FAQ fOR ATTENDEES
Q. Is this really an indoor venue?
A. Yes! We are thrilled to have found such a great location. Both the daytime festival and the nighttime after party are indoors. With as many people as we’re expecting, though, it is recommended not to wear winter clothing – it still might get a little warm despite the air conditioning.
Q. Can I attend if I don’t identify as LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, queer, or questioning)?
A. Yes! This event is open to all people who are at least supportive of those in the LGBTQ+ community. We welcome all, whether you are LGBTQ+ yourself, whether you consider yourself an ally, or whether you are a member of the
community-at-large.
Q. Is it free to attend?
A. Yes! Both the daytime festival and the nighttime After Party are free to attend.
The only costs will be for food/drink, and anything you choose to buy from the vendors
Q. What ages are allowed?
A. All ages are welcome to attend during the day – this is a family-friendly event.
There will be a kids’ entertainment area with face painting and more. We have two all-age appropriate drag shows scheduled during the day along with other entertainment – the lineup should appeal to adults and youth alike.
At 8:00 pm central time, the event transitions into a 21+ After Party, which includes dancing and an adult-appropriate drag show.
Q. What can I wear?
A. We want you to be your authentic self! The only stipulation is that during the daytime festival, all attire must be family-friendly – no nudity, overtly sexual displays, etc.
Q. What can I bring into the Fieldhouse?
A. You and your family, friends, coworkers, and classmates! Strollers, wheelchairs, and backpacks are okay. No weapons, outside food & drink, recreational drugs, or other illegal substances.
Q. Are pets allowed?
A. No, due to Highland Parks Department rules, no pets are allowed inside the facility. Service animals are allowed, but only with the proper certification.
Q. Is smoking or vaping allowed?
A. No, due to Highland Parks Department rules, no smoking or vaping is allowed on Parks property. There will be a smoking area designated out near the street (see facility & grounds maps.
Q. Is there a lost and found?
A. Yes, there is a lost and found booth (Booth #01) for both lost kids and lost things, right next to the registration area (Booth #00) near the entrance to the Fieldhouse.
Q. How do you handle lost children?
A. During registration, wrist or ankle ID bands can be provided for toddlers and other small children to wear, that can have their parents’ or guardians’ cell phone number(s) written on them. If someone encounters a lost child during the event, they will then be able to call the parent(s) or guardian(s) to let them know the child’s whereabouts, and/or bring them to the Lost and Found Booth (Booth
#01). If someone reports a lost child, volunteers and staff will immediately lock all
facility doors, announcements will be made by both the Fieldhouse and Banquet Hall DJs, and Parks Department staff will be notified. No one will be allowed to go out of the facility unmonitored until the lost child is found.
Q. Is there a breast-feeding station?
A. There is a single-stall family restroom in the main lobby of the Lincoln Community Center that may be used for this purpose.
Q. What is the restroom situation?
A. In the main lobby of the Lincoln Community Center is a single-stall family restroom, a multi-stall women’s restroom, and a multi-stall men’s restroom. At the other end of the Fieldhouse, between it and the Banquet Hall, there is a
multi-stall “All Gender” restroom. You are welcome to use the restroom that matches your gender identity, in which you are the most comfortable.
Q. How long will the vendors be there?
A. The vendor market will run from 11 am (festival opening) until 7 pm. There is a small group of vendors that will be leaving at 3pm (with prior permission from the event organizers) – these will all be located in the vendor row designated
with the brown stripe. The vendor booths are in different rows, each marked with a color from the 8- stripe Pride flag (black, brown, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple). What does designation mean – are we putting all service vendors together, or mixing it all up? EM prefers mixing (more inclusive, less divisive)
Q. Can I bring my own music?
A. No. Music and entertainment is provided throughout the day, so PLEASE no playing of live or recorded music or other material.
Q. Do you check IDs?
A. We only check IDs for a person’s age, to determine which type wristband to issue – whether a 21+ band, or an under-21 band.
Q. Are there any security personnel on site?
A. Yes. Per Parks Department rules, there will be two uniformed police officers present, one at each entrance of the Banquet Hall.
Q. Do you serve alcohol?
A. Yes. For those age 21+, beer, wine, and wine coolers will be available for sale in the Banquet Hall. Alcohol can only be bought or consumed in the confines of the Banquet Hall, and cannot be carried out of that room. Drink tickets may be
purchased at the Food/Drink Ticket Sales table near the main Banquet Hall entrance for $5 per drink. The alcohol service area will be marked “21+ Only Beyond This Point”.
Q. Are there non-alcoholic drinks as well?
A. Yes. Drink vendors will be offering tea and soft drinks for sale in both the Banquet Hall and the Fieldhouse. Drink tickets may be purchased at the
Food/Drink Ticket Sales table near the main Banquet Hall entrance for $2 per drink or $5 for a drink and a souvenir cup.
Q. Is there food available?
A. Yes. The taco buffet (primary food service) will be located in the Banquet Hall, and all ages are welcome to go through the food line. There will be tables and chairs set up in both the Fieldhouse and the Banquet Hall for eating and drinking; alcohol must be consumed in the Banquet Hall only. Other food vendors may be set up in the Fieldhouse as well (popcorn, ice cream, hot dogs,
etc).
FAQ fOR vENDORS
We are excited that you are either considering joining us at this inaugural event, or have already applied! Please keep in mind that this is a family-friendly, LGBTQ+ Supportive festival. NWI Pride organizers reserve the right to cancel a vendor contract at any time for the good of the festival at their sole discretion (including without limitation, booths which would be inappropriate given the nature of event (family-friendly and LGBTQ+ supportive), or which may otherwise be offensive to NWI Pride patrons). Any cancellation by management will be refunded if ALL rules and regulations have been followed. Vendors who are cancelled or suspended due to of lack of proper licensing, or to failure to meet or
maintain guidelines, will not be eligible for refund. We appreciate your help in creating a wonderful, safe, and inclusive environment for all.
Q. What do the colors that mark the vendor sections mean?
A. The vendor booths are in different rows, each marked with a color from the 8- stripe Pride flag (black, brown, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple). What does designation mean – are we putting all service vendors together, or mixing
it all up? EM prefers mixing (more inclusive, less divisive)
Q. What do I need to provide for my vendor space?
A. This is an indoor venue. Canopies or tents are not required but may be used if free-standing. They will need to fit completely inside your space. Event organizers will provide one 6’ table and two chairs for each vendor; more tables and chairs may be requested prior to the event (by July 6). You are also welcome to bring your own.
Bottled water will be available at the event, and there are drinking fountains, but you may bring your own bottled water. No outside food or other drink is allowed without prior authorization from event organizers. If you requested electricity, you will need to bring your own extension cord(s).
There may also be charging stations provided throughout the venue. You will need to provide your own table covering.
Q. How big is my vendor space?
A. A standard space is 10’x10’, although there is an option during the application process to request a 10’x20’ space. If you are bringing a standalone popup canopy or tent (not required), it does need to completely fit within your space.
Q. Will I have a wall behind me?
A. Some of the vendor spaces are located against a wall, but most are not. If you need a wall space, you must request it well ahead of time. These will be distributed on a first-request basis. Fieldhouse walls are carpeted, and vendor flags, banners, and signs are allowed to be tacked or taped to the walls. Nothing permanent.
Q. What are the vendor market hours?
A. We have two vendor groups. Group 1 is the general vendor pool. This group, as is standard, is requested to remain until 7 pm. Group 2 is comprised of single-person participants who may be covering a multitude of Indiana Pride events. This group, by prior arrangement, have been
given permission by the event organizers to break down at 3 pm, and will be placed in one section which is deemed to be the least disruptive for an early breakdown (brown stripe).
Q. What are the insurance requirements for vendors?
A. Product and service vendors are not required to carry separate insurance – they will be covered under the venue’s liability insurance policy.
Food, drink and alcohol vendors, however, are required to carry a standard $1 million insurance policy, naming the Town of Highland as additional insured. Alcoholic beverage vendors are also required to be permitted by, and licensed
through, the Town of Highland (Permit #210, etc.).
Food, drink and alcohol vendors must provide Proof of Liability Insurance to the event organizers and Highland Parks Department by June 1, 2019.
Q. I am a food vendor; can I prepare my food on-site?
A. No. All food preparation needs to be done off-site or outside. There is to be no cooking in either the Banquet Hall or the Fieldhouse (sterno-type heaters are okay). The Banquet Hall does have a small kitchen with a sink, 4-burner stove, range hood that vents outside, and a locked (inaccessible) refrigerator, but this rooms is
currently earmarked for wine and wine cooler sales. Running water is not provided on-site except in the Banquet Hall kitchen. You must supply your own fresh water if needed. Small portable generators or car batteries are NOT permitted inside the building. All electricity is provided on-site. (Please make sure to indicate on vendor application if electricity is needed).
Q. Can I play my own live or recorded music at my booth?
A. No. Music and entertainment is provided throughout the day, so PLEASE no playing of live or recorded music or other material in your vendor area, without prior consent from NWI Pride organizers.
Q. Can I hand out my literature or swag, or sell my items, elsewhere during the event?
A. No, not without prior authorization. All business or other activity for which you have rented vendor space must be conducted in your designated area only. No distribution of literature, items, flyers, or sales thereof may be conducted by strolling
through the festival grounds, without prior consent from NWI Pride organizers.
Q. Is there anything else I need to know as a vendor?
A. No illegal or unlicensed activities, products, or services shall be conducted or sold during NWI Pride.
Q. Is food or drink provided?
A. Bottled water will be provided free of charge to everyone at the event (until we run out). You may also bring your own water in. No other outside food or beverage may be brought into NWI Pride. You may purchase food and drink No food or beverages may be sold or distributed at any non-food/ beverage vendor area without the written consent of NWI Pride organizers.
Q. Will I be guaranteed exclusivity?
A. There is no guaranty of exclusivity to any participant or exhibitor. We realize that
some franchises only allow one vendor of their products per event – if this is true of
your products, please contact us before submitting your application.
Q. Can I bring my pets?
A. No. Pets and animals of any type, other than registered service animals, are not permitted inside the Fieldhouse or Banquet Hall. Service animals will be allowed only with the proper credentials.
Q. What if I need to cancel or not show up?
A. No Show Policy: Participants who have not checked-in and/or called the festival
organizers prior to the event by 10:00 am Saturday, July 13 will be considered a
“no-show.” No Show participants will NOT be eligible for refunds, and their assigned vendor space will be forfeited to a wait-list participant.
Cancellation Policy: Vendors who request cancellation before July 1, 2019 are eligible for a full refund. Those who request cancellation after July 1, 2019, are eligible for a refund of half the prepaid amount, unless they are “No Show’s”, for
which they will receive no refund (see “No Show Policy”, above).
