Thank you for your interest in the annual Vegan 2 The Soul New Orleans Food and Lifestyle Festival. The entire Vegan2TheSoul team is excited to share this amazing event to the entire city of New Orleans and are delighted that you may join us.

 

Below you will find some information that will help all vendors prepare for the event. Please be sure to read everything listed as most of your questions most likely will be answered below.

 

General Information

 

Date, Time and Location

Saturday, July 22, 2023

Yoga Class | 10 AM – 11 AM

Festival | 11 AM – 6 PM

 

Vendor Move In/Move Out Times

Vendors may move into Lemann Park starting at 7 AM

Vendors must be completely moved out of Lemann Park by 8 PM. No equipment, materials, tents, tables, chairs can remain in the park after 8 PM.

 

Equipment

Vendors must provide all equipment needed to set-up for the event. The Festival does not provide, tables, chairs or tents. Being an outdoor festival in the summer, there is always a chance of rain and wind. Vendors should bring weights for their tents in case of an afternoon thunderstorm.

 

Electricity

Vendors who request and pay for electrical access will have power at their tent location based on the electrical needs outlined in their vendor contract. The onsite generator will be structured based on vendor needs indicated on the contract. Please only plug in items that were identified on the contract. Additional electrical items not accounted for may overload the generator and cause outages for you and other vendors. Please do not share electricity with other vendors as the additional power consumption again may overload the system.

You may bring your own generator for use at the festival. Please plan to have fuel and extension cords to power your booth for the duration of the festival. Propane generators are preferred to minimize fumes around the cooking stations.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Q: How many items should I anticipate bringing?

This is a very popular festival and generally food vendors typically sell-out. Over 1500 people have attended each festival in the past and most come specifically for the food. Craft vendors should anticipate having enough items to cover a 6 hour event.

 

Q: What happens if it rains?

Generally, this is a rain or shine event. This is held in July in New Orleans, which means there will probably be an afternoon shower. However, if there is a threat of severe weather we will make a decision to move or postpone the event as soon as we have enough reliable forecast information to make that call.

 

Q: I don’t have a tent. Should I bring a tent?

You should expect that it will rain at some point on the day of the festival. July in New Orleans means at least one afternoon shower. Most of the portable tents these days are less than $100 and can be found anywhere. You should also have some type of weight system with you in case of wind. You can buy weights or use household items like jugs of water or bricks attached to the feet of the tent. You should also unpack your tent before the festival and make sure all necessary parts were included in your box. It’s also a good idea to expand it and erect it so you’ll know what to do on the day of the festival. Click HERE to see a quick video on how to set-up a pop-up tent.

 

Q: When can I set-up?

Set up for vendors begins at 7 AM. You should be ready to sell starting at 10 AM as there will be a pre-festival yoga/fitness session on the festival grounds. All vendors should be set-up and ready to go no later than 11 AM.

 

Q: Can I break down early?

We ask that all vendors stay set-up during the entire festival till 6 PM. As with any event, there will be waves of visitors at various times particularly based on musical acts and other entertainment. Just because it is a little slow at one point in the day, does not mean it won’t be extremely busy later. We want the first visitor as well as the last visitor to experience the full festival. If you sell out – GREAT! If it is possible for you to have more items brought to you, then that is preferred. However, we do want you to stay set-up which will ultimately promote your business and allow you to interact with future customers.

 

Q: When can I breakdown?

The festival ends at 6 PM and vendors should start packing up then. We must be out of the park by 8 PM. This includes all materials, equipment, trash, food items, tables, tents, cooking equipment, etc. Nothing can be left in the park overnight and there is no security for items left unattended. This is City of New Orleans property and the contract for usage of the park is very clear so we must be completely out by 8 PM. The Vegan2TheSoul Festival is not responsible for safety of items left in Lemann Park.

 

Q: Will there be WiFi?

There will not be WiFi provided by the festival at the park. If you are accepting payments via an app (CashApp, Venmo, etc.) please ensure you test your connection before setting up. Also, don’t forget to charge your device(s) and have a back-up battery.

 

Q: Will there be any fans?

The Festival will not have any special equipment such as fans or portable A/C units at the event. If you will need a fan to vend, then you must request electricity (and pay the fee) on your contract.

 

Q: What can I sell?

All food vendors must sell Vegan food products and will certify to this on the vending contract. This includes any ingredients used in the making of the final product (i.e. no eggs, dairy, animal fat, butter, animal broth, mayo, etc.). The visitors to the festival are expecting Vegan food and are trusting the vendors selling food are doing so.

 

Based on the signed contract, food vendors will be required to adhere to the particular menu they agreed to sell.

 

Craft vendors should sell items that appeal to a diverse community of residents and tourists in the greater New Orleans area. If you are new to craft vending, then please check out Pinterest and other online sources on how to prepare, price and operate a craft booth at a market. This is a family festival and we ask that you refrain from selling items that are profane, sexually explicit, racist, homophobic or political (regardless of your views).  

 

Q: I’m new to this. What should I bring?

If you have never vended at a market or festival, then the key is being organized and having everything ready a day or two before the event. Make yourself a checklist of items to have ready to go. Click HERE to see a checklist one vendor prepared for festivals.

 

Q: Are there special requirements for food vendors?

All food vendors actively preparing or serving food to guests should wear gloves that are changed regularly throughout the course of the day. Please do not handle cash or cell phones with the same gloved hand that is touching food for sale.