Food Concessions

Event Information:

• The 2025 IBMA Bluegrass Live! Festival will be held from Friday, September 19 to Saturday, September 20, 2025, from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm both days.

• The festival site will include Market Street, Miller Plaza, Miller Park, and Patten Square. Concessionaires will be placed throughout the festival grounds. Concessionaires’ locations are determined by IBMA Bluegrass Live! at its sole discretion.

• The festival will include live music performances, arts & craft vendors, food concessions, attendee attractions, and more.

• Expected attendance of up to 16,000 people.

Participation Information:

2025 Concessonaire Location Fee Pricing

• Concessionaire will pay $725.00 per 10x10 feet location. By way of example, if unit is (22) twenty-two feet in frontage including the tongue or other external appendages, the total location fee is $2,175.00.

• Friends of the Festival, Inc., will calculate the amount of location fee due by unit frontage given on application. If incorrect unit frontage is given, Friends of the Festival, Inc. reserves the right to request additional payment of location fee or terminate the contract.

• Payment of location fee balance is due by August 14th, 2025 and must be paid via check to IBMA Bluegrass Live!. Concessionaire may mail or deliver check to festival office located at 426 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402.

• There will be a $35.00 service charge for any checks returned for insufficient funds. Should there be a returned check, any and all future payments, as well as the service charge, must be paid via cashier’s check, money order, or cash.

2025 Damage and Security Deposit

• Concessionaire will post a Damage and Security Deposit with Friends of the Festival, Inc. in the amount of $300.00. Said deposit will be held by Friends of the Festival, Inc. until after Friends of the Festival, Inc.’s departure inspection of Concessionaire’s equipment and site (“site” means Concessionaire’s assigned location and adjacent areas).

• Payment of Damage & Security Deposit is due by August 14th, 2025, and must be paid via check to Friends of the Festival, Inc. Concessionaire may mail or deliver check to festival office located at 426 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402.

• There will be a $35.00 service charge for any checks returned for insufficient funds. Should there be a returned check, any and all future payments, as well as the service charge, must be paid via cashier’s check, money order, or cash.

2025 Electrical Service Connection Fee

• Concessionaire will pay a Electrical Service Connection Fee, if required to operate, as outlined on the Concessionaire Electrical Service Connection Fee in Exhibit A of Concessionaire Agreement.

• Payment of Concessionaire Electrical Service Connection Fee is due by August 14th, 2025 and must be paid via check to IBMA Bluegrass Live!. Concessionaire may mail or deliver check to festival office located at 426 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402.

• There will be a $35.00 service charge for any checks returned for insufficient funds. Should there be a returned check, any and all future payments, as well as the service charge, must be paid via cashier’s check, money order, or cash.

Commerical Liability Insurance

• Each Concessionaire must obtain Commercial Liability Insurance, including products and completed operations, in the following amounts naming IBMA Bluegrass Live! as additional insured: $1,000,000 per occurrence – combined single limit for bodily injury and property damage

• Proof of insurance coverage must be submitted to the Festival office by August 14th, 2025.

• IBMA Bluegrass Live! may immediately terminate Concessionaire Agreement if Concessionaire fails to provide notice of insurance as required or fails to maintain required insurance in force for the duration of the Festival period.

Hamilton County Health Department Regulations

• Food Concessionaires are required to obtain a Temporary Food Service Permit, which is issued by the Hamilton County Health Department. (There is a fee of approximately $30.00 for this permit).

• Concessionaire will sustain the cost of all city and county health permits required for operating concessions on site. Concessionaires will be required to complete all required forms and is responsible for payment fees. Friends of the Festival, Inc. will collect payment due to the Hamilton County Heath Department for a Temporary Food Service Permit, if unit is not already permitted by Hamilton County Health Department.

Business Licensing

• If Concessionaire does not currently have a permanent business license in Chattanooga, Concessionaire must obtain a temporary business license.

• Concessionaire will sustain the cost of all city and county transient vendors license fees required for operating concessions on site. Concessionaires will be required to complete all required forms and is responsible for payment of fees. Friends of the Festival, Inc. will collect payment due to the City of Chattanooga for a Temporary Business License, if one is needed to operate.

Concessionaire Location Placement

• Concessionaires’ locations are determined by IBMA Bluegrass Live! at its sole discretion. Location will be as stated in the Concessionaire Agreement unless circumstances beyond the reasonable control of IBMA Bluegrass Live! require a change, in which case IBMA Bluegrass Live! will determine priority for reassignment based on the prior category of the location contracted, the date of Concessionaire’s application and the type of products being sold by Concessionaire.

• Concessionaires may have more than one location, but each location must be contracted separately and will be covered by an additional location fee.

Concessionaire Menu

• Concessionaire’s products to be sold (menu) are approved by IBMA Bluegrass Live! at its sole discretion. There is no guarantee that approved products will not be sold by another Concessionaire. Concessionaire may sell only items as approved on Exhibit A – Approved Menu, which is a part of the Concessionaire Agreement. Any Concessionaire selling items not specially approved by IBMA Bluegrass Live! officials in writing will be immediately closed and the entire Damage and Security Deposit will be forfeited.

• IBMA Bluegrass Live! reserves the right to require Concessionaires to sell the products of its sponsors and/or official products designees when said sponsors and/or official product designees offer a product required for a menu item approved for sale by Concessionaire.

• IBMA Bluegrass Live! will be the exclusive vendor of beverages sales at the IBMA Bluegrass Live! Festival. Concessionaires are not allowed to sell bottled water, sodas (of any brand or type,) or any brand or type of alcohol product. Concessionaires who sell specialty beverages such as but not limited to coffee, lemonade, or brewed tea may sell specialty beverages based on approval of menu by IBMA Bluegrass Live! Festival officials. Only approved menu items will be allowed to be sold during the festival.

Festival Rules:

• Concessionaire’s location must be set up by three pm (3:00pm) on Thursday, September 18, 2025 in order to ensure electrical service in time for opening of the 2025 IBMA Bluegrass Live! Festival.

• Concessionaire must be ready to sell to the public when by Friday, September 19, 2025 at 10:00 am.

• Concessionaire’s location must be taken down by one pm (1:00 pm) on Sunday, September 21, 2025. Booths that are not removed by 1:00 pm, Sunday, September 21, 2025 will be removed on Sunday, September 21, 2025 by IBMA Bluegrass Live! festival grounds crew, and Concessionaire will forfeit the entire Security Deposit ($300.00). Locations must be returned to their original condition.

• Concessionaire will sustain the cost of all city and county health permits, as well as city and county transient vendor’s license fees required for operating concessions on site. Concessionaire is required to complete all required forms.

• Concessionaire must keep his/her concession open for business each night when public activities of IBMA Bluegrass Live! are scheduled in the Festival site at least until one-half hour after each scheduled activity is completed. Concessionaire must keep its operation stocked during all hours when IBMA Bluegrass Live! is in operation with sufficient merchandise to accommodate public demand. If concessionaire fails to meet these requirements, IBMA Bluegrass Live! may immediately terminate the Concessionaire Agreement.

• All food and beverage items are to be sold using concessionaires point of sale system which can accept cards and cash.

• Concessionaire should be prepared with their own hotspot and/or internet connection solutions should networks become unavailable. IBMA Bluegrass Live! is not deemed responsible if so networks become unavailable.