Information for Vendors
Oktoberfest 2026 Vendor Package
Event Information
Event: Oktoberfest Market
Dates: October 24–25, 2026
Location: German Canadian Club of Calgary
Address: 218 – 37 Ave NE, Calgary, AB T2E 2L9
The Oktoberfest Market is an outdoor market taking place as part of the German Canadian Club of Calgary’s Oktoberfest celebration with Schlaraffia.
The outdoor market will run on Saturday and Sunday only.
Friday is a soft opening inside the German Canadian Club and does not include outdoor market vendors.
Event Area Overview
Oktoberfest includes both a free outdoor area and a ticketed indoor area.
Outdoor Area — Free to Attend
The outdoor market and bouncy castle are open on Saturday and Sunday and are free for visitors to enjoy. 50+ vendors.
This outdoor area may include:
- Outdoor market vendors
- Bouncy castle
- Outdoor food trucks
- Community activities
No ticket is required to visit the outdoor market or bouncy castle.
Indoor Area — $10 Entry Ticket Required (no Market Vendor Booths)
The indoor section of Oktoberfest takes place inside the German Canadian Club of Calgary.
A $10 entry ticket is required to access the indoor area, which includes:
- Stage entertainment
- Beer garden
- Indoor food and drinks
- German Canadian Club indoor event space
Vendors should be aware that the outdoor market is separate from the ticketed indoor area.
Market Overview
The Oktoberfest outdoor market is part of the Saturday and Sunday festival experience.
The market and bouncy castle are free for visitors to attend. Tickets are only required for guests entering the German Canadian Club ticketed indoor areas, including the stage and beer garden.
Outdoor food trucks and market vendors will be available Saturday and Sunday.
Vendor Approval
Submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance.
Vendor participation is only confirmed once approved by the organizer through an approval email and/or invoice. Booth space is not guaranteed until the application has been approved and payment has been received, unless otherwise stated in writing.
The organizer reserves the right to review and approve vendors and products to ensure they are suitable for the event.
All vendors are expected to align their booth presentation, décor, product offering, or overall theme with German culture and/or Oktoberfest.
Vendors are encouraged to decorate their booth in a festive Oktoberfest style, such as using blue and white Bavarian décor, German flags, themed signage, or traditional German-inspired attire.
Product offerings do not have to be German-made, but vendors are encouraged to connect their products to the Oktoberfest experience where possible. For example, a mustard vendor could highlight how their mustard pairs well with bratwurst, sausages, pretzels, or other German-style foods.
The goal is to create a welcoming, festive, and culturally inspired market atmosphere that supports the overall Oktoberfest experience.
Vendor Booth Space
This is an outdoor market event. Vendors are responsible for bringing all items needed for their booth setup.
The following items are not provided:
- Tables
- Chairs
- Electrical
- Water
- Sinks
- Handwashing stations
- Tents
- Tent weights
- Extension cords
- Display materials
- Other booth equipment
All vendor items must stay within the assigned booth space. Vendors may not extend into walkways, neighbouring booths, emergency access areas, or other event areas without approval.
Tent Requirements
All tents must be safe, properly secured, and suitable for outdoor use.
For a standard 10x10 market tent, vendors must have a minimum of 40 lb per tent leg. This is a minimum requirement. Additional weight may be required depending on weather, tent style, booth setup, or organizer direction.
Staking may not be permitted. Vendors must bring appropriate tent weights.
All tents must be fire-resistant or fire-retardant and must meet applicable Calgary Fire Department guidelines for outdoor events. Vendors may be asked to provide proof of flame resistance or fire-retardant certification.
Tents that are not properly weighted, unsafe, damaged, or non-compliant may not be permitted on site.
Calgary Fire Department outdoor event information:
https://www.calgary.ca/safety/events/outdoor-fire-code-requirements.html
Product Guidelines
All products sold at the Oktoberfest Market must follow all applicable municipal, provincial, and federal regulations, including Alberta Health Services (AHS), Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Calgary Fire Department guidelines, and any other relevant authorities or follow the Low Risk Home Prepared Food rules by AHS.
Vendors are responsible for clearly labelling products, including allergens, dietary claims, ingredients, and any required product information.
Food vendors must comply with all applicable food handling, preparation, storage, and serving requirements.
AHS Forms and Consumable Products
All vendors selling, sampling, preparing, packaging, or displaying consumable products must complete the required AHS JotForm provided by the organizer.
This applies to any product that is eaten, drank, mixed into food, or used to make consumables, including but not limited to:
- Hot food
- Cold food
- Packaged food
- Baked goods
- Tea
- Coffee
- Beverages
- Salt
- Spices
- Sauces
- Chips
- Fries
- Jerky
- Candy
- Snacks
Failure to complete the required AHS form by the deadline may result in removal from the event without refund.
Cooking, Food Preparation, and Open Flame
Cooking is allowed only if approved in advance by the organizer and only when the vendor meets all applicable AHS requirements and Calgary Fire Department guidelines for outdoor cooking.
Any vendor planning to cook, grill, fry, boil, warm, bake, roast, sample, prepare, or serve food must notify the event organizer at least 2 weeks before the event.
Cooking that has not been disclosed and approved in advance may not be permitted on site.
Outdoor cooking may include, but is not limited to:
- Grilling
- Frying
- Boiling
- Warming
- Baking
- Roasting
- BBQs
- Propane
- Burners
- Fryers
- Hot plates
- Generators
- Other cooking or heating equipment
Vendors using cooking equipment, propane, fuel, open flame, or heat-producing equipment must follow all Calgary Fire Department outdoor cooking requirements.
Calgary Fire Department outdoor cooking information:
General requirements may include:
- Cooking equipment must be approved for outdoor use.
- Cooking equipment must be CSA certified or meet applicable safety standards.
- Propane tanks and fuel sources must be secured safely.
- Required fire extinguishers must be on site and accessible.
- Cooking areas must have safe clearance from tents, guests, vendors, buildings, and combustible materials.
- No unsafe open flame or heat source is permitted inside or near tents unless compliant with Calgary Fire Department requirements.
- Cords, hoses, fuel lines, and equipment must be safely placed and protected.
- Food handling, storage, handwashing, and sanitation must follow AHS requirements.
The organizer reserves the right to refuse, restrict, or stop any cooking activity that has not been approved, appears unsafe, or does not meet AHS, Calgary Fire Department, or event requirements.
Electricity
No electrical service is provided.
Vendors must plan their booth setup without access to electrical power. Generators may only be used with prior written approval from the organizer and must meet all safety, noise, and fire requirements.
Insurance Requirement
All vendors are required to carry valid commercial general liability insurance for the duration of the event.
Vendors must add the German Canadian Club of Calgary as an Additional Insured on their insurance certificate.
Exact Additional Insured details, including the required name and address, will be provided after application submission.
Proof of insurance may be requested before the event. Vendors may not be permitted to participate without valid insurance documentation.
Permits and Documentation
Vendors are responsible for completing and submitting any required AHS forms, food permits, fire safety forms, business licences, insurance documents, or other required documentation by the stated deadlines.
Failure to submit required documentation may result in removal from the event without refund.
Payment
Payment must be made according to the terms listed on the invoice or approval email.
Late or unpaid invoices may result in the booth space being released to another vendor.
Refund Policy
All vendor payments are final sale and non-refundable unless the organizer cancels the event.
No refunds will be issued for vendor cancellations, no-shows, poor sales, weather-related discomfort, failure to obtain permits, failure to complete AHS forms, failure to meet insurance requirements, or failure to comply with event policies.
Weather and Outdoor Event Conditions
This is an outdoor event and will proceed rain or shine unless the organizer determines that conditions are unsafe or the event must be cancelled.
Vendors are responsible for preparing for outdoor conditions, including wind, rain, heat, cold, uneven ground, and other weather-related factors.
The organizer is not responsible for damage to vendor property, products, tents, equipment, displays, signage, or inventory caused by weather or outdoor event conditions.
Setup and Teardown
Vendors must follow the assigned setup and teardown times provided by the organizer.
Vendors may not tear down early unless approved by the organizer. Early teardown can create safety issues and negatively affect the event experience.
All vendors must remove their own garbage, products, displays, equipment, tent weights, tents, and personal items at the end of the event unless otherwise instructed.
Waste and Clean-Up
Vendors are responsible for keeping their booth area clean during and after the event.
Food vendors must safely dispose of grease, grey water, food waste, packaging, and other waste according to event, AHS, and municipal guidelines.
Dumping grease, grey water, food waste, or other materials on the ground, in storm drains, landscaping, washrooms, or unauthorized areas is strictly prohibited.
Required Social Media Promotion
Vendors are required to help promote the event by sharing the designated event poster, vendor announcement, or approved promotional material on social media before the event.
This helps create stronger attendance, a better market atmosphere, and a better experience for all vendors.
Failure to complete the required promotion may affect participation in the current or future events, with no refund issued.
Behaviour and Professional Conduct
All vendors are expected to treat guests, staff, volunteers, other vendors, performers, sponsors, and community partners with respect.
The following behaviour will not be tolerated:
- Verbal abuse
- Harassment
- Bullying
- Discrimination
- Threats
- Violence
- Unsafe conduct
- Damage to property
- Disrespectful or aggressive communication
The organizer reserves the right to remove any vendor from the event for inappropriate behaviour without refund.
Inclusion and Non-Discrimination
The Oktoberfest Market is intended to be a welcoming, community-focused event. Discrimination or harassment based on race, culture, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, nationality, or any other protected ground will not be tolerated.
Liability
The organizer, venue, event partners, sponsors, staff, and volunteers are not responsible for vendor losses, damages, injury, theft, weather damage, property damage, lost sales, spoiled products, or other costs related to participation in the event.
By participating, vendors accept all risks related to their booth, products, staff, equipment, and event participation.
Compliance
Failure to follow this vendor package, organizer instructions, AHS requirements, Calgary Fire Department guidelines, insurance requirements, or other applicable regulations may result in removal from the event without refund.
The organizer reserves the right to refuse, restrict, or remove any vendor, product, display, cooking activity, tent, or equipment that is considered unsafe, inappropriate, unapproved, or not aligned with the event.
Force Majeure
If the event is cancelled, postponed, relocated, or changed due to circumstances beyond the organizer’s control, including severe weather, fire, flood, emergency, government regulation, public health order, safety concerns, natural disaster, or other circumstances that make it unsafe, illegal, or impractical to hold the event, the organizer will not be financially liable for vendor losses or damages.
The organizer may attempt to reschedule the event or offer an alternative arrangement where possible. Refunds are not guaranteed under these circumstances.
Vendor Checklist
Approved vendors should be prepared to:
- Receive approval from the organizer
- Pay the vendor invoice
- Bring all booth equipment
- Bring a tent, if needed
- Bring proper tent weights
- Ensure tent is fire-resistant or fire-retardant
- Complete AHS forms if selling or sampling consumable products
- Notify the organizer at least 2 weeks before the event if cooking
- Provide insurance if requested
- Add the German Canadian Club of Calgary as Additional Insured
- Share required social media promotion
- Follow all setup and teardown instructions
Vendor Acknowledgement
By applying to participate in the Oktoberfest Market, vendors acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agree to follow this vendor package, event policy, and all additional event instructions provided by the organizer.