For potential vendors: 2013 Vending Application is closed. Vending applications were open from August 29, 2012 to September 29th at noon. Please check back soon for the 2014 Application Form.
These are some questions we receive often from potential vendors. We hope this helps!
1. How many people will be at The Steampunk World’s Fair?
2. How old are the people coming to SPWF? Will there be a lot of kids?
3. How do I get a space in the Merchant’s Bazaar?
4. Is there anything I can’t sell in the Merchant’s Bazaar?
5. What if I need to request a handicapped room for Room Vending?
6. Can I have things for my vending space shipped to SPWF a few weeks before the convention?
7. Is there a load/unload policy for setting up in the Merchant’s Bazaar?
8. I’d like to donate a prize from my business for an event. How do I do this?
9. How do I advertise in the program guide?
10. What’s your flyer policy?
11. Can you put flyers in registration bags for me?
1. How many people will be at The Steampunk World’s Fair?
The Steampunk Worlds Fair (SPWF) 2010 reached a weekend total of around 3000 people enjoying the event over three full days. 2012 had over 4,000 attendees!
At the time, this set records as:
o The largest first-year steampunk convention in North America.
o The largest pre-registration count for a first year steampunk convention. (more than 950 pre-registered attendees)
o The largest steampunk convention on the East Coast.
o The largest steampunk-focused event in the world at that time (in our first year!)
We had folks drive up, down, and fly in as attendees and performers from all over the United States, Canada, England, France, and even the Netherlands! Truly making it the “Steampunk World’s” fair!
2. How old are the people coming to SPWF? Will there be a lot of kids?
Steampunk fans come in all shapes and sizes including but not limited to children. While most people attending this event are between the ages of 16 and 50, expect to have attendees from all ages! In 2010, we had a 4 month old baby with a moustache tucked under his nose, children hula-hooping in the courtyard and picnicking with their parents, and folks in their seventies and eighties showing up just because they liked steampunk too. Steampunk is for the whole family, and while SPWF has no specific children’s “track”, we also encourage everyone to enjoy the weekend.
3. How do I get a space in the Merchant’s Bazaar?
***UPDATE: Applications are open from August 29th until noon on September 29th! There’s a link at the top of this page.***
We recommend submitting an application as soon as possible. We also recommend, upon approval for the Bazaar, that vendors purchase their space with us as soon as possible because the best spaces sell out fast. The first floor room vending and floor spaces WILL sell out before the event. The waiting list will be closed before the event as well.
4. Is there anything I can’t sell in the Merchant’s Bazaar?
There is, in fact!
o Food and drinks of any kind are strictly prohibited. Our contracts with the hotels are very clear on this.
o The sale of sharpened weapons, firearms, illegal substances, and restricted substances are also prohibited.
o Finally, bootlegs, unlicensed, and counterfeit goods are not permitted in the Merchants Bazaar under any circumstances.
o Some items, such as corsets, chainmaille, non-sharpened metal weapons, and tiny top hats may be restricted to the number of vendors who may sell them. Please keep this in mind! This list may also change as vendors are accepted.
SPWF Vendor staff will be making inspections throughout the open hours of the event to ensure our policies are upheld. Any offending materials will be identified and the vendor will be asked to remove them. Multiple offenses will result in a vendor’s expulsion from the event at any time.
5. What if I need to request a handicapped room for Room Vending?
Being in a hotel, the entire event is handicap accessible. However, Room Vending spaces that are handicap accessible are limited to the number of rooms with such specifications physically available from the hotel. Please request this early and with your application that we might best serve you.
6. Can I have items for my vending space shipped to SPWF a few weeks before the convention?
We prefer not to receive shipments of your exhibits, but you can arrange for deliveries to be made through our staff. Information will be sent to you upon request and after you’ve reserved space with us.
If you are shipping to the hotel, please observe the following:
* Mail packages to arrive UP TO 3 DAYS before the event and not before
* As sometimes the Post Office or FedEx may drop off some packages one day and others the next, PLEASE NUMBER your packages! For example: “Package #1 of 3″.
* To make sure that your package arrives and is sorted appropriately, please clearly label it.
7. Is there a load/unload policy for setting up in the Merchant’s Bazaar?
The hotel and SPWF reserve the right to restrict all freight and package and package deliveries to the pre-specified entrances of the hotel. These areas will be detailed for you upon approval of your application to vend with SPWF. SPWF personnel will be on site to direct and assist vendors during move-in and move-out.
For the convenience and safety of vendors and patrons, all freight and material handling must enter and exit the facility through the pre-specified entrances. Dollies and hotel carts may be at a minimum, so please be prepared to have your own carts available if the dollies are being used at the time of your arrival.
We highly recommend that vendors arrive on Thursday at the hotel, stay the night, take their time setting up, and then stay through Sunday into Monday. This will allow the most time for a vendor to set up and take down, and also allow vendors to fully use the time that they have at the event with our patrons, staff, volunteers, and performers.
8. I’d like to donate a prize from my business for an event. How do I do this?
Email Jeff (jeffmach [at] runningwatermusic.com with the subject line “Prize from –your business- for SPWF 2012” and we can discuss the details of either shipping a prize or handing the prize to a staff member the day of the event! As we have around a dozen different events over the 3-day fair that require cool, fun prizes, we really appreciate your generosity. If you include a business card, the announcer of the event will be able to inform the crowd who donated the item as well.
9. How do I advertise in the program guide?
If you are interested, please email Jeff (jeff [at] runningwatermusic.com).
For information about ads and sponsorship, please click here.
10. What’s your flyer policy?
You are not allowed to hang anything on the hotel walls, doors, elevators, pool areas or anywhere else unless/until you clear it with SPWF staff who will clear it with the hotel. If the hotel or event does not want flyers up, please respect this decision. We will provide a “freebie” table in the lobby that you are welcome to use at any time; please be respectful of the other items that are already placed on the freebie table, and limit your flyers to a maximum size of standard 8.5×11 papers.
11. Can you put flyers in registration bags for me?
If you wish to send flyers to be inserted into our program guide, please contact jeffmach [at] runningwatermusic.com for our rates. At this time we have no registration bags, so we ask that your flyers or freebies be limited to paper and no larger than 8.5×11 standard papers. As always, the freebie table is free.
Thank you!
