Festival Vending?

douglaslizard

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i am thinking of trying to vend my first festival here in july,its nothing big and im just trying to get my feet wet to see if it is somnething i would like to do regularly,my question is ,When vending at outdoor festivals are the health department standards the same as catering .? i know there are differences with local laws and such but what is the general consensus
 
Not sure if I should say yes the "standards" are the same because the setup required is usually a little different...but the holding temps, sanitation requirements and such are the same...

Be aware, requirements can vary according to your county and state requirements. Call the HD department in your area and ask for their brochure on "temporary food stands" "vending" or whatever they call it in your area.

Here in Buffalo, we have to have thermometers, a three bay wash station (bus pans are acceptable, a soap, rinse, and sanitize), and a hand wash station (coleman upright drink cooler with spigot, handsoap, and a pan on the ground to collect the dirty water).....of course you will have to provide coolers, or some way to hold cold foods and warmers to hold hot foods.

Some areas require a tarp of ground covering and most require a tent or that the prep area be covered. Hope this helps
 
Not sure if I should say yes the "standards" are the same because the setup required is usually a little different...but the holding temps, sanitation requirements and such are the same...

Be aware, requirements can vary according to your county and state requirements. Call the HD department in your area and ask for their brochure on "temporary food stands" "vending" or whatever they call it in your area.

Here in Buffalo, we have to have thermometers, a three bay wash station (bus pans are acceptable, a soap, rinse, and sanitize), and a hand wash station (coleman upright drink cooler with spigot, handsoap, and a pan on the ground to collect the dirty water).....of course you will have to provide coolers, or some way to hold cold foods and warmers to hold hot foods.

Some areas require a tarp of ground covering
and most require a tent or that the prep area be covered. Hope this helps


Sounds about the same here. Only one sink is required and must be separate from the hand wash station.
 
Vending is a ton of work, we just started our season and are in the middle of pulling butts and getting ready to cook off 1000 racks of ribs. A lot of people come and see the lines and the people raving about the food, but it is A LOT of work. YOu will need a reliable crew and a lot of energy. I am not trying to discourage you, but just know that there is a lot more involved then most people recognize. The vending business is not for everyone. Good luck, HD's are pretty standard across the board. Just be prepared with the basics and read to see if they need any extras. We have never had a problem.
 
As said. LOTS of work.
Small events are great to get your feet wet but usually equal small returns.
HD is easy if you know the basics.
How many plates do you think you can sell?
 
Make sure you check out what the vending site requires and how much they want$$. I know I checked into the State Fair and they were really strict about requiring a mobile self contained facility with A/C and they wanted more than 25% of the take with register taped picked up each hour. You need to check the HD as well as the site requirements. Also, you will need more help than you anticipate so have a few people in reserve in case of maddness.
 
Matt, you cooking ahead or already into a nice size gig ?
 
One application I got the other day..

Pitches and Fees for 2010
The pitches are available on a bidding basis with £300 as the minimum guide price. This includes 16amp single phase
power. If you would like to bid for a pitch, please complete the form attached adding your bid accordingly.
After the closing date for deposits, we will assess the bids on the basis of the quality of product offered, suitability for
the festival and bid offer. The chosen applicants may be sent a food safety questionnaire to be filled in before coming
to site.
Each pitch will come with five allocated passes for staff; these can be weekend passes or four separate day passes for
each day depending upon your individual staff requirements. In the event of you needing extra passes these will be
made available at a discounted price, but strictly not for resale (see attached order form).
Deadlines
17th May 2010 for returned applications and deposits.
1st June 2010 for balance of fees on approval of application.
In the event that your application is unsuccessful your cheques and documents will be returned and no contract will
be deemed to have been formed as your offer will be deemed lapsed and a contract on the terms in this letter
agreement will only be deemed formed when you have received our written acceptance thereof. We reserve the right
to withdraw any contract in the event of any dishonoured payments.
 
And another...

What we expect from you and when:
Please return your full application, signed Terms and Conditions and all certificates as soon as possible as all decisions will be being made at the beginning of April.

Payment
If you have been successful with your application to attend -------------2010 we require the following so to guarantee you your place:

Deposit of 50% of pitch fee to be received within two weeks of your acceptance. Payment for pitch fee can be made directly into -------------- bank account or by Cheque (details will be sent with invoice)

LITTER BOND please ensure you include or send a separate cheque for £500 made payable to Angel Festivals Ltd (as per Terms and Conditions point 3.03) – this is to be received by June 1st.
Final 50% of payment to be no later than June 1st 2010.






Pitch Fees
Up to 5mts worth frontage for Hot Food £2500

Fees to be negotiated directly with Lulu are for the following:
Smaller stalls who are unable to generate high output due to the nature of what is being sold
Cold food traders
Coffee traders
Additional frontage

IT IS KEY TO POINT OUT THAT YOU CAN ONLY SELL WATER AND SOFT DRINKS THAT HAS BEEN BOUGHT OFF THE CONCESSIONAIRE AT GLOBAL GATHERING. INFORMATION TO FOLLOW
 
lol "pitches" that's the first time I've ever heard a space called that....that's funny !
 
I am cooking for Salisbury MD this weekend, I will post a pic of the reefer truck when it is loaded. 700lbs Pork, 1000racks ribs, 400lbs brisket. This baby is packed and ready!!!!
 
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