FIRST FRIDAYS
YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR
VENDOR APPLICATION

Thank you for applying to be a Young Entrepreneur Participant for Columbia Main Street First Fridays. We support the youthful entrepreneurial spirit! That's why we have a very limited number of booth spaces free of charge and open to young people who make a product to sell. 

First Fridays is a very popular event takes place the first Friday of each month, April through December, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The first block of West 7th Street and the west half of the public square will be closed off for First Fridays where vendors will set up in designated areas of the street. (Vendors and other participants will no longer be allowed to set up on the public sidewalks anywhere in downtown, only in the First Fridays event area.)

It's important to know that SPACE IS LIMITED. Submitting a completed First Fridays application does not mean guaranteed acceptance to be a Young Entrepreneur Vendor. All applications must be reviewed by the Columbia Main Street First Fridays Committee. Every effort will be taken to ensure a great and varied lineup each month.

YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR VENDOR FEE $0

Young Entrepreneur is defined as a young person(s) 12-17 years old who make a product by hand to sell.

APPLICANT GUIDELINES & RESTRICTIONS FOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

• All Young Entrepreneur Participants must have their parent or guardian complete a First Fridays application (below) between the 1st -14th of the month prior to First Fridays to be considered for participation. Applicants will be informed via email of their acceptance status by the 19th of the month. For those accepted applicants, space is not guaranteed until a certificate of insurance has been provided within five days of acceptance email. See "CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE" section below for more details;
• Vendor shall comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws. Failure to comply may result in revocation of vendor status;
• Vendor is responsible for setup and teardown. Absolutely no early teardown is allowed. Vehicles will not be allowed in the event area;
• Vendor booth space is 10 feet wide x 15 feet deep. Please be courteous, do not spill over into neighboring vendor space;
• Vendor is responsible for all vendor needs: tables, chairs, shade device, staffing, materials, etc. If vendor chooses to use a shade device such as a canopy or tent, it must be clean, in working condition, and secured. It must fit in the booth space and be no larger than 10 feet wide x 15 feet deep. No exceptions;
• Tents and canopies must be properly secured by sandbags, weights, etc. Ground stakes are NOT allowed;
• Generators are prohibited by all vendors with the exception of approved food trucks and no electricity access will be provided;
• Vendor is responsible for removal and clean up of all waste and items brought to the event. Vendor must leave vendor space; completely clean. Waste dumpsters are available in the north parking lot (through the breezeway beside Square Market);
• Vendor is not permitted to sell or distribute alcohol, mind-altering substances, or illegal substances;
• Vendor shall not leave their booth space, cart, or trailer unattended at any time during the event;
• Vendor is not permitted to share booth space with another vendor or sell their booth space to another vendor;
• Vendor shall not leave their vehicle or trailer overnight in public parking areas;
• No-Show Policy - vendor will be considered a no-show if they don't set up or staff a booth by the assigned set-up time and shall forfeit any fees paid. In the event of a no-show, the space may be reassigned by the First Fridays Committee.

COMPLIANCE & REGULATIONS FOR VENDOR FOOD SALES

If selling food, ALL prepared foods must be sold in compliance with the TN Department of Agriculture and Health Department regulations. The Tennessee Food Freedom Act ALLOWS Tennessee homemade food businesses to sell their food products directly to consumers in the state AS LONG AS the following requirements are met:

• Products must be produced at a private residence. (Any production in a kitchen that is not at a private residence will require a Food Manufacturing License from Tn Dept of Agriculture);
• The end products do not require temperature control for safety;
• Sellers must post prices for food sales. All fees must be marked and visible to patrons;
• Label requirements for each packaged product: Producer's name, full street address, name of food, full ingredients list, and required disclaimer: "This product was made at a private residence that is exempt from state licensing and inspection. This product may contain allergens";
• It is expected that prices will be fair to consumers, the seller, and fellow vendors; collusion among sellers to attempt to influence prices is strictly prohibited.

For details, click on TN Food Freedom Act. If vendor does require any license/permit, copies must be on file with event organizers before First Fridays.

CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE

In order to participate at First Fridays, ALL approved vendors must carry a minimum of $1,000,000 liability insurance and are required to provide a Certificate of Insurance naming the City of Columbia and Columbia Main Street Corporation as additional insured. Failure to provide a certificate of insurance results in forfeiture of participation. 

Please CLICK HERE for additional information and various insurance options.
 

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY

Inclement weather is described as either undesirable or unsafe weather conditions for outdoor events. Inclement weather can come in different forms, a outlined below. This policy is designed to help the event management team identify when forecasted or actual weather conditions require event cancellation.
 

GUIDELINES FOR CANCELLATION BASED ON FORECASTED WEATHER

Event management shall use the National Weather Service for forecasting weather conditions regarding First Fridays.

Trigger to Cancel Event:

• 0 to 24 Hours Advance Notice = Heat Advisory or Excessive Heat Watch
• 0 to 12 Hours Advance Notice = Tornado Watch, Severe Thunderstorm Watch, Excessive Heat Warning, Rain Chance Greater than 50% during event setup and/or event time
• During Event = Heat Index of 108 Degrees Fahrenheit, Observed Winds more than 25mph
   

WEATHER INFORMATION DISSEMINATION

• Email sent to all approved vendors, city officials, and any other parties involved in event management regarding cancellation
• Social media post on Columbia First Fridays and Columbia Main Street Facebook and Instagram accounts
• Columbia Main Street website, www.ColumbiaMainStreet.com will be updated to reflect the cancellation
• If a decision is made to cancel First Fridays based on guidance contained in this policy, vendors may be offered (a) a credit for First Fridays booth space in the current calendar year or (b) a refund of booth fee. Vendor and event management must confirm agreement in writing. 

APPLICANT COMPLIANCE

• Applicant agrees to hereby indemnify and hold harmless Columbia Main Street Corporation and the City of Columbia, its appointed or elected officials, employees, agents and sponsors, board members, or representatives from any and all actions, causes of action, or claims of any kind or nature which I or my representative may incur as a result of participation in First Fridays;
• Applicant agrees to and acknowledges the guidelines and restrictions outlined above; 
• Applicant agrees to and acknowledges the Inclement Weather Policy;
• Applicant understands that notice of acceptance status will go out via email by the 19th of the month prior to First Fridays;
• Certificate of insurance will be due by the 24th of the month prior to First Fridays;
• Applicant further understands that the organization and its representatives may be photographed and videotaped during the event, and hereby releases and consents to reproduction of such photos and videos for publicity purposes by Columbia Main Street Corporation and the City of Columbia;
• Once applicant is accepted, this document and the submitted application serve as a contract between applicant, City of Columbia, and Columbia Main Street Corporation to abide by the guidelines and restrictions of the event;
• Applicant understands that any non-compliance with these guidelines and restrictions may result in the discontinuation of applicant's ability to participate in First Fridays for a timeframe deemed appropriate by the Columbia Main Street First Fridays Committee;
• By selecting "YES" at the bottom of the application, the applicant is signifying they have read and agree to the terms of this agreement as outlined by Columbia Main Street Corporation and the City of Columbia.

Questions? Please contact Columbia Main Street First Fridays Committee: FirstFridays@columbiatn.com