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OVERVIEW

Welcome to the A Glimpse of Africa tWO-day African Cultural Festival

Welcome to the A Glimpse of Africa two-day African Cultural Festival, the largest African cultural festival in West Michigan. We are extremely delighted to have you as part of the Festival in 2025. Thank you for your continued commitment as a Merchandise vendor. Our past festival audience was approximately over 7,000 attendees with an array of free entertainment, fashion shows, art, and Merchandise from various African cultures! As we continue to grow every year, we expect a high number of attendees, and we hope together, we can make it a great, successful, event!

Festival Details:

Name: A Glimpse of Africa's annual Cultural Festival

Location: Calder Plaza: 300 Ottawa Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

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Day 1: Date & Time: Saturday, August 9th 10:30 am-11:00 pm

Day 2:  Date &  Time: Sunday, August 10th 10:30 am - 5:30pm

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Event terms and conditions:

Please read and understand these policies and procedures. If accepted as a vendor, you will be expected to comply with all of them, as well as other policies listed throughout this document. Failure to comply with these policies and procedures will result in you not being allowed to return as a vendor, and/or your participation being terminated on the spot.

Participation in the festival:

Vendors can only participate on both days; Saturday and sunday.

Set Up and Parking:

Booth Set-Up Times:

Vendors will be able to access and set-up some of their non-food items such as tents or floor proctors on Friday August 8th any time after 5:00 PM. Please do not leave any food or valuable items in the booth as  A Glimpse of Africa will not be liable for any stolen damaged or stolen items. Any last minute changes to tent layouts are not allowed. All vehicles must be OFF SITE by 10:00 a.m. on Saturday August 9th.

Parking:

Please plan to load into your assigned space by driving onto Calder Plaza from Ottawa Avenue. You can park at or close to your area to unload before moving your vehicle(s) to park elsewhere. We have included the Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. parking information link for meters and lots: http://downtowngr.org/get/parking. Please do not leave any food or valuable items in the booth, as A Glimpse of Africa will not be liable for any damaged or stolen items. Any last-minute changes to tent layouts are not allowed.

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Please do not leave any food or valuable items in the booth, as A Glimpse of Africa will not be
liable for any damaged or stolen items. Any last-minute changes to tent layouts are not allowed.

BOOTH space:

The vendor's booth fee is only for a single 10x10 space, any vendor setting up extra tents or occupying more space than allocated will be charged for the additional booth space. See booth costs below.

Tents -$110

All vendors must come with their own 10 x 10 tents with weights and a 6-foot table. You can also rent from A Glimpse of Africa for $110.

Clean Up and Tear Down:

During clean-up, vendors should dry sweep their area, collecting debris to deposit in the provided waste and recycling cans. We have organized with the city to provide one dumpster, recycling, and trash cans that will be placed around the event venue. Please use the dumpsters instead of filling up the recycling/trash cans near your area.

Trash/Dumpster:

Red lids trash bins are for attendees only! Vendors must dispose of all trash into the dumpster on the street. Boxes must be broken down before disposing into the recycle bin. Fines will be issued if we find your team disposing of items incorrectly.

Tear Down & participation:

Vendors must participate on both days (Saturday and Sunday). Also, a vendor must be open during the operation hours as designated for each festival day. A vendor cannot teardown earlier than the designated time or day. The load-out must start at 5:30 PM on Sunday, August 10th (NO EXCEPTIONS).

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Exit times/instructions will be assigned in advance; please clean up your workstation thoroughly, take your trash and leftover food to the nearest dumpster, and make sure to check out with one of our food vendor leads before you leave. Vendors who leave their spaces before check out inspection might lose their security deposit.

Supplies & SECURITY

Security and Valuables Handling:

The Vendor agrees to hold the Organizer, City of Grand Rapids, owners, event staff, volunteers, and lessees of the property upon which the A Glimpse of Africa Festival is conducted harmless of any form of liability or claim for injury, damages, theft, or any other cause whatsoever. The Organizer shall provide public security during the operation time of the festival (Friday, August 8th, and Saturday, August 9th, 2025); however, the Vendor agrees that the Organizer is not responsible for any theft, damage, or injury whatsoever of vendor, volunteers, associates, or items or equipment.

Valuables Handling:

AGOA will provide overnight security on Friday and Saturday nights, with security officers patrolling the festival grounds after operating hours. However, please do not leave any valuable items in your booth overnight. While we are taking precautions to ensure safety by providing overnight security, A Glimpse of Africa is not responsible for any theft, damage, or injury to vendors, volunteers, associates, or any items or equipment. To protect your booth contents from unforeseen weather events, we request that all vendors lower their tents and use durable materials such as tarps or tent walls to securely cover all contents.

Pets:

No pets are allowed on the premises, including inside vendor booths.

Vendor Supplies:

All vendors must provide additional tables if needed, lighting, chairs, and other necessary equipment to operate a self-sustaining booth. A Glimpse of Africa will try to accommodate vendors in preferred booth spaces on a first come first serve basis; however, A Glimpse of Africa has sole discretion on vendor booth location.

Equipment:

Vendors must bring their equipment and supplies, including but not limited to; cash/change, lighting, Square or other means to receive payments, extension cords, tables, chairs, and packaging materials. A Glimpse of Africa recognizes Nonprofit organizations as formal groups registered with the state, they can have a 501c3 for tax expedition or not but must be registered with the state. Examples of the groups are county-based organizations, churches, and mosques.

Tents & Weights Price - $110

Tents for rental will be available from A Glimpse of Africa on a first come first serve basis as they are limited. Vendors must submit tent rental requests at least 2-3 weeks prior to the event. 

Rental Tent Policy:

The vendor cannot use tape or staples on the tents but if you need to display any signs or banners you can hang from the tent pipes using a string, rope, or zip ties. When removing signage, please use clippers instead of box cutters or scissors to avoid cutting the tent. Please avoid using lights close to the tent vinyl. The vendor will be fully responsible for any tent loss or damages, missing weights, tent cover, or other tent accessories/parts. Vendors renting tents from A Glimpse of Africa must pick up and set up the tents, AGOA will not be responsible for delivering or setting up the rented tents. 

Marketing Materials:

Marketing materials will be provided to you. PLEASE share them via social media, networks, platforms, and with personal contacts. We want to get as many shoppers as possible to the event, and you are a big part of helping us do that!

Costs & Fees

Booth Cost:

Registration Type
Price
Additional Notes
2-Days (Sat and Sun)
315
Merchandise/Products Only
2-Day (Non-Profit )
260
No sales just promotional materials
2-Day (service providers, no sales)
215
No sales just promotional materials
Tent Rental with Weights
110
Additional, optional cost
Refundable Security Deposit
100

Refundable Vendor Security Fee-$100

To ensure your space is left clean and no festival rules violation occurs, all merchandise vendors must submit a $100 refundable deposit. You must check out with our staff for clearance before departing the festival ground. After you have met all the clean-up criteria and festival rules including checking out with one of our volunteers or staff members to confirm that the space is left clean and undamaged, then your security deposit will be refunded. Please allow two weeks for the AGOA team to process the reimbursement. We will do due diligence to ensure you get the
refund no later than two weeks from the last day of the festival.

Taxes/Insurance:

The Vendor agrees to obtain the proper sales tax license and agrees to be responsible for the payment of any sales tax or any other taxes and shall pay taxes to the proper government authority.

Any Questions?

If you have any questions about the application, please contact out team at soleng@aglimpseofafrica.org. 

Registration Form

Products

Marketing Materials

Marketing materials will be provided to you. PLEASE share them via social media, network, platforms and with person contacts. We want to get as many shoppers as possible to the event, and you are a big part of helping us do that!

Terms & Conditions

Please read the following terms and conditions before submitting this form.


Booth Availability: Vendor booths are limited and assigned on a "First come, First served" basis to vendors who have completed the registration and submitted their payments.

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Booth Fees: The cost covers a 2-day rental of a 10x10 merchandise vendorbooth/space. This fee does not include a tent or tent weights.

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Tent Requirements and Guidelines: 

  • Vendors must bring their own 10x10 tent or rent one from AGOA during checkout.

  • All tents must have weights, with a minimum of 25 pounds per corner (totaling 100pounds). Tent weights can be rented for $25.

  • Vendors renting tents from A Glimpse of Africa must pick up and set up the tents, AGOA will not be responsible to deliver or setting up the rented tents

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Payment Due and Space Assignment:  

  • Payment is required at the time of registration and must be submitted during checkout.

  • Unless specified otherwise, each vendor will get a 10x10 space and a 6-foot table. Each vendor must provide their own 10x10 tent with weights or select to rent from A Glimpse of Africa. The vendor's booth fee is only for a single 10x10 space, any vendor setting up extra tents or occupying more space than allocated will be charged for the additional booth space.

  • Vendor spaces/booths cannot be reassigned, divided, given, sublet,or leased to any other party. Relocation of assigned spaces is not permitted.

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Operating Hours: Vendors must remain open and staffed for the duration of the event's operating hours, booth cannot be left unattended

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Cancellation:  Following receipt of vendor fees, any cancellations before July 15th, 2025 at 5:00 pm EST will be refunded 50% of the total vendor fees. Cancellation requests received after July 15th, 2025 will not receive a refund.


Release Waiver

The vendor’s electronic signature (via the checkbox below) verifies that the above information is complete and accurate. For good and valuable consideration received, the undersigned agrees to indemnify and hold harmless A Glimpse of Africa, LLC, and its members, officers, directors, employees, volunteers, and agents from any liabilities, damages, and fees. The undersigned recognizes the hazards of participation and assumes all risks.

General Release/Waiver of Liability

Vendor’s electronic signature (via checkbox below) verifies that the above information is complete and accurate. For good and valuable consideration received, the undersigned agrees to indemnify and hold harmless A Glimpse of Africa, LLC, and its members, officers, directors, employees, volunteers and agents from any and all liabilities, damages and fees. The undersigned recognizes hazards of participation and assumes all risks. RELEASE AND WAIVER OF LIABILITY PLEASE READ CAREFULLY. GENERAL RELEASE/WAIVER OF LIABILITY: In consideration of being permitted to participate in this A Glimpse of Africa event, and other valuable and sufficient consideration, the receipt of which I acknowledge, I do, on behalf of myself, my heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, guardians and assigns (collectively referred to as the “Vendor's” or “Releasors,”) freely, voluntarily, and without duress, hereby release, waive, forever discharge, and hold harmless the following parties (collectively referred to as “Releases”) from any and all liability, claims, and demands of whatever kind or nature, either in law or equity, for any resulting loss or damage, and from any claim or account of injury to my person or property, even injury resulting in death, whether caused by the negligence of the Releasees or otherwise, which arise or may hereafter arise from the Vendor's participation in A Glimpse of Africa. INDEMNIFICATION: The Releasors shall defend, hold harmless and indemnify the Releases from and against any and all liability, loss, claims, damages, costs, attorneys’ fees and expenses of whatever kind or nature that the Vendor's may sustain, suffer, incur or be required to pay in connection with my participation in A Glimpse of Africa. A Glimpse of Africa will not be held liable for the loss of product or sales due to any acts of God including weather conditions and/or event cancellation or thievery. FIRST AID: The Releasors understand the Releasees do not assume any responsibility for or obligation to provide financial assistance or other assistance, including but not limited to medical, health, or disability insurance in the event of injury or illness. The Releasors also release and forever discharge the Releasees from any claim whatsoever which arises or may hereafter arise on account of any first aid, treatment, or service rendered in connection with the Releasors acts or omission relative to A Glimpse of Africa. RELEASE AND AUTHORIZATION TO PHOTOGRAPH: By submitting this form, the Vendor agrees to be photographed, videotaped, and/or recorded by any of the Releases for no charge or consideration. The Vendor does hereby grant and convey unto the Release any and all rights, titles and interests in any and all photographic images and video or audio recordings made by the Releases, including, but not limited to, any royalties, proceeds, or other benefits derived from such photographs or recordings. The Vendor releases the Releasees from any and all claims, including libel, slander, invasion of privacy or any other claim and any damages in connection with any photo or video created by or for the Releasees and used for promotional purposes. The Vendor agrees to let the Releasees use social media images for promotional purposes. By submitting this form, The Vendor agrees that he or she has read this agreement, fully understands its terms, understands he or she has given up substantial rights by signing it, and has signed it without inducement. Further, if the Vendor is acting as an agent for others in submitting this form, the Vendor acknowledges that he or she is in possession of a signed copy of this Release from each registrant. Further, the Vendor has read, understood and agrees to abide by all A Glimpse of Africa rules, regulations, terms and conditions as stated. The Vendor understands that failure to follow the set rules can mean expulsion from this A Glimpse of Africa event and/or future events. A Glimpse of Africa reserves the right to make final interpretations of rules, regulations, terms and conditions, and may amend or restate the same without notice. I HAVE READ THE ABOVE RELEASE AND WAIVER, UNDERSTAND I HAVE GIVEN UP SUBSTANTIAL RIGHTS BY SIGNING IT, HAVE NOT CHANGED IT ORALLY, AND SIGN IT VOLUNTARILY.

Indemnification

The Releasors shall defend, hold harmless, and indemnify the Releases from and against any liability, loss, claims, damages, costs, attorneys’ fees, and expenses of whatever kind or nature that the Vendor may sustain, suffer, incur or be required to pay in connection with my participation in A Glimpse of Africa. A Glimpse of Africa will not be held liable for the loss of product or sales due to any acts of God including weather conditions and/or event cancellation or thievery.

First Aid

The Releasors understand the Releasees do not assume any responsibility for or obligation to provide financial assistance or other assistance, including but not limited to medical, health, or disability insurance in the event of injury or illness. The Releasors also release and forever discharge the Releasees from any claim whatsoever which arises or may hereafter arise on account of any first aid, treatment, or service rendered in connection with the Releasors acts or omission relative to A Glimpse of Africa.

Release and Authorization to Photograph

By submitting this form, the Vendor agrees to be photographed, videotaped, and/or recorded by any of the Releases for no charge or consideration. The Vendor does hereby grant and convey unto the Release any rights, titles, and interests in any photographic images and video or audio recordings made by the Releases, including, but not limited to, any royalties, proceeds, or other benefits derived from such photographs or recordings. The Vendor releases the releases from any claims.

Agreement

I, the undersigned, have reviewed this Merchandise Vendor Booth Application for accuracy and completeness. By signing below, I agree that I have the authority to list the official menu items, prices, and other information, and I agree to become a merchandise Vendor at A Glimpse of Africa Festival on August 9th, and August 10th 2025 at 300 Ottawa Avenue, Calder Plaza, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

I also confirm that I have read and I agree to meet  all the above  general informed consent requirements.

Your signature/name  below shows that you agree to these terms and conditions.

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