Event vendor agreement template: fees, responsibilities and cancellations

An event vendor agreement should say what space the vendor is buying, what the fee includes, what each side must do, and how payments and refunds work if plans change. If you're selling stalls, food pitches or exhibition booths at a paid event, use the template below to turn those promises into a written agreement both sides can understand.

You probably know the conversation this prevents. The vendor arrives expecting power. Your team thought they were bringing a generator. Someone has promised them an exclusive category, but another seller has already paid for the same thing. Now you're sorting it out while ticket holders queue outside.

Most of that should have been settled before the booking. We'll cover the agreement itself, the decisions behind its payment and cancellation terms, and a worked example you can follow. Then we'll connect the signed document to what your team actually does on event day.

This is a practical starting template, not a contract approved for every jurisdiction. Have a lawyer familiar with your event location and business relationships review the completed terms, particularly cancellation, liability and local licensing requirements.

Make sure this is the vendor agreement you need

Here, a vendor pays you for the right to occupy an agreed space and sell or demonstrate approved products. Think of a food trader at a ticketed festival, a maker at a paid craft event, or an exhibitor at a conference.

A company you hire to supply sound equipment, security or catering is a different arrangement. You're paying that supplier for services. It needs a scope of work, delivery standards and the terms of your purchase. Swapping the names in a stallholder agreement won't cover that job.

Keep the sales document and the agreement connected. Your exhibitor prospectus explains the audience and the offer. The agreement confirms the particular booking. The operations manual gives the vendor arrival instructions, vehicle routes and other practical details.

The important promises must agree across all of them. If the prospectus says electricity is included, you can't quietly remove it in the arrival email. And if a salesperson has offered a corner position, put that commitment in the booking before someone else allocates it.

Buying a stall also doesn't automatically buy sponsorship rights. A seller might get permission to display its name at its own booth without becoming your exclusive drinks partner. Where you've sold promotional rights too, use the event sponsorship agreement guide to specify them alongside the space.

Copy this event vendor agreement template

Replace every field in square brackets, remove options that don't apply, and attach the actual documents named in the agreement. Use "none" where something is deliberately excluded. An empty field leaves everyone guessing.

The sections below form the working template. The explanations after it will help you choose terms that fit your event.

1. Parties, event and agreed documents

This agreement is between [organiser's full legal name, trading name, business address and registration details where applicable], called the Organiser, and [vendor's full legal name, trading name, business address and registration details where applicable], called the Vendor.

The event is [event name], at [full venue address], on [event dates]. Public trading hours are [dates, opening and closing times, and time zone]. The Organiser's contact is [name, email and phone]. The Vendor's authorised contact is [name, email and phone].

The agreement includes this document and [named schedules, site plan version and dated operating rules]. Any special terms agreed by both parties are recorded in [schedule]. If documents conflict, the order of priority is [agreed document order]. Later operational instructions cannot change the price or purchased benefits without the change process below.

2. Space, products and included services

The Organiser will provide [space reference, usable width and depth, indoor or outdoor setting, and location or agreed allocation process]. The attached plan shows [confirmed position or clearly described provisional location].

The Vendor may sell or demonstrate [approved products and activities]. The following restrictions apply: [category limits, prohibited goods, sampling conditions and any agreed exclusivity]. No exclusivity applies unless expressly described here, including its product category, area, dates and exceptions.

The fee includes [furniture, staff passes and permitted access areas, power specification, water, waste services, parking, storage, directory listing and other purchased benefits]. The following are excluded: [services and equipment the Vendor must arrange]. Optional extras require an agreed written price before ordering.

Any attendance or sales forecast supplied to the Vendor is an estimate unless this agreement expressly states a guarantee and remedy. The Organiser remains responsible for the services and commitments listed here, regardless of attendance.

3. Fees, payment and booking confirmation

The space fee is [amount and currency]. Agreed extras are [itemised amounts]. Applicable taxes are [amount and basis]. Other charges are [itemised amounts or none]. The total payable is [amount and currency].

The Vendor will pay [initial amount] by [date] and [remaining amount] by [date], using [payment method and verified payment instructions]. The initial payment is part of the total fee. Its treatment on cancellation follows sections 8 and 9.

The booking becomes confirmed when [specified acceptance, signature and payment conditions] are met. Any temporary hold expires at [date and time]. The Organiser will provide written confirmation identifying the booked space or allocation status.

If payment is late, the Organiser will send written notice stating the amount due and allow [reasonable cure period] to resolve it before cancelling the booking under section 10. No additional service or fee may be added without the Vendor's written agreement.

4. Access, setup and trading

Vendor access for setup is [date, time and entry point]. Setup must finish by [time]. Vehicles must leave the public trading area by [time], following the approved traffic arrangements. Breakdown begins at [time] and the space must be cleared by [deadline].

The Vendor will staff its space during the agreed trading hours. It will notify [onsite contact] promptly if illness, stock shortages or another problem prevents trading. Early closure or vehicle movement requires approval, except where emergency instructions require immediate action.

The Vendor will use only the agreed footprint and approved equipment. Queues, storage, signs and waste must remain within the arrangements shown in [plan or operating schedule], without obstructing neighbouring spaces or access routes.

5. Permits, food and regulated activities

The Organiser is responsible for [event and venue permissions]. The Vendor is responsible for [business registrations, trading permissions and activity-specific approvals]. Required evidence must be supplied to [contact] by [deadline]. Each party will promptly report a refusal, restriction, expiry or other change affecting participation.

For food or drink trading, the attached schedule identifies responsibility for [food registration or temporary permits, safe preparation and storage, allergen information, handwashing, potable water, wastewater and waste disposal]. Alcohol sales or supply require separate written approval and the permissions applicable to the event location.

The Organiser's acceptance of documents does not replace a regulator's approval. A Vendor may not start an activity until the required permissions and agreed safety checks are complete. Missing documents will be handled through the notice and remedy process in section 10 where there is time to correct them safely.

6. Site safety and accessibility

The Organiser will coordinate [site access, common areas, emergency arrangements and shared facilities]. The Vendor will manage the safe operation of its own staff, products and approved equipment. Both parties will cooperate with the venue and relevant authorities and comply with their applicable legal duties.

The Vendor will disclose [cooking, fuel, temporary structures, unusual loads, demonstrations or other relevant hazards] by [deadline]. Changes to approved equipment or activities require review before use.

Both parties will keep agreed accessible routes, exits and emergency access clear. The Vendor will follow the agreed arrangements for serving customers with disabilities, including [relevant counter, queue or service provisions]. Immediate dangers or incidents must be reported to [onsite contact and emergency procedure]. Urgent safety directions take effect immediately, with any longer-term change handled under this agreement.

7. Insurance, property and damage

The Organiser will maintain [specified cover]. The Vendor will maintain [specified cover, activities, limits and dates], with evidence due by [deadline]. Any requirement to name another party on a policy is [exact requirement or none]. The parties will confirm these arrangements with their insurers.

Responsibility for overnight storage, stock security and unattended equipment is [specific allocation]. General event security does not constitute a promise to guard individual stock unless that service is expressly included.

Each party remains responsible for its own acts and omissions under applicable law and the agreed allocation of responsibility. Any additional liability limits or indemnities are set out in [reviewed schedule or none]. Nothing in this agreement excludes obligations or liability that the law does not allow the parties to exclude.

Claims for damage must identify the incident, evidence, repair or replacement cost, and the basis for attributing responsibility. The other party will have an opportunity to respond before an agreed deduction or settlement is made.

8. Vendor withdrawal and replacement bookings

The Vendor may withdraw by notifying [email address]. The applicable cancellation caps and notice periods are [completed schedule with calendar dates]. These caps are maximum amounts, not automatic charges.

Any cancellation charge will be limited to the lower of the applicable cap, the total booked fee, and the Organiser's reasonable, documented net loss attributable to the withdrawal. The calculation will account for avoided costs, supplier refunds and replacement bookings, without recovering the same loss twice. The Organiser will take reasonable steps to reduce that loss.

The Organiser will provide an itemised calculation and refund any excess payment by [deadline or defined settlement period]. Any further amount properly due under this calculation is payable by [deadline]. An unresolved amount may be challenged through section 12.

The Vendor may propose a replacement business. Approval will depend on [stated eligibility, product and safety requirements] and will not be unreasonably withheld. A replacement must agree its own booking terms before trading. Any transfer charge is limited to [agreed amount or documented cost rule].

9. Organiser cancellation, postponement and changes

If the Organiser cancels the event before trading begins, it will refund all participation fees and agreed extras within [period]. This also applies if circumstances beyond the parties' reasonable control prevent the event from proceeding. The parties will notify each other promptly when such circumstances arise and take reasonable steps to reduce their effects.

If the Organiser proposes a new date, the Vendor may accept the transfer in writing or receive the cancellation refund. The response deadline is [period after notice]. Silence is not acceptance. If no agreement is reached by that deadline, the booking is cancelled and refunded.

The Organiser may propose a location or package change, explaining the reason and its effect. A change that materially reduces the purchased space, services or trading opportunity requires the Vendor's agreement, an agreed price adjustment, or cancellation with the refund described above.

If trading starts but ends early, the refund calculation is [agreed treatment of lost trading hours, undelivered services and extras]. Immediate safety decisions are not delayed while the parties discuss money. Refunds under this section do not remove any other rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.

10. Breach and ending participation

If either party materially fails to meet this agreement, the other will give written notice describing the problem and allow [appropriate period] to correct it. If it remains unresolved, the affected party may end the agreement and pursue the remedies available under it and applicable law.

The Organiser may suspend an unsafe or unlawful activity immediately and explain the reason as soon as practicable. Ending all participation must be proportionate to the problem and consider whether it can be corrected. Suspension or termination does not automatically forfeit every payment. Any retained amount or refund must follow the applicable terms and law.

11. Publicity and customer information

The Vendor permits the Organiser to use [approved name, logo and supplied description] for [specified event promotion and directory use] until [date or defined period]. Other uses require agreement.

The booking does not include attendee contact details unless a separate, lawful arrangement expressly provides them. Each party is responsible for its own collection and use of personal information. The Vendor must explain its own sign-up or lead collection process to customers and meet applicable privacy and marketing requirements.

12. Changes, notices, disputes and signatures

Changes require written acceptance by authorised representatives of both parties. Formal notices go to [organiser email and address] and [vendor email and address]. An urgent onsite message must also be recorded through that route when practicable.

The parties will first refer a dispute to [named roles] and allow [period] for discussion. Any agreed mediation process is [details or none]. This does not prevent urgent relief or the exercise of rights that cannot be restricted. The governing law and appropriate court or dispute forum are [locally reviewed details].

The authorised representatives confirm they have received the documents named in section 1 and accept the completed agreement.

• Organiser representative: [name, role, signature and date].

• Vendor representative: [name, role, signature and date].

• Agreement version and attached schedules: [references].

Choose payment terms your event can actually support

The template gives you the fields. Now decide what should go in them.

Start with the total price, then work backwards to the payment dates. How much must you commit before the vendor arrives? When do furniture, site services and printing become payable? Your schedule should reflect those commitments, while giving the vendor a reasonable chance to review the booking and pay.

Call the first payment an instalment if that's what it is. Writing "non-refundable deposit" at the top of an invoice doesn't explain which cancellation circumstances it covers. The agreement should do that work.

Keep refundable payments visible in your event cash-flow forecast. If you promise to return vendor fees when you cancel, spending every dollar as soon as it arrives creates a problem. Decide how you would fund refunds before accepting the money.

Show taxes, electricity and other mandatory charges before commitment. A vendor comparing a $600 pitch with another event should be able to see that the actual total is $660 once its chosen service is included. Those figures are illustrative, not suggested market prices.

For a percentage-of-sales arrangement, the template needs an additional schedule. Define which sales count, the rate, tax and refund treatment, the reporting method, the settlement deadline and how discrepancies will be resolved. If you also charge a minimum fee, say whether it is credited against the percentage or charged on top. Don't leave two businesses to discover that they meant different things after trading finishes.

Decide who provides each facility before you promise it

The first thing you want to do is walk through a vendor's actual day. They unload, build, connect equipment, open, serve customers, handle waste and pack up. At each step, someone needs to provide the facilities and someone needs to check the arrangements.

"Power included" is too vague for a trader bringing several appliances. Get its equipment requirements, have the responsible electrical provider confirm the supply, and record the agreed specification. Do the same for potable water, wastewater, refrigeration and cooking equipment where relevant. Your agreement should point to the approved arrangement, rather than inventing technical limits.

In Great Britain, HSE's event-management guidance explains the organiser's responsibility for coordinating work and maintaining overall safety, including setup and breakdown. Collecting a vendor's paperwork doesn't replace that coordination. Your site team still needs to know who is doing what and when.

Permits need the same clarity. The licensing section in the US Small Business Administration's business launch guide explains that requirements depend on activities and location, including state and local rules. An event permission and an individual trader's permission may cover different things. Confirm the actual requirements with the relevant authority, then name the responsible party in the schedule.

For US food vendors, the FDA Food Code is a model used by regulators to develop their rules. It isn't a substitute for checking the rules adopted where your event takes place. Ask the local health authority what it requires for the proposed food, preparation method and temporary setup before accepting a menu that your site cannot support.

Access also belongs in the plan. The US Department of Justice's ADA primer for small businesses explains that accessible routes must remain usable and unblocked. A clear aisle on the morning plan can disappear behind stock boxes or a queue. Agree where those things go and who checks them during trading.

Ask for insurance that matches the activity

Set insurance requirements with your venue and insurance adviser before opening applications. The cover appropriate for a seller displaying ceramics may differ from what you need for a trader cooking over a flame. Copying another festival's coverage limit gives you a number, but it doesn't explain whether the proposed activity is covered.

When the evidence arrives, check the business name, policy dates and declared activities against the booking. Ask your adviser about exclusions and any requirement to include the organiser or venue on the policy. A document being uploaded isn't the same as the coverage being suitable.

Be equally clear about your own promises. If overnight security only patrols the wider venue, tell vendors how that works and whether stock can be left onsite. If you take a separate damage bond, specify its purpose, evidence requirements, dispute process and return deadline. Keep it separate from the participation fee so a refund calculation doesn't quietly swallow it.

Write cancellation terms you can explain to a vendor

You need to protect the event from a late withdrawal. The vendor needs to know it won't lose its entire payment simply because your terms say you can keep it. A useful agreement explains the loss you're protecting against and how you'll calculate the amount due.

The template uses documented net loss with an agreed cap. That's one commercial approach for local review, not a universal legal formula. Choose the dates and caps against your actual commitments and ability to resell the space. Then explain the calculation before the vendor pays.

In Australia, the ACCC's guidance on unfair contract terms identifies one-sided termination, penalty and variation terms among the kinds that may be unfair in covered contracts. The practical lesson is to read your draft from both sides. Can you cancel freely while the vendor loses everything? Can you change the date or halve the space without offering a remedy? Fix those terms before sending them out.

Don't confuse vendor withdrawal with event cancellation. Nor should you copy your ticket-buyer refund policy into a business agreement. The parties, promises and losses are different.

If bad weather makes operation unsafe, your team must act on the safety decision immediately. If ticket sales are disappointing, that is a commercial problem. Avoid a catch-all clause that lets either situation become "circumstances beyond our control" without explaining what happens to the vendor's payment.

Postponement needs a real choice too. A food trader may already be booked elsewhere on the new date. Offer the transfer, give it a response deadline and follow the agreed refund route if it cannot attend. Repeatedly moving the date while holding its money indefinitely is a poor basis for a repeat booking.

Think through a partial closure before it happens. If the event opens and then closes early, which part of the fee bought trading time and which part paid for a service already delivered? State a calculation both parties can use. You might agree a refund based on lost trading hours for the space element, with undelivered extras refunded separately. Define the amounts and method before signing, and check that you can fund that promise.

For a no-show, record when you tried to contact the vendor, whether you could use the space again and which costs you avoided. An empty pitch is frustrating, but your agreed calculation still matters. Don't automatically add a separate penalty that wasn't in the booking.

A worked booking and cancellation example

These are invented USD figures and dates to show the mechanics. They are not standard fees, legal limits or a recommended cancellation tariff.

Suppose you're running a ticketed makers' festival on 18 April 2027. A trader books a marked 3m by 3m outdoor pitch for $600, plus a confirmed electrical service for $60. The illustrative tax amount is $0, making the total $660. A real booking must use its actual tax treatment.

The package includes two staff passes and the agreed electrical connection. The trader supplies its approved shelter, furniture, stock and equipment. There is no category exclusivity. Public trading runs from 11am to 6pm, with setup and vehicle deadlines specified separately in the site schedule.

Payment is $330 by 1 March and $330 by 1 April. For this example, the parties agree that a withdrawal on or after 2 April has a $180 cancellation cap, still limited to documented net loss. The organiser promises an itemised settlement and any refund within ten calendar days after the event.

The trader withdraws on 5 April after paying the full $660. You sell the pitch to a suitable replacement at the same price. There is no remaining lost booking revenue. You identify $120 of genuine preparation costs specific to the original trader, and the supplier refunds $40. None of the remaining work benefits the replacement.

That leaves an $80 net loss. The cap is $180, but the cap isn't the charge. Under these agreed terms, you retain $80 and return $580 by 28 April. Your calculation shows the costs, the supplier refund and the replacement booking, so the trader can follow it.

Now change the scenario: you cancel the festival before the trader withdraws. Section 9 would require you to refund the full $660. There is no vendor withdrawal to calculate in that scenario. That difference is why you need to budget for cancellation as well as write about it.

Get the signed agreement into the hands of your site team

A signed document helps only if the people running the event can act on it. Give your vendor lead a current booking record showing the space, approved activity, services, payment status, required documents and any special agreement. Keep the signed version available for checking the detail.

Before confirming the booking, check that the space and services can actually be delivered. Before setup, check that the required evidence is in and the trader has received its arrival instructions. Don't leave a missing power order for the person checking vehicles at the gate to solve.

Send the full agreement and attachments early enough for the vendor to read them. Make the person authorised to commit the business easy to identify. If you negotiate a change, give both sides one clean final version with the same reference, rather than expecting the site manager to piece together several email threads.

Keep payment reminders consistent with that agreement. If the balance is late, contact the vendor, follow the stated notice period and confirm any revised deadline in writing. Don't continue calling the space confirmed to the vendor while quietly selling it to someone else. Once a booking ends, tell the relevant team and update availability before accepting a replacement.

Where a booth is part of a sponsorship offer, Loopyah's sponsorship tools let you sell priced packages with stated perks and quantities, including booth space, and require approval before payment. Your team still needs to settle the agreement and physical allocation. Record the same benefits in the package and the signed booking so the buyer gets what it purchased.

If a vendor asks for a change, start with its effect on the event. Another fridge may need electrical review. Another staff member may need a pass. A different product could conflict with an existing exclusivity promise. Confirm the change with whoever owns that decision, then record the approved version and any price difference.

At the end of the event, close out outstanding charges, damage questions and refunds with the same care. Share evidence, allow a response and settle against the agreed terms. If a requirement caused repeated confusion, improve next edition's agreement and briefing while the problem is still fresh.

The agreement should leave both sides able to answer the same questions. What did the vendor buy? What must each of you provide? When is money due, and what happens if the booking changes? Once those answers are clear, you can get on with running the event.