Plant Fair Vendor Policies

The Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation Plant Fair welcomes vendors to provide products, services, and information to event attendees. Vendor offerings must align with the Master Gardener mission regarding community outreach and education. Mission alignment is evaluated based on the type of products, services, or information offered and their relevance to a public gardening audience. This document describes the Plant Fair Vendor Team’s policies for inviting and evaluating potential vendors; fee structures; and regulations for participation.

Vendor Sources

• Invitations to apply are sent to vendors from previous years that are in good standing with the Plant Fair Vendor Team. This means all invoices have been paid, and no complaints were received regarding their conduct at the last Plant Fair.
• Additional invitations are sent to vendors identified through recommendations or direct inquiries.
• New vendors may apply during the open application period via a link on our public web page.
• All vendors, regardless of how they are identified, must meet the same evaluation criteria. Evaluation criteria are described below.

 

Criteria and Process for Evaluating Vendors

Approval Criteria

• Vendors whose offerings align with the mission of the Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener Program: Engaging university-trained volunteers to empower and sustain diverse communities with relevant, unbiased, research-based horticulture and environmental stewardship education. (See page 4 of the Washington State University Extension Master Gardener Program Handbook)
• Vendors whose offerings are compatible with the interests of attendees who attend the fair. This means they are selling products that would be useful to gardeners, including tools, plants, pots, garden decor, seeds, bulbs, soil, etc., or offerings that have demonstrated appeal to Plant Fair visitors, for example glassware, pottery, or jewelry. Vendor diversity is encouraged because it supports attendance and the economic success of all vendors and of the Plant Fair, which is Skagit County Master Gardeners’ largest fundraising event each year.
• Vendors who will provide a service to attendees during the event (such as food service or tool sharpening) as opposed to services to be delivered outside of the event.
• Vendors selling items that are purchased during the event and taken home by the purchaser when they leave the event.

Rejection Criteria

• Vendors whose offerings are in conflict with regulations provided by the venue (currently the Skagit County Fairgrounds, see their General Information and Policies) or rules established by WSU for Master Gardener Program events. (See chapter 4 of the Washington State University Extension Master Gardener Program Handbook.)
• Vendors offering a service that is not fully delivered at and during the Plant Fair, for example, gardening services, landscaping, fencing, or similar off-site services. Commissions are due on the day of the Plant Fair and cannot be accurately calculated for services rendered after the event.
• Vendors with products similar to those of multiple registered vendors, as determined by the product descriptions in vendors’ applications.
• Vendors who apply after booth space capacity has been reached.

Fee Structure