Food Concession Application - 2025 Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival

On-Time Application Deadline:  January 31, 2025.  Applications received after this date will be placed on the waitlist. 

 

APRIL 26 & 27, 2025

Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 

 

The Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival is held each spring on the streets of historic downtown Leesburg, Virginia. This award-winning festival showcases beautiful flowers, plants, and landscaping along with the best of gardening and outdoor living products and services. The event draws tens of thousands of visitors each year from near and far. So, get your wagon ready and join us at the 35th Annual Flower and Garden Festival.

 

Application Tips

• Submission of this application does not guarantee acceptance into the festival.
• All applications will be juried.
  • The jury will choose a selection of vendors that fit the festival"s needs. Those not selected will be placed on the waitlist. 
  • Prospective vendors should make their best case to the jury with this submission of the application, menu, pricing and photos.  
  • Applicants should assume their business is unknown to the jury even if they have participated in the festival in the past.
  • Space is very limited at this event. Food trucks and trailers are preferred over cooking tents becuase the fire marshal requires less buffer space between booths for trucks and trailers compared to cooking tents.
• This application is for vendors preparing, serving, and selling food onsite.  
• Booth spaces are assigned based on availability and festival needs. Requested booth locations are not guaranteed even if accepted.
• Please list all items you intend to sell. Items not listed will not be permitted at the event.
• Please do NOT answer questions designated OFFICE USE ONLY.  
• Applications received after 1/31/25 will be considered late and will be placed on the waitlist. On time submission does not guarantee acceptance.
• Vendors on the waitlist may be considered for any vendor spots that become available. Selection will be based on festival needs, vendor capabilities/menu, and jury recommendations. 
• Booth fees will be charged on the submitted payment card at a later date if vendor is accepted into the festival.
• Please review everything on this page including the description, other required items, Terms and Conditions, and regulatory requirements.  We truly appreciate your attention to these details that allow us to host a safe and successful event.
• THIS IS A RAIN OR SHINE EVENT

The DC area"s un-official start to spring returns on Saturday April 26, (10AM - 6PM) and Sunday, April 27 (10AM - 5 PM). The streets of historic downtown Leesburg will be filled with incredible landscape displays and vendors selling flowers and live plants, gardening supplies, and everything imaginable involving outdoor living. Fun festival food will be available through out. You won"t want to miss our rooftop beer garden, live music and children"s area.

Festival Specifications & Requirements

Application Deadline for Initial Jury Consideration: January 31, 2025 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:PLEASE RETAIN FOR YOUR RECORDS

 

• Confirmation: You will receive an on-screen confirmation that your application has been received immediately upon submission.  You will receive notification of your status no later than four weeks after the application deadline.  Acceptance or Waitlist notifications will come through Eventeny to the email address on your account.  Please be on the lookout.  Please also remember that submission of application does NOT guarantee acceptance and participation in the festival.
• Regulations: Vendors are required to meet all federal, state and local health and fire codes, including inspections when required.  Please contact the Loudoun County Health Department and/or Fire Marshal"s Office with questions.
• Fire Extinguishers: All food vendors must have fire extinguisher(s) in their booth as required by fire marshal.  Vendors cooking with oil, deep fat fryers or solid fuel must also have a Class K extinguisher on site.
• Taxes: Vendors are required to collect and remit all federal, state, and local taxes as required by law.  This is the sole responsibility of vendor. Town of Leesburg temporary vendor meals tax form can be found at https://www.leesburgva.gov/home/showdocument?id=37406&t=637806842559933180
• Booth Load In & Set-up: The festival staff will assign specific arrival and load-in times, staging locations, and parking locations to ensure orderly set-up.  Vendors must follow instructions as sent in pre-event packet.
  • Food vendors will be assigned a specific load in time on Friday evening after 6:00pm or Saturday morning as early as 6:00am.
  • All booths must be set up and vehicles must be off the street before 9:30am each morning of the festival.
  • Food trucks and trailers will NOT be able to leave their spot after initial load in.
• Vehicles: Festival organizers may limit the number of vehicles vendors and exhibitors (including landscapers) are permitted to bring on the street at one time.  Please plan to load in and out with the minimum number of necessary vehicles.
• Tents & Booth Space: Vendors should consider a tent for coverage in case of rain. 
  • Booth size will be determined based on the length of space requested in this Food Concessions Application.
  • All tents must be set up with legs against the curb.  All boxes and supplies on the ground must be set up one foot (12”) from the curb to provide room for water to flow freely and may not overstep outlined space.  All vendor equipment and other items, including generators (if approved), must remain within the booth space and dimensions at all times.
  • All booths and tents will be set up on asphalt or other hard surface and may not be staked.
  • Tents must be properly weighted at all four corners.
  • Tent must be fire retardant. No Smoking signs must be posted on tent/canopy.
  • Nothing shall be placed on the sidewalks or interfere with nearby buildings, entrances, walkways, or residences.
  • Vendor’s booth must not interfere with or intrude upon adjacent exhibits or open buffers in any way.
  • Vendors shall be liable for delivery, handling, erection and removal of their own displays and materials.  Event staff WILL NOT be able to carry or set up any part of a booth.
• Food Trucks and Trailers: Must meet all local, state and federal motor vehicle requirements in addition to health department and fire marshal requirements. 
  • Trucks and trailers must have proper fire extinguishers.
  • Mobile food units must be permitted by the Loudoun County Fire Marshal"s office or another Virginia jurisdiction.  Contact LCFM"s office for details.
• Pricing: Menu items AND pricing must be prominently displayed and be viewable to a passerby and from back in the line.  Customers should not be surprised by pricing after a long wait to order.
• "No Show” Policy:  Please note that if you are selected to participate and then choose not to participate for any reason, including inclement weather, you will not be eligible to participate in the following year’s event.
• Sharing Space: Vendors may NOT sublet any portion of their space or share space with another vendor or organization.
• Merchandise: Vendors may only sell items or dispense information as specified in your application.
  • Festival Management will determine through its selection process whether merchandise is acceptable. Vendor may display or sell only juried merchandise as listed on the accepted application.
  • Excess inventory must be kept from public view or stored in your vehicle. Tables tents, canopies, and merchandise may be left set-up each evening, should you choose to do so and at your own risk of loss. The Town of Leesburg Police Department will patrol the festival area during non-show hours; however, the decision to leave your materials and merchandise set up, rather than stored, is yours alone and the Town of Leesburg, the event organizers, and sponsors assume no responsibility for damages to or theft of your booth and merchandise.
• Booth Breakdown & Load Out: Festival staff will assign specific load-out times to ensure orderly breakdown.  Vehicle access to the street will be allowed only at staff direction. 
  • All materials must be completely removed from the streets. All trash and debris needs to be removed by vendor.
• During Festival Hours: The booth must be open and staffed during regular festival hours. Any vendors arriving late, leaving early, or breaking down during show hours may be refused entrance to future festivals.
• Soliciting: Vendors may not leave their booth space to approach or solicit event attendees
• Conduct: Vendors and their staff must exhibit professional behavior at all times while on the festival site.
  • Festival management reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to determine what constitutes professional behavior.
  • Violation of this rule may result in the vendor, their staff, and exhibits being excluded from the show site with no refund. This may impact your acceptance into future shows.
  • All staff or volunteers working in a vendor"s space must be made aware of and held to all included terms and rules.
  • Exhibitors and vendors are responsible for the conduct of their staff and volunteers.
• Service Animals who are trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability are welcome. Other animals/pets are not permitted.
• Sound: No microphones, amplified sound, or noisemakers may be used at the festival without the permission of the Festival Management.
• Water and Ice: Water and ice are NOT available.  You must bring your own.  Hoses are available for plant vendors but that water is not potable, and MAY NOT be used by food vendors.
• Electricity: Electricity is NOT available for food vendors.  All generators must be approved by event staff.
  • All electrical extension cords and electrical plugs must be the 3-wire, heavy-duty type and U.L. approved. There must also be a ground fault circuit.
  • Generators must be disclosed to (on this application) and approved by festival management.
    • Must be placed within your assigned booth space.  Please be sure to included that space in your application request.
    • Only invertor or "whisper" generators will be approved for vendors. Generator noise may not exceed 70 decibels.
    • Generators may NOT sit on sidewalk.
  • Any cords exposed to pedestrian traffic must have cord covers to prevent tripping. 
• Trash and Cleanup: Trash must be placed in appropriate receptacles or taken with you.  You may not store garbage in the spaces between or behind vendor booths.
• Emergency or Severe Weather:  In case of emergency or severe weather, vendors and exhibitors must follow staff instructions. If part or all of the festival area closes, vendors and exhibitors must cease operations right away.
• Discrimination:  Vendors may not discriminate against any customer or person on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, or military status.
• Additional Items Required
  • All documentation below must be submitted as detailed below within 7 days of festival acceptance.  
  • You must complete and submit a separate copy of Loudoun County Health Department’s Temporary Food Permit/Notice to Participate Form for each event; found at https://www.loudoun.gov/DocumentCenter/View/125802/
    • Notice to Participate is required even if your business is permitted by Agriculture or other agency.
    • All documentation must be submitted to the County by the Food Concessioner.  Please send a copy to us.
  • Current copy of printed receipt showing that you have paid the $40 Loudoun permit fee for the calendar year.
  • Proof of Insurance: A Certificate of Insurance showing at least $1,000,000 in liability coverage that is valid through the date of the event is required with the Certificate Holder specified as the Town of Leesburg, 25 W. Market Street, Leesburg, VA 20176.  The COI must also include automobile coverage.