ext. 32425.392.0661.

For additional Festival information that is not vendor related, email info@salmondays.org or call 425.392.0661.