Concessions

Hardin County Fair Space Fees

Merchants Building Exterior Wall

(Includes Electric)
Includes 2 Vendor Passes and a Parking Pass

• $285

Merchants Building Interior Wall

(Includes Electric)
Includes 2 Vendor Passes and a Parking Pass

• $205

Machinery Building

(Includes Electric)
Includes 2 Vendor Passes and a Parking Pass

• $265.00 Each-11 1/2ft x 14ft booth

Community Building

(Air-Conditioned, Includes Electric)
Includes 2 Vendor Passes and a Parking Pass

• $250.00 Each- 10ft by 9ft booth

Outside

(Includes Electric)
Includes 2 Vendor Passes and a Parking Pass

• $560 for 15′ area
• Extra space is $120 per 5′

Electric hook-up fees

All outside spaces must choose one:
Each supply vehicle, ice machines, etc. will be charged an electric hook-up.

• $137.00 per 110/220 volts

Concessionaire Camper

Fee will be charged if ANY unit is used for camping

• $150.00 – Electric & water hook-up (as available)

Season Pass

Issued in an adult’s name and admits one adult and that person’s school age children and under.

• $25.00

Vendor Pass

Issued in your business name and admits one person

• $25.00

Parking Permits

Permits one vehicle to park on grounds in Designated areas as long as space is available.

• $15.00

Rules and Regulations for Concessions (2024)

1. Deliveries shall be made by 11 a.m. No vehicles, including golf carts shall be permitted anywhere on the grounds after 11 a.m. and until one hour after the conclusion of the evening grandstand show. VIOLATION(S) OF THIS RULE COULD BE GROUNDS FOR IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL FROM THE FAIR.
2. A golf cart sign needs to be obtained from the Fair Office and displayed on your golf cart at all times, to be able to use your golf cart on the grounds.
3. Set-up times: space and fees will be forfeited if contracted space is not filled by required times or as otherwise discussed/approved by the Concession Committee:
   • Outside space- 10:00 am on Tuesday 
   • Building space- 10:00 pm on Monday 
   • Buildings will be open the following hours for set-up:
     • Friday 9am-5pm 
     • Saturday 9am-5pm 
     • Sunday Noon-5pm 
     • Monday-9am-10 pm 
   • Teardown times: no part of your display shall be removed until outside space- 8:00 pm on Sunday 
   • Building space – 8:00 pm on Sunday 
   • Buildings will be locked on Sunday evening at 9:00 pm and exhibits may be picked up Monday, if desired. 
   • Note: no outdoor concessionaire vehicles (trailer, stock truck, other) are allowed to be parked/stored anywhere on the fairgrounds prior to the Friday before the fair for logistics and public health reasons unless prior permission has been granted by the Concessions committee. 
4. Exhibit buildings shall be open to the public the following hours: Tuesday-Saturday-9:00 am-9:00 pm.  Sunday- noon-8:00 pm.  If breakfast items are sold, you are encouraged to be open on Sunday morning for guests coming to church.
5. Outdoor concessionaires are asked to determine and reserve the number of feet they will occupy, with a minimum of 15 feet reserved and increasing thereafter in 5 foot increments.  This should include trailer hitches, trailer extensions, trailer doors, overhang, and etc.  Include at least five feet for tent stakes on each side of your rented tent. Please check with concession locator to be spotted. Front footage used will be measured and contract adjusted accordingly. 
6. Space fees are due in full by June 15, 2024. All except $25.00 of space fee will be returned if the Concessions Committee is notified of a cancellation of space prior to July 15, 2024. 
7. Electrical hook-ups are priced “per hook-up”. Each trailer and stock truck must pay an electric hookup 
8. Concessionaires may not sell any item or carry on any business other than what is indicated on the contract and has been approved by the Concessions Committee. No silly string, stink bombs, sling shots, knives/swords, guns that shoot any item from the barrel, laser guns, toy guns, masks that conceal a person’s face, or any drug/drug-related paraphernalia (including clothing and jewelry) may be sold on the fairgrounds. The fairboard has the right to ask that any item they see unfit be removed from your booth. All giveaways must be listed on contract including balloons. No raffle tickets may be sold on the grounds per section 1711.09 of the Ohio Revised Code. 
9. Drawing winners’ names and list of drawing prizes are to be turned in to Concession Office within one month after end of fair.
10. A responsible adult must be in charge of each concession space. 
11. All concession space (except rented tents) and camping space is to be vacated by 5:00 pm on Wednesday following the close of the fair. Space occupied after that date will be charged the going rental rate. 
12. Rental tents are to be vacated by 9:00 am on Monday following the fair. 
13. All concessions will be available for inspection and evaluation by a representative from the Ohio Department of Agriculture and Fair Board Directors. A license must be purchased for merchandise that ODA considers novelties. 
14. All concessionaires and exhibitors are to keep their area free from debris at all times. 
15. All decorations shall be installed by and at the concessionaires expense and shall be fireproof, and must be removed at fairs’ end. Concessionaires may concrete their booth floor in the Machinery Building at their own expense and must meet Fairboard approval. Updates to walls in Merchant’s Building needs prior approval from the Concession Committee..
16. No extension cords may have staples around them. No flood lights may be used on light gauge extension cords. No wiring into any switch boxes all electrical hook-ups shall pass all state and local electrical codes and must be removed at fairs end. All concession trailers will have electric removed on Monday morning unless other arrangements have been made. 
17. All concessions shall have fire extinguishers approved by the State Fire Marshall. These shall be operational and will be subject to inspection by the Fire Department. 
18. All trailers shall have a ground wire attached to a ground rod. No exceptions. 
19. Tents shall be fireproof. 
20. Fire lanes shall be maintained in all areas of the fairgrounds. All fire lanes and drives shall be kept clear until one hour after conclusion of Sunday night grandstand show. 
21. Smoking is not permitted in any of the buildings, barns, or tents. 
22. No tables, chairs, electrical cords, or lights (other than general lighting) will be furnished by Society, including both indoor and outdoor rented spaces.
23. PA systems in buildings or tents and outside locations only with permission of the Concessions Committee. No concessionaire will be allowed to use fairgrounds PA for announcements. 
24. Concession campers on the fairgrounds must register with the Camping Committee trhough the Concessions Committee. Camping fees will be paid and concessionaire will display the provided permit card in a visible window of the unit.  concession camping only in designated, marked spots.  There will be no tent camping.  Concessionaire campers must remain in place for the duration of the Fair and shall not be moved prior to 7 p.m. in Sunday.
25. Concessionaire’s dogs must be confined to camping area and must be under the control of the camping concessionaire (or designee ) at all times.
26. Concessionaires and exhibitors shall carry their own liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 and provide a certificate or copy to the Concessions Office. Golf carts must be listed on  the policy 
27. The Hardin County Agricultural Society, officers directors shall not be responsible for damages sustained by concessionaires from utility failure. 
28. The Hardin County Agricultural Society, officers and directors shall not be responsible for any damage done by a concessionaire, their employees or their agents, to any person or property. 
29. The Hardin County Agricultural Society, officers and directors shall not be responsible for accidents, property loss damages by fire, water, wind, or storm, loss from theft, or acts of a third party. 
30. Concessionaire shall secure and maintain all local, state and federal and other licenses, permits, etc. Governing or allowing the concessionaire to participate or sell and or manufacture their product is the sole responsibility of the concessionaire. The State of Ohio requires all concessionaires to have a transient vendor’s license in order to sell at any Ohio event. Please call the Ohio Department Of Taxation at 1-800-282-1782 or email www.State.Oh.Us/tax/ to obtain information and the forms. 
31. No person shall be permitted to make solicitations of any nature on the fairgrounds except in contracted concessions or commercial rented spaces. No person will be permitted to post or display signs, distribute handbills or advertising materials or sell or distribute free, any merchandise, except persons under contract. 
32. Concession contracts are subject to cancellation by Society if concessionaire is charged with any unacceptable behavior. 
33. Concessionaire contracts are not transferable by the holder without expressed written consent of Society. 
34. Any violation of the rules and regulations could subject the exhibitor or concessionaire to contract cancellation without refund of any money advanced. 
35. No dumping of fryer oil – contact Concessions Office to obtain barrels to recycle used oil. 
36. No live/dead animals (from any of the kingdoms of life) shall be given away or sold at the fair, except as contracted.
37. A concessionaire is anyone with a contract for rented space.

Concession Letter

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in the Hardin County Fair.

When space becomes available, we select our concession and commercial exhibits from a waiting list.  On the back of this letter is an application for you to fill out, in order to be placed on our waiting list.   This application is not an offer, nor guarantee for space.   It is merely part of an application process that we use to select new exhibitors.  Please print the application and return it as soon as possible along with a picture of your display.

Our policy for filling available space is:  We first offer to those from Hardin County, then from the state of Ohio, and next to those out of state.  Don’t let this policy overwhelm you.  Many times we are able to use concessionaires from out of the county and state if they have products different from others on the grounds that may not be available from within our county.  

After we receive your application it will be placed in our waiting list file.  We do not keep applications from year to year. If your application is not approved, please reapply in future years.

Thank you again for your interest in the Hardin County Fair.