2011 Food Vendor Application & Agreement for First Fridays

• General: First Fridays are held in the B-4 Zone of Downtown Gadsden on the first Friday of each month from April through October. Hours are from 6PM-9PM. Setup begins at 4:30pm and should be completed and ready for service by 5:45pm. Per request of the Etowah County Sheriff’s Department and the City of Gadsden, vendors cannot arrive for setup before 4:30 and must stop all services at 9:00pm.
• Requirements: All vendors must have a business license and must provide an Alabama resale license number. It is the responsibility of each vendor to collect and pay sales taxes to the State of Alabama, the City of Gadsden and Etowah County at the collective rate of 9%.
• Selection Process: Businesses located in the B-4 zone will have the first option to obtain a food booth and location for booth. Once these vendors are placed, we will select outside vendors based on the types of food offered.
• Menu Choices: Please fill out your top three menu choices on the application. We want to offer a variety of foods and it is at DGI’s discretion to decide if more than one vendor will be allowed to sell similar items. Example: If there is more demand than supply for one type of food, we reserve the right to allow another vendor to offer the same product.
• Beverage Policy: Sales of alcoholic beverages are PROHIBITED for food vendors.
• Vendor Equipment: Sidewalk space is limited and specific requirements must be detailed in the application to ensure an appropriate space to allow 3 feet of sidewalk for pedestrian traffic. FEE IS $125 PER EVENT. VENDORS MUST PAY THEIR FEE PRIOR TO EACH EVENT EITHER BY MAIL OR BY TAKING IT TO THE DGI OFFICE. Vendors must supply all equipment, tables, chairs, tents and signage, ice and other supplies for their space and must have a professional presentation. The look of your booth and your unique menu is very important to the event committee and is a major factor in the selection process. Assigned locations will be communicated to you prior to the event. This will be your space for every First Friday event. No amplified sound is allowed.
• Vendor Parking: Parking is limited to various parking lots off Chestnut Street and Locust Streets on a first-come, first-served basis. There will be no charge for parking. Vehicles used to load and unload may NOT be left at the site of the vendor booth.
• Electricity: Power is limited to 110 outlets that are designed for moderate use. 220 volt power is not available at this time. Historically, there have been problems with power outages at First Friday because too many vendors are using the power outlets. Therefore, vendors are strongly encouraged to provide their own “Whisper Quiet” generators. Any vendors whose generators are too noisy and loud WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE EVENT.
• Housekeeping: Each vendor is responsible for their own trash. Do not pour grease, oil, soapy water or food debris on the ground or in public trash containers. Each vendor is responsible for handling grease, oil, soapy water and food debris in the proper manner as described by the Health Department and for removing it from the site at the end of the evening.
• Weather: First Fridays will be held rain or shine. Should it rain, vendors are encouraged to continue to operate with a canopy or in covered areas along the sidewalk. However, weather warnings or severe weather should be heeded to ensure safety for everyone.
• Public Health: Preparing food outside requires strict preparation and storage procedures. All Etowah County Department of Public Health regulations regarding food preparation and procedures must be followed. If vendors do not meet standards, the vendor will not be allowed to serve at the events. YOU MUST DISPLAY HEALTH DEPARTMENT APPROVAL AT EACH EVENT. You must contact the Etowah County Health Department at (256)547-6311 or (256)569-8142 to determine if you are eligible to serve food at First Friday. Alabama state regulations that govern health departments can be found at: http://www.adph.org/foodscores/index.asp?id=1966
• Liability: Vendor is responsible for insuring his/her own exhibit, personnel, display and materials from any damage or loss through theft, fire, accident or other cause. It is expressly understood and agreed by the vendor that he/she will make no claim of any kind against Downtown Gadsden, Inc. for any loss or injury during the First Friday event.

FIRST FRIDAY 2011

This application is for events from April through October 2011.

Participation for each month is required unless approval is granted by DGI in advance of the event.

VENDOR NAME:

ADDRESS:

CITY, STATE:

CONTACT PERSON:

TELEPHONE:

ALTERNATE PHONE:

EMAIL:

DESCRIBE VENDOR SPACE SETUP AND TOP 3 FOOD ITEMS:

I agree to the terms and conditions as set forth in this document. I understand that Downtown Gadsden, Inc. has the sole authority to designate which of the items from the list above I will actually be able to sell during the event.

Signed:

Date:

Please return this signed application to Downtown Gadsden, Inc.

Email: info@downtowngadsden.org

By mail: 635 Broad Street, Gadsden, AL 35901

Questions? Call Kay Moore or Brittany Abrams at Downtown Gadsden, Inc. 256.547.8696

OFFICE USE ONLY:

Date received: /           /