I was browsing the forum and read a few posts about fees escalating and having to raise prices.  It’s getting obscene what people are charging for event fees.  Bumbershoot in Seattle wants $3250, plus 15% on all sales above $4000 in sales.  Add to that, $255 for the county fee for an event, and you barely have your cost of fees covered with the initial sales before the commission kicks in……..

Sounds like they want you to work for them and not for you. Imagine how many customers you have to serve per minute to hit the break-even mark, and then they want 15% over $4000? Screw them. Let ’em find other suckers that will most likely work their asses off for three days to earn very little and risk losing a whole lot.
 
 

I don’t do events, just my daily spot but I think you answered your own question.

I’m sure Curbie will respond. He does only small events for what are, I’m assuming, the same reasons you point out.

What if you pay the $3250 and it rains?

Geez, I wouldn’t be able to sleep.

We do not like to pay fees for events.  The most we have paid was $55 without electric (2 night event).  That was too much for what it turned out to be. No one way buying much. The roasted corn lady did the best of us.  We were next because we could sell our leftover product on  the street the following Monday. The “big boy” food vendors lost it on that event. 

One of the vendors that was there last October was up at an event we checked out yesterday (3 day event).  His trailer is up for sale (he had $3 plain dogs, $4 with chili & cheese).  We will not be considering that event next year.  13 pro food vendors, very few in attendance.  We showed up between 1:30 & 2PM.  No trash on the ground, no evidence that folks had been buying the hot dogs, turkey legs, burgers, etc… no full trash barrels (no trash anywhere to be seen). All I seen were drinks in Styrofoam cups (large cups… not sure where they were bought), 3 roasted corn, 2 funnel cakes. 1 cotton candy

Foods that were there:
– Lemonade
– Navajo Taco & burgers
– Roasted corn
– One big boy who sold Gyros, grilled sausage & onions and other Midway type foods
– Hot dogs
– Roasted Corn
– ice cream (no one home!)
– Funnel cakes
– a big boy floss rig selling cotton candy, hot dogs, corn dogs

Outside the event area was a trailer selling Meatball sandwich & pulled pork BBQ (no customers & no sign that he had any), on the main road was a BBQ outfit. 2 folks were standing outside drinking cups of drink. All the vendors looked… bored and depressed.

That was the cleanest event I have ever seen. And I don’t think it was because they were real good at picking up the trash.  We just really didn’t see anyone buying and there should have been at that time (even the non-profits looked like they had done nothing).

We have one lined up in August that will cost us $10.  It’s 40 miles away.  We checked the town out on July 3rd while they were doing their 4th Celebration.  Talked to towns folk about attendance, sounds good. Hope they are in a buying mood. They had a BBQ trailer at the 4th Celebration.  If they will be at the festival, I don’t think they would be much competition. I think we offer better food at a better price.[8D]

We might do the $55 event this year.  We will wait until the deadline day to decide.  Depends on how many vendors will be there.  There just aren’t enough folks going to the event to support 8 food vendors & 1 non-profit (like last year).

I was looking at a 2 day gig in Sept….$50 per foot! Power extra.