Vendor applications are no longer being accepted.

Drop dead date is Friday, June 8, 2007.  All applicants interested in vending must have applications postmarked by June 7. 

All vendor fees are now a flat $600.00.  The early deadline was May 21. 

Thank you for expressing interest in being a vendor for Hampton's overnight RAGBRAI stay.  Hopefully, this page will answer some of your questions and assist you in filling out the application.  We are very excited about RAGBRAI coming to our community on July 24.  We are expecting between 10,000-20,000 RAGBRAI participants and guests to spend the night. 

FEES:  May 21, 2007 deadline: 
     $150 fee for all non-profit local organizations
     $300 fee for all local for-profit businesses
     $500 for all non-locals

After May 21, 2007 – the fee is a flat $600.00.  This fee will be required before any organization will be permitted to be a RAGBRAI vendor.  With the payment of this fee, vendors will receive advertising in 10,000 tabloids, shuttle stop, and an official RAGBRAI Vendor sign.  A $100 clean up refundable deposit is required at time of application and a $50.00 cover cost for electrical requests.  The refundable deposit will be returned to you after the event, granted your space is clean when you leave. 

PRICING:  It will be up to each group to set their own prices.  The RAGBRAI officials recommend that a cheaper price be charged to RAGBRAI participants with a wristband and anyone wearing a Hot Fun in the Summertime t-shirt for items.  All registered RAGBRAI participants will have a wristband.  Please list your prices on the application and post at your booth. 

INSURANCE:  All vendors will be required to show proof of liability insurance.  The requested minimum of coverage is $500,000.00.  If you are unsure of your insurance coverage, please consult with your insurance agent. 

SETUP:  Set up is available on Monday, July 23 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.  No security will be provided throughout the night if you set up on Monday pm.  Set up is also available Tuesday, July 24 from 5:00 am - noon.  You must check in at Center 1 (located west of Bandshell Park, downtown).  You will then receive your location number and any directions that will be given at that time. 

HOURS:  The hours that riders and support vehicles arrive in Hampton vary from 8:00 am - 6:00 pm.  We are asking that you allow enough time to set up.  We recommend all vendors be set up by noon on July 24.  This will allow enough time for inspections.  You should plan on being busy between 4:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.  This is when most participants eat.  RAGBRAI officials recommend that food vendors plan on being open later to meet the needs of the participants.  It is your decision on how long you plan to be open for business.  If you sell out of products, you are free to leave.  The Beverage Garden will be open until 12:00 a.m. 

CLEAN UP:  You must check out at Center 1 (located west of Bandshell Park, downtown).  A volunteer will then check your location to determine it is clean.  The refundable clean up deposit check will then be mailed to you shortly after July 24.  In order to receive the deposit, you must check out. 

ELECTRICITY:  Please list on the application if you will need electricity.  We will schedule to have electricity run to your stand.  There will be an additional $50 fee for electricity.

GARBAGE:  It is suggested you bring your own trash can in order to help with garbage throughout the day.  A large roll off will be available downtown to place garbage bags in.  By bringing your own trash can, it will ensure cleanliness in your vendor area and less clean up for later. 

SIGNAGE:  All vendors are responsible for their own signage at their booth.  They committee recommends printing neat, easy to read signs including menu items and prices.  It is also recommended each vendor have a sign they can put up if they run out of items. 

FOOD SAFETY:  Food safety is very important when you feed this many people.  The RAGBRAI and Franklin County Health and Inspections Division will inspect all food vendors on July 24.  If you are unsure

The committees recommend that every non-profit and profit organization take enough time planning for this event.  The groups that plan well and have something creative will do very well.  The RAGBRAI officials have told us that most of the participant’s plan where they are going to eat the night before they arrive in the next town.  So advertising in the tabloid can be very beneficial.

The food committee recommends each group project how much they plan to serve very carefully.  We recommend you plan to sell all of the food you prepare.  Any food left over cuts into your profits.

The food and non food vendor committees want this event to be a winning situation for the whole community.  The committees want this to be a great event for Hampton.  The way this will happen is if every group comes together and works with the RAGBRAI committee.  The Health and Inspections Division will be monitoring all food vendors.  If they find a group or organization set up selling food that has not met the requirements they will be shut down immediately.  We believe everyone can win, but only if there is good communication and everyone works together.

 

HOW TO KNOW HOW MUCH FOOD TO FIX:  A rule of thumb for inexperienced vendors, such as church groups or non-profit organizations, to figure out how many meals they can serve is:

1. Determine how many hours you’ll be serving.  For example, from 4:30 – 8:30 p.m. = 4 hours serving time.
2. Know how many people you can seat at once, i.e.150
3. Figure out how much time it will take for a guest to get served and eat, i.e. 45 minutes.  Riders will stay longer if the area is air-conditioned.  Using the above scenario, the church could plan to serve 750-800 people during this four-hour block of prime time.

A good rule of thumb is to plan one food or beverage line for every 75 people you plan to serve.