Important Dates
- August 1, 2026 – Emails will be sent to accepted vendors, using the email provided in your application.
- August 3 – 7 , 2026 – Contracts will be sent via DocuSign to accepted Vendors.
- August 21, 2026 – Signed contract, copy of your California seller’s permit, AND the $500 deposit must be made, or you will forfeit your space.
2026 Vendor Fees
A $500 Reservation Fee will be required before August 21, this fee will be refunded to you after the festival. All fees will be made through PayPal. Checks or over-the-phone credit card payments will not be taken.
You will also be responsible for the following fees if chosen and will be added to your Vendor Deposit Invoice:
- $200 Refundable Cleaning Fee.
- Refundable at the end of festival if your vendor space is left with no grease deposits, trash, food scraps, gray water, garbage, or changes made to the booth or grass area.
- A minimum of $100 Electricity Fee
- This fee is for truck or tent vendors who will be hooked up to Festival electrical outlets by the Fairgrounds staff. No generators are allowed. If selected, a separate form will be sent in the contract. Some electricity needs are higher than others.
- $100 per POS System supplied by Levy Restaurants
Cancellation
You may withdraw your application before August 15, 2026, to be eligible for a full refund – if you have already paid your reservation fee. Cancellations after August 30 are subject to a 50% cancellation fee. No refunds are available after September 10, 2026.
How will I get paid?
Each vendor will be paid 70% of Net sales (after taxes and fees are removed)
- Tips will be added back into your total after taxes and fees are removed.
- Monterey Jazz will pay sales tax on your behalf
- Monterey Jazz will make payments via ACH ONLY to vendors 30 days after the festival.
- Damage to the POS equipment will be deducted from final payment. The system will be run on a cellular network (not Wi-Fi) to avoid any Wi-Fi accessibility problems.
- Ice purchases will be made directly to the Alcohol Concessionaire (an independent contractor) and paid in cash.
- Propane is available and will be purchased directly from the Monterey County Fairgrounds.
Propane will be paid in cash. If you fail to pay, it will be deducted from your total. - Note: This is a cashless event, we will accept credit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay only. There will be a $1,000 penalty for vendors making cash sales.
Food Vendor Wristband Allotment
- 10×10 Food tent or Dessert/Beverage Cart (3 wristbands/day)
- 10×20 Food tent or Permanent Food Booth (4 wristbands/day)
- Food Truck (3 wristbands/day)
What are the requirements to become a vendor?
Each vendor must have and send the following:
- An executed contract agreement with Monterey Jazz Festival.
- City of Monterey Business License
- State of California Sellers Permit
- Monterey County Health Department
- NOTE: Vendors without a current business license, sellers permit, and health permit application will not be permitted on the Festival Grounds.
- Up to date, signed W9.
- Vendors are required to have their own liability insurance coverage (a minimum of $1,000,000) and must include “additional insured” listed below. Once identified as a vendor exact COI wording will be sent for the Monterey County Fair.
- Monterey Jazz Festival, PO Box JAZZ
- Monterey County Fair 7th DAA, 2004 Fairground Rd, Monterey, CA 93940
- Levy Restaurant
BEFORE OBTAINING ANY ADDITIONAL PERMITS LISTED ABOVE, WAIT TO BE IDENTIFIED AS A PREFERRED VENDOR.
Each vendor is expected to be completely self-contained and provide sufficient products and labor necessary to provide excellent guest experience throughout the Festival. If you operate out of a tent, you can use your own tent with signage and menu boards or rent a tent. For tent rental: contact A to Z Rental Center, Inc. in Seaside (831) 394-6751.
Vendor Review
To provide the best variety for our festival patrons, the Festival reviews all vendors on an annual basis. The Festival reserves the right to determine which vendors will return annually. Therefore, please be aware that a booth at this year’s Festival doe s not automatically ensure a space next year. The Festival reserves the right to move a vendor to any location at any time in the best interest of the Festival and its patrons.
Products to be Sold
Only those items listed in your application may be sold. Changes or substitutions without the explicit approval of Festival could result in removal from the Festival grounds. Vendors are restricted to selling only lawful goods and services from your booth.
Your menu must be submitted with pricing by September 10. Any changes to the menu or pricing must be approved by MJF staff.
Booth Space
Vendors will be assigned a booth space by Monterey Jazz. Booth space cannot be sublet or shared.
Music
No hand drumming or recorded or live music is permitted in or at the booth space.
Signs/Banners
Vendors may not advertise or display signs, banners or products that are in direct or indirect competition with Festival sponsors/partners. Signage cannot interfere with neighboring booths.
Booth Setup / Tear Down
Vendor check-in/set-up begins at 12 noon on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, and 8am on Thursday & Friday, September 24-25, 2026. More information will be available if accepted.
Hours of Operation
For the convenience of our patrons, vendor booths must be open for business when Festival gates open each day and stay open in the evening for 30 minutes after the last show ends.
- Friday, September 25, 2026, 3:00 p.m. – 10pm
- Saturday, September 26, 2026, 11:00 a.m. – 10pm
- Sunday, September 27, 2026, 11:00 a.m. – 10pm
Parking
We do not provide on-site parking.
Phone / Internet
Phone lines are not available. Wi-Fi may not be available on-site.
Deliveries
Deliveries can be made during the festival; however, vendor is responsible for securing the delivery.
Liability
Monterey Jazz Festival and Monterey County Fairgrounds will accept no liability for vendor losses due to fire, theft, weather, pests, equipment malfunction, or loss of electricity.
Workers Compensation Insurance
You are advised to carry Workers Compensation Insurance on any of your paid employees. This coverage is not provided by either Monterey Jazz Festival or Monterey County Fairgrounds.
Wristbands
The sale, barter, trading, transfer or exchange of working MJF credentials is strictly prohibited. Violation of this policy will result in ejection from the Festival grounds. For security reasons, all vendors and employees must wear an appropriate wristband at all times for that day.
Animals
Animals are not allowed on the Monterey County Fairgrounds. Monterey Jazz Festival is ADA compliant. All necessary Service Animals must be approved in advance by Monterey Jazz Festival.
Drugs, Alcohol, Weapons, and/or Firearms
Drugs, Alcohol, weapons and/or Firearms are not permitted on the Festival grounds and will result in vendor being removed from the grounds without fee refund and may result in possible arrest.
The Monterey Jazz Festival reserves the right to modify and amend this information at any time.