San Diego Renaissance Faire - Vendor Information

GET IN on the opportunity to vend at one of the premier living history events in California. The San Diego Renaissance Fair has quickly become known as THE outdoor festival to get fine quality crafted wares and artistic pieces. Our 2007 festival boasted two cash ATM machines inside the venue and low prices for oversized booth spaces making the San Diego Renaissance Faire a logical choice in the era of high gas prices and rising festival costs.

The Marketing team at the San Diego Renaissance Faire ensures a quality experience for all its Merchants and Caterers by advertising in the regional daily paper, the local Performing Arts newsletter, and the widely distributed weekly entertainment reader. Our volunteer team distributes hundreds of posters and tens of thousands of flyers throughout the city at all the hottest and most popular venues. We air an eye-catching commercial on the the morning news and on the major cable channels in the San Diego County area for two weeks leading up to the faire . Daily live T.V. coverage from several local channels and live weekday arts entertainment interviews on the local morning news channels complete our broadcast lineup. With all this attention focused on our event, why vend anywhere else?

The San Diego Renaissance Faire's Frequently Asked Merchants Question's List

How do I apply?

Don't wait for an invitation, just fill out and mail in (or fax) the appropriate application. We'd love to consider your wares. Gate lists are to be emailed or faxed on or before the date specified and changes or late adds can be done at check-in at the event. Caterers must get their paperwork in before the 35 day deadline (this year it is July 1st) so the faire can get the sponsor's health permit application in on time.

Merchant applications:
updated 4/21/2008
Download the 2008 season Merchant Applications here. Unaccompanied Minor's waiver .

Please feel free to call the number listed on this webpage with any questions, comments or concerns you may have concerning operations and management of the 2006 San Diego Renaissance Faire.

Caterer Applications:
updated 4/21/2008
Download the 2008 season Caterer's Applications here. Unaccompanied Minor's waiver's .

All food vendors are required to have a health permit provided by the San Diego Health Dept. and meet with all requirements provided by the Health Dept and Fire Dept. Download a copy of the San Diego temporary operating permit here.

What products are you looking for?
We are always looking for new merchants. They are the lifeblood of most faires, and a new merchant with a great product makes everyone feel the fresh excitement of being at a faire all over again. Categories that are underrepresented or open for new merchants are:

Booksellers – reenactment guides or history books tastefully and historically presented to the public
Blown Glass
Upper Class and Nobility Costumes
Costume accessories – hat feathers, garters, hosen, fabric bags or pouches, etc.
Hats – for all classes and stations
Garden Statuary and wall hangings
Tapestries
Small furnishings – both period styles and modern artisan crafted are needed
Paintings or other visual arts
Faire favors
Calligraphy
Parasols and period sun umbrellas
Perfumeries and essential oils
Games of skill and chance – special discount pricing for game booths!
Coin stamps and collector coins
Baskets, brooms and other woven straw items
Fresh flowers
Toys
Armor and chain mail
Hair accessories – especially hand crafted wood and stone items
Puzzle rings, poison rings, magnifying lenses, and other personal curios from the era
Hand mirrors and other personal reenactment items
Non-percussion musical instruments
Period-style snack foods

… and the list doesn't end here. If you have a product you are looking to sell, and don't see it here, please do not hesitate to inquire or send in an application.

Categories that are very competitive and thus difficult to pass the jurying process are:

Costumes for lower class reenactors
Caterers - most foods are represented, but please call anyway
Jewelry – especially imported and mass produced items
Weapons and other arms dealers
Multi-category (general) stores
Middle-Eastern style clothing and wares

What is not allowed?

Anything pornographic or sexually explicit (includes leather items and personal objects)
Garage sale and flea market items
(onsite) Computer generated materials
Photo booths
Modern clothing or Victorian-era “Renaissance revival” items
Bronze age clothing - T-tunics, etc.
Shower and grooming services for participants or patrons

How does the jury process work at the San Diego Renaissance Faire?
We look for handcrafted or unique items first. Booths that are period and well presented are considered next, and a merchant's historical effort and presentation play a large factor in getting an application accepted. Finally we look for merchants that are reputable and have a solid reputation for professional behavior with their business dealings and at events. If a merchant or their employees have had problems with rule-breaking or unstable financial dealings with our venue, or other venues the producers work in, it can negatively affect their application status regardless of product quality or demand.

What is the crowd like at your event?
San Diego has a very affluent population demographic. We have a thriving technology industry that commands high wages and salaries and a booming tourist industry with some of the best Conventions in the world. Everyday more people move to Southern California looking to make a living in an area that is known internationally for its perfect climate. San Diego is a beautiful coastal area with comfortable year-round temperatures and very little rain. This makes for a perfect outdoor lifestyle but also makes the demand for housing very high. The cost of living here among the highest in the nation. Subsequently, a good percentage of the families in the area are either dual income and have the means to pursue entertainments and other interests. What's more, because of the great weather, San Diegans really like to go outside and have fun. There is hardly a weekend that goes by without several outdoor festivals to choose from in the area.

The San Diego Renaissance Faire has a great gate count that rivals some of the largest festivals in the region. Most return vendors claim that they do as well here or better than many events that they would have to drive far away to attend. Ask around, our reputation as an excellent historical venue for merchants stands for itself.

What style of booths are we looking for? Are pop-ups allowed?
We are looking for merchants that vend with a period display. This includes canvas and wood tents, wood wagons, wood handcarts, and small period merchants lean-to's. A well disguised popup tent can and often does look well enough to pass as a period makeshift booth. There was no uniform “tent” or “booth” in the Middle Ages or Renaissance and studying contemporary woodcuts, paintings and written accounts reflect a hodgepodge of makeshift shelters from which many traveling merchants vended their wares.

Further, we understand and recognize that many merchants may not be physically able to erect a full blown canvas and wood structure. Having a popup will not automatically disqualify a merchant from entering their application, but merchants need to understand that in order for their booth to not appear as the jarringly recognizable and uniform-like “craft fair pop-up” they will need to invest both their creativity and some time into making it appear as historically plausible a shelter as possible. Some successful examples and ways to disguise a modern pop-up or pvc/metal pole sunshade can be found on our booth guidelines page.

Why is there a discount for multiple spaces?
First off, we want to enable everyone to be able to afford as large a booth space as they want. We understand that getting to an event costs money and often the high cost of multiple spaces offered at many events make bringing out your best, or your complete line of products, a real challenge. Making it more affordable to go up one more size in your space reservation is one way we work at make the decision of vending at our event a smart choice for small crafters.

Most events only sell a 12X12 booth space. Why are your spaces larger?
The management team provides large 15x15 spaces for the same cost that other venues give smaller ones in order to encourage merchants to bring out their period tents. Unusual sized spaces, room for tent ropes and stake, as well as other unusual accommodations are cheerfully made for period tents and all our merchants.

I need to use long tent stakes, what can I do to stay within the park's rules?
Please consider doubling up your lines so you can use more stakes that are shorter (See driving on grass for the reason behind this request). Sew more loops to the botom edges of your canvas tents and stake the walls down. Also “portable holes” will do wonders to further assist with tent stability and help anchor your poles down in case of winds.

Why can't we drive on the grass?
The San Diego City Parks and Recreation Department spends thousands of dollars annually to maintain and protect the historical landmark known as Balboa Park. Such a large and beautifully maintained park in the middle of an city is unusual in many states and is considered a treasure to our community. In the very early 1900's, Kate Sessions, a noted San Diego horticulturist and garden club founder, was instrumental in crafting the garden-like feel of the area in which we hold our faire. Furthermore, in the past, sprinkler lines were laid out a few inches from the top of the soil in order to help the gardens and lawns maintain their lush appearance.

While all this makes for a beautiful patron experience, it also benefits the merchant by means of virtually no dirt and dust, and happier, more relaxed patrons. This also means that driving on the grass will result in broken sprinkler lines and other turf disasters. Merchants, guilds and entertainers that drive on the grass, without prior ( not day of setup or teardown) arrangements with the general manager will not be asked back. Further, their security deposits will not be refunded and/or stipend will be docked. Even if you call ahead, in most cases, we still cannot allow you to drive on the grass. Unfortunatley, it has happened to a few vendors and guilds already. More importantly, if by driving on the grass a person has incurred more damages than their deposit covered, or if we are fined for their actions, legal proceedings will follow. We love this faire site, and we love Balboa Park. We want to continue to be allowed to host events in this wonderful and beautiful location.

If we can't drive on the grass, how will I get my products onsite?
Several openings will be made in the fence on Friday and Sunday night. Primarily access is via the stage areas, the battlefield, the main gate and several spots along the street. Also, we will have a golf cart onsite that (subject to availability) can transport your heaviest items. Most vendors use a sturdy garden cart and dollies, and some have even hired day-labor for larger setups. A good rule of thumb is to get your application in as early as possible and to include a note about what sort of special consideration is necessary for your booth's placement. Using a large-wheeled cart or dolly to move your items to your site along the sidewalk or down the street that circles half the site is a great way to move items from your vehicle to your site.

Lastly, moving your vehicle to a spot in the back (south) end of the parking lot after you unload and before you setup your booth will ensure that other merchants can easily get their products to the site as well.

Why do I have to use the Faire's dirt parking lot?
We have an agreement with the parks to not use the park's developed (paved) lots for our participants. Furthermore, we only carry insurance for the parking lot and the faire site. Everyone is required to park in the dirt lot or leave the park in the evening.

I want to do a nighttime drum circle or have a party after hours on the faire site. Is that allowed?
No. Our event is held near many residential homes. Being accessible to so many is part of the appeal of the San Diego Renaissance Faire. The faire enforces quiet time for all participants starting at 9PM every night. Furthermore, there is no drumming or other loud noises allowed after or before faire's hours. If you are looking for a party or want to meet up with friends, the Gas Lamp Quarter downtown, and Pacific Beach are considered the best “hot spots” in the city.

do you have questions you don't see answered here?
Office phone: 619-825-9258 - 9AM to 7PM M-F
Email: office@sdrf.com