2025 Frequently Asked Questions

Vendor FAQ

Key Dates

Vendor Set-Up Day: August 28 (Thursday)

Festival: August 29–31, 2025 (Friday–Sunday)

Clean-Up: Evening of Aug 31st (Sun) – Morning of Sept 1st (Mon)

What’s New for 2025?

We’ve made a few important updates to help improve the vendor experience and support continued infrastructure growth at the Beartaria Times National Festival. Here’s what’s new this year:

  • Vendor Fee: A $100 non-refundable fee is now required for all approved vendors. This fee is waived for registered campground donors.
  • General Admission Tickets: All vendors must still purchase a general admission ticket to attend the festival.
  • Booth Hours: Standard operating hours are 10 AM to 6 PM daily. Food vendors may operate during extended hours (e.g., breakfast, late night).
  • Application Deadline: All vendor applications must be submitted by July 1, 2025. Late submissions will not be considered.

Please review the full FAQ below for more details on setup, logistics, rules, and how to prepare for a successful weekend.

Booth Location and Setup

How large a space are vendors allocated?
Vendor areas are typically 10’x10′ to accommodate a standard EZ-UP (or similar brand) canopy tent. Larger sizes may be granted upon special request, and accommodations will be made based on availability.

Vendors are responsible for providing their own:

  • 10×10 canopy tent
  • Tables and chairs
  • Weather-appropriate gear
  • Any other equipment needed to operate your booth

If your booth requires power, you must bring:

  • A heavy-duty outdoor extension cord (10 or 12 gauge) — most vendors will need 100 ft; some may need up to 250 ft. Required cord length will be provided in advance.
  • A heavy-duty power strip if using multiple devices

If you plan to use high-draw appliances that can’t be plugged into a standard power strip, you must notify your Vendor Manager well in advance. Special accommodations can only be made with sufficient lead time. Late requests may not be possible to fulfill.

Walmart’s Ozark Trail brand offers reliable and affordable 10×10 canopy tents. Choose a light color to reflect sunlight and reduce heat. We highly recommend the instant-up models—they’re much faster and easier to set up than manual ones, which often require multiple people.

If you’re traveling from out of state, be sure to purchase your canopy in advance. Don’t count on local stores to have stock during festival week.

Link: Ozark Trail 10’x10′ Simple Push Straight Leg Instant Canopy

It is your responsibility to provide your own license, insurance, and health department certification, if applicable, for operation in Texas County, Missouri. Please reach out to your vendor manager for guidance if you have questions on how to go about this.

Vendor setup is scheduled for Thursday, August 28. Breakdown typically happens Sunday evening through Monday morning.

If you need to set up or tear down outside of these times, you must arrange an escort for safety and crowd control.

We don’t have a cap on vendor spaces at the moment; our focus is on ensuring quality offerings. However, this approach may change in the future.
Vendors do not have the option to select their location. The layout is determined by event management. Prior to the festival, assignments will be made, and vendors will receive a map indicating their designated location.

Booth locations are determined by event management and depend on several factors:

  • The placement of the main event tent and its electrical requirements
  • The topography of the grounds
  • The electrical needs of your booth and the supply capacity of our two power poles
  • Access to resources like water spigots

Vendors are not placed based on seniority, and no one is guaranteed the same location they had in a previous year.

Expect warm daytime temps (mid-70s to mid-80s) and cooler nights (low 60s). Rain and occasional storms are possible, so be sure your booth setup can handle both heat and wet conditions. Plan ahead—mud is not uncommon!

Tickets & Fees

Is there a vendor fee?

Yes. For 2025, there is a $100 non-refundable vendor fee (in addition to your festival ticket). This includes your power hookup and supports festival infrastructure and vendor coordination. The fee is waived for vendors who are registered campground donors.

Yes, vendors are required to purchase tickets for the festival in addition to a modest vendor fee.
No additional fee is required for electricity. The $100 vendor fee covers your power hookup.

Festival Experience

Is alcohol allowed?

No. To help maintain a family-friendly environment, alcohol is not permitted on the festival grounds. Please do not bring or consume alcoholic beverages during the event.

Due to the rural location, cell service is limited. Providers that use Verizon’s network generally offer the most reliable coverage.

If you plan to accept digital payments, be sure to have a backup option or use an offline processing mode. Cash remains the most reliable payment method at the festival.

Ready to Apply?

We’d love to learn more about what you plan to bring to the festival! If you’ve read through the FAQ and feel prepared to move forward, click below to submit your vendor application.

Apply Now
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