Description

2026 OKTOBERFEST ARTS & CRAFTS VENDOR RULES & REGULATIONS

FESTIVAL OVERVIEW:

The 2026 Lee’s Summit Chamber Oktoberfest will take place on September 25th, 26th, and 27th. Oktoberfest is a family-friendly event featuring live entertainment, crafts, games, food, and beverages suitable for all ages. To help create a more comfortable experience for both vendors and guests, Oktoberfest will become a gated event.  This will allow us to better manage attendance, improve crowd flow, and enhance the overall festival atmosphere in our beautiful downtown.  The festival will encompass between City Hall to Johnson Street (including Green Street Market) and between 2nd to 3rd Street. 

NEW VENDOR FESTIVAL SCHEDULE: (Three Day Festival for Vendors with no additional cost.)

Friday, September 25^th from 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. (Adults only; 21 & over)

Saturday, September 26^th from 9 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. (All ages; Chaperone restrictions will be enforced.)

Sunday, September 27^th from 10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (All ages; Chaperone restrictions will be enforced.)

RULES AND REGULATIONS: 

Vendors applying for and accepting placement at the festival agree to the following rules, regulations, terms, and conditions:

General Information:

• Each vendor must be at least 18 years of age.
• Selling fully prepared food or alcohol is not permitted.
• Under no circumstances are vendors permitted to sell, share, or transfer your booth space to another exhibitor.
• Vendors must be present at their booth during the entire festival hours.
• All vendors are required to remain inside the confines of their booth space for sales or solicitation, and conduct themselves with respect toward other vendors, volunteers, staff, LS Police & Fire Departments, and patrons always. Individuals who arrive inebriated, use foul language, or engage in confrontational behavior will be promptly escorted from the festival premises.

Sound Restrictions:

• Kindly be considerate of your fellow vendors. The LS Chamber Staff and Oktoberfest Committee retain the right to oversee and control the sound levels emanating from all booths. Loudspeakers and noisy instruments are prohibited. If you intend to have music devices at your booth, please specify the specific devices/instruments on your application. Vendors will be given one (1) warning concerning offensive or excessive noise. If the sound is still too loud or disruptive, festival staff may disconnect power from your booth or request the vendor to vacate the booth.

Smoking:

• Smoking of any kind is prohibited on festival grounds and in all public places, buildings, and facilities owned, leased, or used by the City of Lee’s Summit.

Submitting Photos:

• Each vendor must submit four specific photos:
• (2 photos) showcasing the quality and variety of your products
• (1 photo) demonstrating you creating your craft
• (1 photo) displaying your product setup inside your tent or trailer at an event. If this is your first event, provide a mock setup photo showing how your space will be presented. 
• NOTE: Choose these four photos carefully, as product quality, variety, craftsmanship, and booth presentation are key factors in the selection process by a juried committee. All vendors, including past participants, must submit these photos each year. If your application is not selected, you will be notified by email and receive a full refund.

Product Inventory: 

• Each vendor is required to write out a detailed inventory of all items intended for display within booths.  In the event of non-compliance, vendors will be given a warning to remove the item. If a second warning is warranted, vendors will be directed to dismantle their booth, and no refund will be issued.

Vendor Product Guidelines and Booth Location:

• The Oktoberfest Committee and Chamber staff retains the right to determine the suitability of handcrafted items for the festival. This includes reviewing applications with a juried process, arranging booth spaces, and striving to distribute similar vendors evenly across the festival grounds. However, proximity to or distance from competing vendors is not guaranteed. Due to high demand, vendors should note that booth space locations from previous years are not guaranteed.
• To maintain a family-friendly atmosphere, vendors may not advertise or sell items with inappropriate language, violent imagery, or content that could be considered political, polarizing, or controversial for underage attendees. If such items are displayed, Chamber staff will request their immediate removal. Continued noncompliance may result in the vendor being asked to close their booth and leave the event.  
• Handcrafted Items Requirement: A portion of each vendor's inventory must consist of handcrafted items made by the applicant. However, not all items are required to be handmade.
• Commercially Manufactured Items: Booths displaying or selling items that are 100% commercially manufactured will not be permitted.
• Exceptions for Patented or Designed Items: If you hold the patent or have created the original recipe or graphic design for a product that was manufactured by someone else, these items may be considered, provided you can supply proof of your involvement in the creation process.

Sales Tax:

• As a reminder, exhibitors are responsible for collecting state and local sales tax. For tax-related inquiries, please refer to: https://dor.mo.gov/faq/taxation/business/special-event-sales.html.

Cost:

• To secure a spot in the festival, payment must be submitted with your application.  Payment includes booth space and access to electricity.

• 10 x 10 booth space: $250.00
• 10 x 20 booth space: $500.00
• 10 x 30 trailer display space is unavailable this year due to the new location. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope you will still consider participating with a booth space.

• All payments are processed upon receipt of applications. In the event of application denial, your entire payment will be fully refunded.

Communication:

• All vendors who are accepted to participate in the festival will be notified by email in July.
• Prior to the festival, the main communication will be via email by contacting Linda Driskill at ldriskill@lschamber.com.
• During the festival, communication will be distributed through a text message to the cell phone number you provided in case of inclement weather or other important information that may be needed throughout the event. It will be your responsibility to check your phone regularly.
• Should you need to speak with a Chamber staff member, please call the office number at 816-524-2424 and a member of our team will be available to assist you.

Vendor Check-in: 

(Note: Vendor check-in location and times will be announced in August.)

Booth Set-up:

• Vendors are responsible for supplying their own tents, as well as tables, chairs, and any other necessary equipment. We will have two locations for booth spaces inside the Green Street Market and outside along City Hall, Green Street Market, and in strategic places within the festival space. All items must be contained within the assigned space. Additionally, all tents outside must be secured with weighted tie-downs to prevent them from blowing over and potentially causing harm to vendors and guests from unexpected storms or wind gusts.
• All vehicles must be unloaded into your designated booth space and removed from the streets immediately to allow every vendor an opportunity to get into the festival grounds and unload. Vendors should plan to set up your tent and booth space after your vehicle has been removed from the festival grounds and parked. 
• All booths must be set up and ready to go by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, September 25^th, as the festival will start at 5:00 p.m.
• You must keep your booth within the confines of the space purchased, including tie-downs, displays and signage.
• Vendors are required to dispose of their own trash nightly, including boxes, plastic wrap, etc., in the designated festival dumpsters.
• Due to limited staff, there will not be event personnel to assist in unloading, packing up, and/or taking items back to your vehicle. Please plan accordingly.

Booth Break Down:

• Booth items cannot be removed before 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. All booths must be fully cleared on Sunday evening, September 27th, after the festival. Vendor vehicles may not enter festival grounds for teardown until the Lee’s Summit Police Department ensures all attendees have cleared the streets and declares it safe to proceed. At that time, they will send an officer down to open the barricades and assist with directing traffic. Thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation with fellow vendors, staff, and LSPD as everyone works together to conclude the event safely.

Electricity

• Access to electricity is provided as part of the vendor fee. Exhibitors must bring their own 100-foot, 14-gauge extension cord. In addition, vendors are encouraged to provide some type of lighting for their booth space. It is recommended to use energy-efficient lighting to prevent outages. Generators are not allowed unless prior approval is granted by the Chamber staff. 

WI-FI:

• Due to inconsistent Wi-Fi, the Chamber will not provide an additional network. Please ensure you have worked with your mobile provider to have a reliable mobile connection for sales transactions prior to the event. Most vendors use Square or similar platforms, which require them to purchase additional cellular data to operate. We recommend testing your connection in advance to avoid any disruptions.

Security:

• The Lee’s Summit Chamber staff, Oktoberfest Committee, and the City of Lee’s Summit bear no responsibility for any damage, theft, fire, loss, or injury to exhibitors, their goods, or property resulting from any force of nature. While security officers will patrol the premises overnight, exhibitors are encouraged to remove all valuables as a precautionary measure.

Cancellation Policy: 

Due to the recent adjustments to the festival, we've adjusted our cancellation policy as follows:

1.  On or before August 15, 2026, Vendors who cancel by this date will receive a 100% refund. 

2.  August 16 - 31, 2026, Vendors who cancel during this period will receive a 50% refund. 

3.  Beginning September 1, 2026, No refunds will be issued for cancellations. 

4.  Weather:  The festival is a rain-or-shine event.  Refunds will not be issued due to inclement weather or rainouts.