October 21- Choctaw Creek Park Public Market (Permanent Canopy Rental)

Independent Vendor Setup – This is a space-rental program, not an organized City Farmers Market or City event. Wednesdays & Saturdays – Canopy spaces are available for individual rental on designated Wednesdays and Saturdays. 24 Permanent Canopy Spaces – Vendors rent an individual covered space for the day. Small Businesses & Vendors – Available to approved vendors, small businesses, nonprofits, and other eligible participants. Application Required – Vendors must apply, receive approval, pay the applicable rental fee, and receive a booth assignment before setting up. Pilot Program – Continuation of the program will depend on its success and vendors' compliance with program rules. CITY OF CHOCTAW FARMERS MARKET CANOPY RENTAL PROGRAM Pilot Program — Wednesdays & Saturdays The City of Choctaw is launching a pilot program that will make the 24 permanent Farmers Market canopy spaces available for individual vendor rental on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The purpose of this program is to give small businesses and local vendors an additional opportunity to set up and sell their goods in the community. This is not an organized Farmers Market or City event. Similar to renting the Caboose or a City pavilion, vendors are renting a designated City space for a specific day and are responsible for operating independently and following all rules associated with the rental. The City will establish and enforce rules for use of the facility and provide general oversight. City staff will not be on-site throughout the day managing vendors, coordinating booth operations, monitoring products, or mediating routine vendor disputes. ________________________________________ THIS IS A PILOT PROGRAM We want to provide vendors with a simple and affordable opportunity to use the Farmers Market canopies without creating another heavily managed City event. Whether this program continues will depend on how well it works. Vendors are expected to follow the rules, respect City property, cooperate with neighboring vendors, and handle normal business competition professionally. THIS PROGRAM CAN ONLY CONTINUE IF IT REQUIRES MINIMAL CITY STAFF TIME. If rules are repeatedly ignored, vendor disputes or confrontations become an ongoing issue, City property is not respected, or the program requires excessive City staff involvement, the City may discontinue the pilot program. ________________________________________ DAYS & RENTAL PERIOD Canopy spaces are available for rent: WEDNESDAYS & SATURDAYS DAWN TO DUSK Each reservation is for one assigned booth for the entire rental day. Vendors may arrive and leave at any time between dawn and dusk and are not required to stay all day. A booth will not be rented to multiple vendors during the same day, even if a vendor plans to arrive late or leave early. One booth = one vendor reservation = one rental day. ________________________________________ FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED There are 24 permanent canopy spaces available each Wednesday and Saturday. Reservations are first come, first served, subject to application approval and payment. Once all 24 spaces have been rented, that date is full. No additional spaces will be created because a vendor plans to arrive late or leave early. ________________________________________ REGISTRATION, APPROVAL, PAYMENT & BOOTH ASSIGNMENT ALL VENDORS MUST COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING PROCESS BEFORE SETTING UP: 1. APPLY through Seen Markets by the deadline. 2. WAIT FOR APPROVAL Do not pay until you receive an approval email. 3. PAY the required booth rental fee after approval. 4. RECEIVE YOUR BOOTH ASSIGNMENT. 5. SET UP ONLY IN YOUR ASSIGNED BOOTH. Application Deadlines Wednesday Rental: Apply no later than Monday morning. Saturday Rental: Apply no later than Wednesday night. Please plan to apply at least 48 hours in advance. City offices close at 11:30 a.m. on Fridays. Applications submitted after the deadline may not be reviewed in time. If you have not received an approval email, you may not set up. DO NOT PAY BEFORE APPROVAL Submitting an application, seeing an available space online, or being able to access the payment system does not mean you have been approved. If you pay before receiving an approval email through Seen Markets, your payment will NOT be refunded or transferred. Payment before approval does not reserve a booth or give you permission to set up. Booth Assignments YOUR BOOTH WILL NOT BE ASSIGNED UNTIL PAYMENT HAS BEEN RECEIVED. After payment, the City will assign your booth. Vendors may not arrive and choose an empty space. AN EMPTY BOOTH DOES NOT MEAN IT IS AVAILABLE. Booth assignments may not be transferred, shared, subleased, or given to another vendor. ________________________________________ PERMANENT CANOPIES ONLY This program includes only the 24 permanent Farmers Market canopy spaces. Vendors may NOT set up in: • Grass areas behind the canopies • Parallel parking spaces across from the canopies • Asphalt or drive areas • Any other uncovered area The grass and parallel parking spaces must remain clear of booths, tents, tables, merchandise, displays, and vehicles. Your rental includes only your assigned canopy space. ________________________________________ BOOTH RENTAL FEES Booths 1–12 — $20 per day These booths have access to electricity. The $20 rate applies whether or not electricity is used. Booths 13–24 — $15 per day Generators are not permitted. ________________________________________ PRODUCT CATEGORIES & COMPETITION The City will not regulate the number of vendors selling the same or similar products. There is: • No vendor rotation • No product-category limit • No guarantee of product exclusivity Multiple vendors may sell similar items, including crochet, jewelry, sourdough, baked goods, crafts, clothing, produce, or other merchandise. RENTING A BOOTH DOES NOT PROVIDE EXCLUSIVITY FOR ANY PRODUCT, SERVICE, BUSINESS, OR VENDOR CATEGORY. If you see that a similar vendor has been approved and decide you no longer want to participate, you should cancel before paying, because booth fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable. ________________________________________ WHO CAN RENT A BOOTH? The permanent canopy spaces are available to a variety of vendors, including but not limited to: • Handmade and craft vendors • Jewelry vendors • Clothing and merchandise vendors • Baked goods vendors • Produce vendors • Nonprofits • Marketing and informational booths Vendors who prepare food or drinks on-site and require an on-site Health Department inspection are not permitted through this program. ________________________________________ FOOD VENDORS Food vendors must provide information on their Seen Markets application about how their products are prepared and sold, including any applicable: • Oklahoma Homemade Food Freedom Act information • ServSafe certification • Licenses, certifications, or permits Vendors are responsible for knowing and complying with all applicable food-safety, licensing, permitting, labeling, and other legal requirements. City approval of a booth does not exempt a vendor from any applicable legal or regulatory requirements. ________________________________________ FOOD TRUCKS The park already has an established area for food trucks. Food trucks may move closer to the permanent canopy area during Wednesday and Saturday rentals within areas permitted by the City. All existing City food truck rules, reservation procedures, fees, permits, and requirements remain in effect. THIS PROGRAM DOES NOT CHANGE EXISTING FOOD TRUCK POLICIES OR REQUIREMENTS. ________________________________________ SALES TAX Vendors selling taxable items must have the appropriate Oklahoma Sales Tax Permit/License and are responsible for collecting, reporting, and remitting applicable sales taxes. Applications without a required Sales Tax Permit/License number will be denied. Social Security Numbers and FEINs are not accepted in place of a Sales Tax Permit/License number. ________________________________________ BOOTH SETUP Vendors are responsible for providing their own: • Tables and chairs • Table coverings • Displays and signs • Extension cords, if needed • Other equipment necessary to operate their booth BUSINESS NAME & PROOF OF APPROVAL YOUR BUSINESS NAME MUST BE PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED AT YOUR BOOTH. At any time, a City employee may ask to see proof that your booth has been approved. We recommend keeping a screenshot of your approval email on your phone so it can be easily provided if requested. ________________________________________ VENDOR PARKING Vendors may pull up to their assigned booth to load and unload merchandise and equipment. Choctaw Creek Park is busy, particularly in the morning when there are many walkers and other park visitors. Please drive slowly, watch for pedestrians, and use extra caution on Market Lane. If another vendor is already operating, do not block their booth or interfere with their customers while loading or unloading. Once unloading is complete, ALL VENDOR VEHICLES MUST BE MOVED TO THE GRAVEL PARKING AREA AT THE SOUTH END OF THE FARMERS MARKET. Vendor vehicles may NOT be parked on the grass behind the canopies or in the parallel parking spaces directly across from them. ________________________________________ CLEANUP Vendors must leave their booth and surrounding area clean and remove all merchandise, displays, tables, chairs, boxes, trash, signs, personal belongings, and equipment before leaving. NOTHING MAY BE LEFT AT THE FARMERS MARKET AFTER YOU LEAVE FOR THE DAY. ________________________________________ WEATHER & CANCELLATIONS The Farmers Market is an outdoor facility. Vendors are responsible for monitoring weather conditions and deciding whether to set up or remain at the Farmers Market during inclement weather. RENTAL FEES ARE NONREFUNDABLE AND NONTRANSFERABLE DUE TO WEATHER OR A VENDOR'S DECISION NOT TO ATTEND. ________________________________________ PETS VENDOR PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED. ________________________________________ VENDOR CONDUCT & RESPONSIBILITY Vendors are expected to: • Respect neighboring vendors and customers • Remain within their assigned booth • Follow parking requirements • Take care of City property • Follow all program rules • Handle normal business competition professionally A complaint that another vendor sells the same or similar products is not grounds for removing or relocating that vendor. VENDOR DISPUTES, ARGUMENTS, CONFRONTATIONS, HARASSMENT, OR INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. The City reserves the right to prohibit an individual or business from participating because of unsafe behavior, prohibited activities, damage to City property, failure to follow program rules, or conduct that interferes with other vendors, customers, or the public. Remember, this program can only continue if it requires minimal City staff time. Vendors are expected to operate independently, follow the rules, and resolve normal business issues professionally. ________________________________________ BEFORE YOU SET UP — REMEMBER: ✓ APPLY through Seen Markets by the deadline. ✓ WAIT for your approval email before paying. ✓ PAY your booth fee after approval. ✓ RECEIVE your booth assignment before setting up. ✓ SET UP only in your assigned permanent canopy. ✓ KEEP merchandise and displays within your assigned space. ✓ DISPLAY your business name. ✓ PARK in the gravel parking area after unloading. ✓ CLEAN your booth before leaving. ✓ RESPECT neighboring vendors, customers, and the facility.