Shrektoberfest 2025
Vendor Application
If you received a link to this page that means you are one of Ansley’s absolute favorite makers!!!
If you would like to be considered as an artist/vendor at Shrektoberfest 2025, please complete and submit the form on this page.
Event Information:
Date: Saturday, September 27th (Rain Date: Sunday, September 28th)
Location: DSSOLVR BREWING (630 Rigsbee Ave. Durham, NC 27701)
Setup Time: Must Arrive between 10 am - 11 am
Market Time: 12-5 pm (you are welcome to stay set up until 6 pm IF you wish)
Breakdown Time: Must break down and have all items removed by 7 pm
Application Fee: FREE! (I fundamentally disagree with application fees)
Vendor Fee: $40 (You are there to sell your products, not be the product. I only charge the minimum necessary to cover costs of items we need for the event like road barricades, graphic design, flyer printing, labor hours, marketing, city permitting requirements regarding the street closure, etc.)
Spaces: All vendors will have a 10x10 space allocated to them. You will receive a map with your space number prior to the event.
TENTS AND 4 SANDBAG WEIGHTS (NO CIRCULAR WEIGHTS PERMITTED) ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL VENDORS FOR THIS EVENT!
Entertainment: There will be at least 2 food trucks on site 12-6 pm as well as DJS from 12-6 pm outside in the market area. Each vendor will receive 1 free drink ticket that can be redeemed at DSSOLVR for any alcoholic or non alcoholic drink. Free/unlimited ice water will be available in the taproom for all vendors. There will be multiple entertainment events throughout the afternoon to bring people in such as an onion eating contest, stein holding contest, costume contest, etc. More details TBD.
Other: The street will be closed off with barricades for this event so there is no thru traffic (very pedestrian friendly) Last year we had attendance of over 1,000 people throughout the day (from 11 am - 11 pm) so I would expect at least 500 people during the market hours but it will depend on weather, other events downtown, etc. as with any market. If vendors do not arrive during the setup window listed above, they will not be allowed to pull up their cars to unload. We absolutely must have all cars out of the market area by 1 hour prior to the start time for safety purposes as this is required by our city permit to close that portion of the street.
Marketing Plan: I like to offer full transparency to vendors. We will design custom flyers and social media graphics. These will be printed and put up in the taproom as well as around downtown. We will post the event online on our website, social media, local online event boards (at least including - Triangleonthecheap, Indyweek, Discoverdurham, DowntownDurham, and Eventbrite if not more). I will run at least one sponsored social media ad and will pay for at least one paid print ad, most likely in IndyWeek but TBD. I will write with sidewalk chalk in the days prior to the event to direct walking traffic from downtown. Feel free to let me know of any other efforts you would like to see from me that you feel would benefit the success of the event!
Shrektoberfest is DSSOLVR’s Superbowl so expect to see lots of costumes and fun. There will be a photobooth area set up. Many vendors last year made Shrek themed items that did very well so we do encourage a few themed options but it is certainly not required :)