2017 Native Rhythms Festival Vendors

The following vendors have registered to participate in the 2017 Native Rhythms Festival. Watch this page as new vendors come on board to join this year's list of outstanding artists and craftspeople. Join our Native Rhythms Festival Facebook group to receive notification when new vendors are added to this list:

                                      www.facebook.com/Native.Rhythms.Festival/

We encourage you to visit our vendors' websites often and stop by their booths during our event.

2017 Vendor Area Map

This is the 2016 vendor area layout. It illustrates our typical layout and is provided
as general information. The 2017 map will be posted when final site assignments are
made.  

Categories:   Performers  -   Exhibitors  -   Sponsors  -   Food 

 

The Native Rhythms Festival organizing committee (hereinafter referred to as the NRF committee or the committee) invites all interested artists and craftsmen who agree to conform to the below rules to participate in our indigenous people’s music festival at Wickham Park, Melbourne, FL on November 10-12, 2017.

o   This is a juried event. No new application will be approved without the submission of photographs of the artist’s work and booth. These photographs must accompany the registration application. Previous year vendors do not need to submit photographs.

o   2016 Native Rhythms Festival vendors that we wish to return will receive an invitation from the committee. To guarantee their spot, we request returning vendors respond as soon as possible after receiving their invitations. Open registration for all other vendors opens May 1, 2017. Deadline for vendor application with signed registration form and full payment will be September 15, 2017, unless prior arrangements have been made with the committee.

o   To ensure the highest quality of artists/craftsmen, we will be limiting the total number of arts/crafts vendors to 40. Of which, the number of flute maker vendors will be limited to 16 and the number of silver/turquoise style jewelry vendors will be limited to 5. These numbers do not include performers (who are provided a complementary booth as part of our compensation package for their performing), food vendors, or exhibitors.

o   Native Rhythms Festival offers flute makers the opportunity to display and sell flutes that they have made. Therefore, only registered flute maker vendors will be permitted to sell flutes, and they may only sell flutes carrying their own name or their brand name. Specifically, other arts/crafts vendors may not sell flutes made by someone else.

o   Because of our special relationship with our performers, performer vendors are exempt from the limits on the number of vendors. They may also sell any merchandise they normally offer, including CDs, DVDs, apparel, “signature flutes”, etc.

o   Exhibitors will be accepted by invitation only.

o   Food vendors will be accepted by invitation only.

o   There will be no walk-on artists/merchants/exhibitors permitted.

o   The following requirements will be strictly enforced on all vendors. All booths will be monitored by the NRF committee during the festival to ensure compliance with the rules set forth in this document. Any infractions noted will be corrected on the spot. Those who fail to comply will be asked to leave the festival grounds immediately. No fee refunds will be made to vendors who are asked to leave.

o   Each artist/craftsman must have his/her own booth. Requests to share a booth must include justification for the request, be accompanied by the appropriate fees, and be reviewed and approved by the organizing committee. There will be no sharing of booths larger than 10’x10’. There will be no exceptions.

o   All arts and crafts sold and displayed must be produced by the artist/vendor or by the vendor as the artist’s authorized representative.

o   Although artists/craftsmen themselves need not be of Native American ancestry, all arts and crafts must be handmade and of traditional Native American style or maintain a Native American or nature theme. We are looking for artists and craftsmen, not resellers. We reserve the right to approve the sale of specific resale items that are deemed by the NRF committee as appropriate for the event and that do not conflict with other items sold by the other vendors.

o   All vendors are required comply with the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, as amended in 2010. The full text of this law is included at the end of this document. The Indian Arts and Crafts Board has instructed us that the 2010 amendment places additional responsibilities on the organizers of events like the Native Rhythms Festival for ensuring compliance with the Act. Therefore we must require that each of our vendors specifically comply with the following:

1.      Any vendors representing themselves as Native American must provide proof of tribal enrollment documentation to the NRF committee. Anyone who cannot show proof that they are an enrolled member of either a federally or state recognized tribe, must have on display in their booth a sign that says "Not Native Made". The festival will provide these signs as part of the vendor packet, or the vendors may use their own.

2.      Any vendors who resell items made by others who claim to be Native American must also have proof of the artist/maker’s tribal enrollment. If enrollment confirmation cannot be provided to the NRF committee, you must have on display in your booth a sign that says "Not Native Made". The festival will provide these signs in the vendor packet. Additional signs will be available on request.

3.      Each vendor will be required to confirm their understanding of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 by reading and signing the section of the vendor application referring to this Act. This is a personal commitment that each vendor must make that he/she understands the requirements of the Act and will abide by them.

o   We encourage demonstration of skills whenever possible.

o   The names of all the persons who will be operating the booth must be included on the registration form. Each of those people will be issued a Native Rhythms Festival security badge. Only people with an official security badge will be permitted to operate booths. Please have your security badge ready to present to roving security personnel, including after hours.

o   All vendors must check in with the organizing committee at the registration tent before beginning setup.

o   Each vendor must supply his/her own tents, tables, chairs, lighting fixtures, extension cords, packing materials, backdrops, etc. (We can provide information about renting tables, tents and chairs locally). Note that this event continues after sunset on Friday and Saturday. Vendors will be responsible for extension cords and lighting fixtures for their booth. Power will be available to each vendor booth. (See requirements below regarding light fixtures and extension cords meeting City of Melbourne fire codes.)

o   Beginning in 2012, the City of Melbourne has been and will continue enforcing the city’s event fire codes at the Native Rhythms Festival. A city fire inspector will be on-site to check us and our vendors for compliance with the following regulations. All vendors must be completely setup and ready for the inspector at 9:00AM on Friday. All vendors must pass their inspection before we will be allowed to open the festival.

·      City of Melbourne fire codes require that vendors meet certain requirements regarding spacing between tents. In general, there must be 10 feet between tents. However, we may place two 10’x10’ tents “adjacent” to one another, but then provide 10 feet between the pair and the next closest tents. The committee will lay out the vendor area to comply with these requirements. It is critical that all vendors set up exactly where designated within their assigned area to comply with these requirements. If in doubt, check with the NRF vendor coordinator, who will be on site during setup on Thursday, before setting up your tent.

·      Complying with the spacing requirement (see above) will mean longer cord runs between electrical panels and tents. Extension cords up to 200 feet in 12 gauge may be required for many of the tent sites. If your site is closer to the panel, extension cords of any gauge up to 100 feet long may be used. However, we recommend being prepared for the longer cord.

·      All tents larger than 10’x10’ (120 square feet or larger) must have a manufacturer’s certificate stating it is made of a fire retardant material.

·      All bulbs, incandescent or fluorescent (tube or CFL), must be shielded against bulb breakage. Open bulbs must have either the manufacturer’s designed cage or cover, or an equivalent plastic cover or bulb protector. This includes the popular clamp-on “can” lights.

·      One thing the inspector makes a point of checking is that all plug connections between extension cords and cords to lights or other devices must be off the ground.

·      All tents must have conspicuous “NO SMOKING” signs posted.

·      The Festival will provide a fire extinguisher located within 75 feet of every vendor tent throughout the festival grounds. 

o   Vendor area layout will be done by the committee on Wednesday. Set-up time starts at 9AM on Thursday. All vehicles must be removed from the vendor area by 9AM Friday. Remember, your booth needs to be open and occupied for the City to complete their inspection at 9AM on Friday.

o   The Show hours for vendors are:

o   Friday: 9AM – 9PM
o   Saturday: 9AM – 9PM
o   Sunday: 9AM – 5PM

o   Quiet time begins each night at 10:30PM. All loud noises (including music, drumming, etc.) must cease by this time.

o   Please do not begin teardown earlier than 5:00PM Sunday. Vehicles will not be permitted in the vendor area for teardown before 5:30PM Sunday. Always be extremely careful when driving in the vendor area during setup and teardown. This area is likely to be congested with people not watching for vehicles.

o   No loud flute playing or other loud noises (including CD playing, drumming, etc.) will be allowed during scheduled concert performances. Normal flute demonstrations within a booth would not normally be a problem. Just be respectful of our performers and the other vendors around you at all times.

o   Booths must be neat and orderly throughout the festival. Artists/merchants are responsible for collecting and disposing of their own trash. Trash collection points and glass & aluminum recycling bins will be provided.

o   To prevent uncomfortable situations with customers, we request that all vendors who do not accept credit cards place a notification to that effect in their booth.

o   Three arts/crafts and flute maker booth sizes will be offered this year.  Booth fees will be:

  o   10’ x 10’ - $200.00
o   10’ x 20’ - $250.00
o   20’ x 20’ - $300.00

Food vendor fees will be $300, regardless of booth/truck size.

Check or money order must be made out to NHGI for the correct amount in full. Send completed registration form, photos of merchandise and booth (if applicable), and check/money order to:  

Native Rhythms Festival
c/o Turtle Mound Flutes
4100 N. Wickham Rd. Ste 107A #108
Melbourne, FL 32935

o   Camping will be available for vendors in the Wickham Park campgrounds at the regular park rates. The campground is within short walking distance of the festival grounds. Camping will not be permitted in the vendor area as it has been in previous years. RVs will not be permitted in the vendor area. Vendors are responsible for reserving campsites and paying fees directly to Wickham Park (www.brevardfl.gov/ParksRecreation/Campgrounds/Wickham/Home). We strongly recommend making reservations with the park early as all improved campsites are expected to be reserved well before the NRF weekend.

o   Each artist/craftsman will be requested to donate to our raffle/auction. All proceeds from the raffle & auction are used to support the event and keep the event free to the public.

o   School Day: Again this year, we will have the time between 10AM and 1PM on Friday, November 10^th, designated as School Day. During this time, groups of children from local schools and other youth organizations are expected to be on the festival grounds, visiting vendor booths and attending special performances in the amphitheater. Vendor participation is completely voluntary, but vendors who would like to interact with the children may want to have something prepared, such as a story, demonstration, flute or other performance, etc. to share with the children. Also, vendors may have a designated table of inexpensive items (which may not comply with the normal restrictions on items for sale) that the children may purchase.

o   Native Rhythms Festival reserves the right for the sale of all drinks, including bottled water and soft drinks for our designated food vendors. Arts and crafts vendors may not sell drinks or food.

This will be an alcohol-free and drug-free event. Any vendor violating this rule will be asked to leave.

Special Requirements for Food Vendors

General requirements include the following:

o   Food vendors must comply with all applicable State of Florida, Brevard County and City of Melbourne health and safety codes. Health inspectors will be on-site to check compliance.

o  All food vendors must have a current state issued food license to show the health inspector when requested.

o  No cooking will be permitted under tents or canvas tops. Cooking is primarily defined as any initial cooking that involves fats and oils. This includes things like kettle corn, grilling, deep frying, etc. All cooking equipment must be located a minimum of 1 foot outside the tent, and be roped off to keep patrons away from hot surfaces. Any vendor cooking with oils or fats must have a current tagged K class fire extinguisher and a 10 lb. 2A10BC fire extinguisher per NFPA 10. Please specify on your vendor application how much space is required outside your tent for these cooking operations and the festival will set aside adequate space adjacent to your tent. You may reheat already cooked food under your tent, or cook items that do not have the potential to create grease laden vapors (i.e., boiling water, heating soups, etc.)

o  Cooking equipment used in fixed, mobile, or temporary concessions, such as trucks, busses, trailers, pavilions, tents, or any form of roofed enclosure shall comply with NFPA 96, requiring a kitchen and a fire suppression system, complying with UL300, and a current state tag. All pressure cylinders must be securely chained.

o  All food vendors are required to sign the FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 633.0215, FLORIDA FIRE PREVENTION CODE acknowledgement form and submit it with the vendor application. The form is available for download from the vendor page of the Native Rhythms Festival website.

o   Access to running water is limited. Food vendors needing access to water must document this in their vendor application so that booths can be located appropriately.

o   All sites will have access to standard 110v electrical outlets. Access to 220v outlets is limited and should also be identified as a need in the vendor application.