Freeport Fall Festival Fast Track Registration

Rules & Regulations

Visit Freeport’s 27th Annual Freeport Fall Festival Rules and Regulations

Before submitting an application please review the rules & regulations outlined below. If you cannot meet ALL of the conditions or expectations here, please do not apply.

After the last five Freeport Fall Festivals, a majority of exhibitors participated in a detailed, anonymous survey to collect data about their sales and their opinions about the Freeport Fall Festival. The printable reports are available to download below.

• 2021
• 2022
• 2023
• 2024
• 2025

2026 Booth Fees:

• L.L.Bean or Mallard: $275
• All other locations: $200

Please do not send payment until you have been accepted into the show. Once accepted, you will receive payment instructions. 

Any questions about the application process or being a vendor at Freeport Fall Festival may be emailed to Margaret@VisitFreeport.com 

ABOUT FAST TRACK REGISTRATION:

• Fast Track Registrations skip the jury process. Once you submit the form, a space is guaranteed for you in the 2026 Festival.
• Deadline to use the Fast Track Registration process is December 31, 2025. Your space is only guaranteed if you register BEFORE we process the jury and accept new applicants.
• You may only display and sell products representative of those in your previous application materials. If you business changes substantially, you may be required to reapply. Email Margaret directly with any concerns. 
• NEW AI POLICY: The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the creative process is permitted for inspiration and idea development only. Any use of AI must be disclosed as part of the application process. Artwork submitted for exhibition must be the original creation of the artist or maker. Works generated mainly by AI are not eligible for participation.
• All Fast Track registrants receive an email when their application is submitted. If you have not received an email, please check your Spam filter and then check with us!

BOOTH SPACES & TENT REQUIREMENTS: 

A note about L.L.Bean construction: L.L.Bean is planning the Grand Reopening of the Flagship Store for October 2026. It’s possible that we may be invited to use the entire campus, to use part of campus or we may not be able to use any parts of the L.L.Bean central campus. We expect to have some general ideas about use in the Spring of 2026.  

• Each booth is 12′ x 12′. You may have neighbors on three sides. The maps in the Festival brochure are not to scale and are provided to give you a general idea of positioning.
• 10′ x 10′ tents are required for all exhibitors with the exception of food trucks or trailers (see below.)
• A limited number of double spaces are available. You must request a double space at the time of application.
• The Freeport Fall Festival is a rain or shine event. You must be prepared to exhibit all three days regardless of the weather.
• Festival locations and booth layouts are expected to be impacted by extensive renovations on the L.L.Bean campus. In addition, some properties are changing hands and may open up new opportunities. Final locations will not be available until after the jury process.
• Your general booth location will be confirmed along with a jury acceptance. Specific booth assignments will not be confirmed until after the June 1 payment deadline. 
• Vendors assigned to booth spaces at L.L.Bean will be required to have white tents.
• The Town of Freeport requires that all tents have a fireproof rating. Most have a small tag stating they comply with CA fire codes.
• All exhibitors must have sturdy, straight legged, professional tents. Shade structures and casual backyard tents are not sufficient for a three day outdoor festival. Your tent is the most important tool for those doing outdoor events and should be a major investment for your business.
• Tent stakes are not permitted in any location.
• Each corner of your tent must be secured by a tent weight weighing no less than 40 pounds. Professional tent weights are required for all tents for the safety of visitors/consumers, your neighboring exhibitors’ tents & products, as well as you and your products. Milk jugs, concrete blocks, and stones are not permitted.
• If a Festival representative finds that your tent is not secured appropriately you may be required to set-up and break down daily or to leave the show entirely. No refunds for anyone unprepared or underprepared. 
• Your name or business name and emergency contact phone number must be legibly displayed on the front exterior of your tent. It must be either written directly on the tent fabric or attached a label securely in the event your tent is damaged during the overnight hours.
• Electricity is not available to exhibitors. New technology means that battery operated lights and those which can run off power packs are now widely available and more affordable than ever before. Only whisper quiet generators are permitted.

DURING THE FESTIVAL:

• All exhibitors must attend all three days of the Festival.
• The show will be held 10/2/26 – 10/4/26 unless severe weather (heavy rains, high winds, thunderstorms, etc) is predicted. The show may then be moved to the nicer two of the three days, dependent upon forecast. On Thursday, October 1, the weather call will be made in the early a.m. and all participants will be notified of any change. No refunds are provided for inclement weather.
• Artist/maker or an agent of the artist/maker must attend exhibit space at all times. Event staff and volunteers try to provide coverage for restroom breaks, but this is not always possible.
• You should plan to pack out your bulky booth trash (cardboard boxes, packaging, etc) however, we are expecting to contract with Garbage to Garden to provide trash, returnable and composting services for Freeport Fall Festival in 2026.
• Public WiFi is not readily available and cellular coverage varies greatly by carrier and location within Freeport. We recommend that you bring any devices to your exact booth location in advance to test your signal strength and reliability.
• Visit Freeport contracts with a private company to provide overnight security at each Festival location on both Friday and Saturday night. For peace of mind, we recommend taking any valuable or sentimental items with you when you leave each day. Visit Freeport, L.L.Bean, Freeport Village Station, Town of Freeport, and other property owners are not responsible for any theft or damage.
• Unless issued a parking waiver (ADA hang tag holders, self-driving food trucks, other approved reason) all exhibitors will be required to park offsite during all three days of the Festival. A free shuttle is provided. Details will be provided with your booth assignment.
• The consumption of alcohol and the use of illegal drugs is not permitted in any of the show areas. Smoking and vaping is also not permitted within the show sites. If you must smoke or vape please exit the show area and allow at least 20 feet from any nearby business.
• Words or imagery conveying support for, or opposition to, a political candidate, public officeholder, political party, or any public policy issue that is the subject of a voter referendum shall not be displayed. This includes, but is not limited to, display by means of apparel, accessories, buttons, posters, signage, flags, and personal protective equipment.

PAYMENTS & INSURANCE: 

• Please do not send payment until you have been accepted into the show. Once accepted, you will receive payment instructions.
• DEADLINE FOR PAYMENT: In order to ensure an accurate event brochure, the deadline for payment will be June 1, 2026. If payment has not been received by this date, your space will be forfeited to a person on the waiting list. If you are accepted into the show after June 1, 2026 you will have two weeks to submit payment to secure your space.
• Cancellation Policy:
  • If you must cancel after paying for your space but before the payment deadline of June 1, 2026, Visit Freeport will refund your booth fee minus a $25 processing fee.
  • No refunds after June 1, 2026.
• Refunds are not issued to artists not satisfied with location or sales.
• No refunds are provided for inclement weather. There is no rain date for the Festival.
• Vendor Insurance Coverage: All vendors participating in the Freeport Fall Festival are required to have insurance coverage no less than $1M and must supply a copy of their Certificate of Insurance in advance of the festival. Vendors on the L.L.Bean campus are required to have $2M in coverage. For inexpensive, per-event event coverage, please visit https://www.actinsurance.com
• In the event that there is guidance from the State of Maine and CDC regarding SPECIAL EVENTS AND FESTIVALS and any infectious disease, any recommendations or requirements in effect at the time of the Festival will be enforced by Visit Freeport. This includes, but is not limited to, masking for participants and vendors, hand sanitizer stations, social distancing, etc.

LOGISTICS:

• For most exhibitors, set-up time begins at 8am on Friday (10/2) and ends at 11:30am. Vendors assigned to the L.L.Bean campus may set-up tents and display fixtures ONLY on Thursday (10/1) afternoon from 4pm – 6pm. You will receive information about when you may load-in with your booth assignment.
• Breakdown on Sunday is to begin no earlier than 4:00pm – those who break down earlier will not be allowed back. 

ADDITIONAL DETAILS FOR FOOD VENDORS: 

• Preference is given to Maine food producers.
• In the case of food trucks or trailers, one of the three photos required with your application must be the exterior of your vehicle.
• Vendors selling foods to be consumed at the festival and located at L.L.Bean will be required to sign and return a food safety agreement supplied by L.L.Bean.
• A limited number of food trucks & trailers are accepted into the show each year. Owners of these businesses should make themselves familiar with the additional permits required by the Town of Freeport. Visit Freeport staff will assist with the application process but all additional fees and permitting are the responsibility of the exhibitor.
• Food trucks & trailers must be self-contained and use only whisper-quiet generators. Your vehicle’s engine must be turned off during the event. Power is not available for food trucks or trailers.
• Trailers must be dropped in their assigned location and the towing vehicle parked outside of the event area.
• In 2026, we plan to contract with Garbage to Garden to provide trash, recycling and composting services. Food trucks & trailers are required by Town of Freeport Ordinances to provide a trash bin, bags and a recycling bin. We will meet this requirement for you, however, we will now require that your service wares (plates, utensils, cups, etc) be compostable. Please plan to pack out your bulky trash like cardboard, packaging, etc.