Prepared Foods-Farmer Food Vendor Application

Welcome Prospective Wednesday Night Market Prepared Food Vendor!

The Santa Rosa Wednesday Night Market is excited to be back for 2025!

Opening Day is May 7 through July 30, 2025 *Closed July 2nd.  The WNM has drawn more than one million people to Downtown Santa Rosa over the past 35 years and we plan on continuing this tradition each night this season.  

Please read through the 2025 Vendor Application and Vendor Rules and Regulations.

Be sure to upload any and all regulatory documents, along with a $35 application fee.  Applications incomplete will not be considered.   

This is an electronic agreement and by selecting the booths, you are validating and approving this agreement electronically.

Important Dates:

March 1  Early Bird Special Applications and Full Season's Sign up for all 12 markets. Pay ahead of time and recieve 2 weeks free.

March 15  Applications Due

March 20  Vendors will be notified if they have been accepted

April 30  Maps are sent out

May 7  Opening Day

July 2nd  *CLOSED 

July 30  Last market of the season

Applications may be submitted all season and will be considered on a first come first serve basis.  You will be notified if space becomes available.

How to pay your booth fees in 2025:  

• Credit Card payments will be accepted online
• Credit Card & cash payments will be accepted at the market information booth at the NW corner of the square from 5- 8pm every market night.  

ALL Booth fees must be paid within 24 hours after any given market.   If payment is not received within 24 hours, the vendor will receive an email and vendor may risk losing their space if payment is missed more than 2 weeks.  

Thank you for your interest in the Santa Rosa Wednesday Night Market.  We look forward to receiving your application.  If you have any questions, please email Kristina at santarosawednesdaynightmarket@gmail.com or text emergencies to 707-245-7557. 

2025 RULES AND REGULATIONS – FOOD (Prepared Food)

PURPOSE

The Santa Rosa Wednesday Night Market (hereinafter "Market") is an event for the community that includes Food Producers, hot street foods, farmers, artists/crafters, local non-profit groups, local beer and wine, live concerts and community information.

FOOD VENDOR REQUIREMENTS   

1. In order to prevent cleaning fees from the City, All Vendors preparing Foods, Treats or Drinks will require a TARP put down under all tents, cooking and serving tables, including condiments.

2. NO Styrofoam serving containers. Compost serving trays, wood utensils and plastic glasses with #1 on the bottom is preferred by local recyclers. NOTE: Plant based glasses/utensils are not recyclable in So Co. 

3. Bring 5 gal minimum prep trash and booth trash receptacles, these can be dumped in the garbage cans at the NE corner of the Square at end of night. Please be conscious of compost/food waste and landfill items when you are dumping. Thank you RECOLOGY for taking away all our waste for us!

4. Food Vendors need to follow all Health codes including: 

    - food needs to be kept 2 ft off the ground and at expected temperature

    - 4 sided tents required for food prep and cooking with proper hand and utensil washing stations

    - Post clear easy to read Menus with prices and a copy of your TFF Health Permit 

https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Health/Environmental-Health/Food-Program/Temporary-Food-Facility-Definitions-and-Operating-Requirements/

ADMISSION PROCESS

Admission to sell at the Market shall be at the discretion of the Vendor Selection Committee. Determinations made by the Committee take into consideration the following: a. History with the Market, b. Type of product sold, repeat products are avoided, c. Local business, d. Recommendations from other Markets. e. Following market etiquette and rules.

ASSIGNMENT OF SELLING SPACE 

Vendor locations, space size and other factors of assignment of selling space within the Market shall be at the discretion of the Vendor Manager, in accordance with the policies, rules and regulations established by the Santa Rosa Wednesday Night Market. Determinations made by the Vendor Manager take into consideration the following: a. History with the Market, b. The maintenance of a good product flow, c. Size of booth and/or size of vehicle at unloading and loading times, d. City requirements.  

STALL RULES 

1. All Vendors must accept the space assigned by the Vendor Manager, booth location is subject to change per the Vendor Manager. 

2. All Vendors will receive an Event Map in advance that clearly shows location. 

3. Enter the Market at your designated Entrance at the time instructed. No entry will be allowed into the Market after 4:50pm.

4. All operations must be within the marked space of your booth number. No activities are allowed on sidewalks, sidewalk peninsulas between parking bays, or on the street itself unless specifically designated by the Market Manager.

5.  Vendors must stay the entire market time, 5-8:30pm.  No leaving early.  No breaking down early.  

STALL FEES

1. Current Stall Fees are listed on the Vendor Application.   Early Bird Special is available until March 1st 2025. You get 2 weeks FREE when you pay for a Full Season. After March 1, 2025 Deadline all unpaid applications revert to weekly.  

2. All Vendors are expected to attend all 12 weeks unless prior arrangements are made with the Manager. You can elect to attend bi-weekly, monthly or sign up for specific dates, but not encouraged.  

3. Vendors must notify the Vendor Manager no later than 5 pm on the Monday before that weeks’ Market that they will not be attending. Each regular vendor gets “One Emergency” late notice. Vendors will be charged for any missed dates. *ONLY Sign up for the dates you plan to attend. 

CLEANLINESS

1. Vendors must maintain the space assigned to them in a clean and sanitary condition, and when vacating the premises must remove from the area all equipment, produce, trimmings, wrappings, and containers. 

2. All trash must be cleaned up and deposited in the appropriate garbage cans on the NE corner of the Square. Give a big Thank you to Recology for hauling away all the garbage for all of us! 

3. All Vendors preparing Foods, Treats or Drinks will require a TARP be put down under all tents, cooking and serving tables and displays.

LIVE ANIMALS

No dogs or live animals are allowed within 20 feet of Market food  boundary per Sonoma County Health Dept. Exceptions: guide dogs or service dogs when used in a manner specified in Section 54.1 of the Civil Code and animals as part of an exhibit or education. Animals are allowed on the sidewalks that run along the outside of the Market and inside the square.

VEHICLES 

1. All vehicles are asked to enter at your designated entrance, when your space is found, pull to the right and park along the front of your space. DO NOT Park in your space or a neighbor’s space. Unload immediately and move your car.  Free parking is available at Simon Mall, oversized vehicles may park free at the SW lot at the old Sears lot. The closest parking garage is on 3rd and D st, the first hour is free. Otherwise street parking is metered, you are responsible for your vehicle and any tickets. 

2. Only Farmers are able to keep vehicles with them in their space. Farmer vehicles parked behind the Vendor booth, along the curb, cannot exceed the size of the booth width of 20’ or 10’ for small cars. Vehicles that do not fit will be asked to move immediately and park outside of the Market footprint. 

VENDOR ETIQUETTE

1. Vendors are renting a space, all supplies needed in vendor space must be supplied by the vendor, including tents, tables, chairs, and cooking equipment, etc. 

2. All Vendors are required to monitor their customer lines in such a manner as to avoid interference to other Market Vendors. Start your line at one end of the booth and not in the center of the booth so that line travels in front of your own space before others. Ask the Market Manager/Staff for help monitoring lines.

3. Vendors with trucks and trailers must be ready to unload quickly or make a plan with Manager.

4. NO signage, umbrellas or condiment stations allowed outside your designated booth footprint.

5. All Vendors must be packed and ready to leave the event by 9:30. Roads re-open at 9:45 pm. 

6. Request from the City of Santa Rosa Fire Department - all booth space is located only in the parking spaces, keeping the street area clear for our walking customers. There is a line in the road designating the difference in most areas, please don’t put front of space over that line between street and parking space.

7. Sellers are expected to maintain high standards of honesty and to conduct themselves always in a courteous and business-like manner. Rude, abusive or other disruptive or offensive conduct will not be allowed in the Market at any time, and is cause for expulsion without fee refund.

VENDOR REGULATIONS

1. All Vendors must submit a Vendor Application and all documents listed on the Vendor Application before they can show up and sell at any Market date, including the “COI” – Certificate of Insurance of $1,000,000, naming as additional insured the Thursday Night Market Association, Inc. and the City of Santa Rosa when your application is approved. Contact the Vendor Manager for space availability at santarosawednesdaynightmarket@gmail.com

2. Vendors be aware that the Market's liability insurance does NOT cover your sellers. It is recommended that you obtain your own liability insurance for your workers. 

3. Vendors who do “Food Sampling” must abide by Sonoma County Health Department rules regarding sampling and tasting of produce or prepared food.

  4. All Vendor fees are non-refundable. There are no refunds for rained out Markets.  

5. Any variation from the foregoing regulations may preclude the seller's right to participate in the Market. The Santa Rosa Wednesday Night Market, including its officers, directors, and employees, have the authority to enforce these regulations and to suspend non-conforming sellers.  

These regulations have been adopted by the Board of Directors of the Santa Rosa Wednesday Night Market to supplement the California Direct Marketing Regulations (California Agricultural Code, Title 3, Article 6.5) on January 27, 2025, recorded by Market Board of Directors.

WNM Vendor Rules and Regulations are subject to change and may be sent via email prior to the beginning of the 2025 Market Season. By signing below Vendor agrees to read and abide by all WNM Rules and Regulations above and those sent at a later time by the Vendor Manager. Vendor also agrees each individual representing the Vendor at the Market will be made aware of and abide by WNM Rules and Regulations.

AGREEMENT, The undersigned agrees that he/she has read and understood the Rules and Regulations of the Thursday Night Market Association, Inc. dba the Santa Rosa Wednesday Night Market and will be able to comply with all of the Rules and Regulations described therein. The undersigned understands non-compliance may, at the discretion of the Market, result in removal from the Market. The undersigned further certifies that he/she is the responsible person referred to in the Rules and Regulations and that he/she is authorized to 1) execute this application on behalf of the group, and 2) accept legal processes on behalf of the group. Applicant agrees to defend, hold harmless, and indemnify the City of Santa Rosa, its officers, directors, employees and volunteers, and the Santa Rosa Wednesday Night Market, its officers, directors, employees and volunteers from any claims for damages or loss that arose from or were caused by a negligent omission on the part of the City of Santa Rosa, the Santa Rosa Wednesday Night Market or any of its officers, directors, employees or volunteers. 

Applicant has read the Santa Rosa Wednesday Night Market's Rules and Regulations, the entire Vendor Application, is familiar with the Hours of Market Operation and Vendor Regulations.