Midsumma Carnival Stalls Info & Registration

How do you get involved? Here are the first three steps to get you started!

1. READ the information below to ensure you are totally ready for Midsumma Carnival.
2. TALK to a Midsumma staff member about any queries you may still have. Email [email protected] or call 03 9296 6600.
3. REGISTER and pay by the registration closing date (unless allocation is exhausted earlier).

Note: Failure to provide payment and documentation by the due dates may mean you will miss out on a space at Midsumma Carnival.

Below you will find all the information needed about hosting a stall.

Can't find the answer? Email [email protected] or call 03 9296 6600 to have a chat.

Key Registration Dates

Registrations Open: 8 August 2023

Early Bird Registrations Close: 31 August 2023 (subject to availability)

Registrations Close: 6 November 2023 (unless allocation is exhausted earlier)

Stallholder Production Form Opens: 9 November 2023

Stallholder Production Form Due: 24 November 2023

Stallholder Information Pack Released: 4 December 2023

What does your registration include?

Each general booking consists of the following:

• 3 x 3m marquee space (marquee provided)
• 1.8 trestle table
• 2 plastic chairs
• 2.4 x 0.3m corflute sign with your organisation's name (and optional logo)
• A listing on the Midsumma Festival website

A maximum of four stall spaces may be purchased per order. The placement of individual stalls within the site will be determined by Midsumma staff once applications have closed and final stallholder numbers are confirmed.

Corflute Signage

Since 2020, Midsumma Festival has included design, printing, and installation of a corflute sign for every stall at Midsumma Carnival, rather than offering this as an optional extra. This decision has been made in order to give all stallholders heightened visibility at the event, assist all stallholders and volunteers during bump in and give the event a clean, professional look.

Midsumma strives to make the event as accessible as possible to all groups, so registration fees are aggregated according to your organisation.

Stall Categories and Pricing

Commercial Stall

Criteria: Operating for profit - registered company (ACN)

Early Bird Price: $1,418 (allocation exhausted)

Regular price: $1,890

Examples:
Travel Consultancy
Hotels
Insurance Providers

Small Business Stall

Criteria: Operating for profit (sole trader operating through an ABN) - Turnover of <$75,000

Early Bird Price: $788 (allocation exhausted)

Regular price: $1,050

Examples:
Jewellery Designer
Wedding Photographer
Merchandise Retailer

Large Community Organisations

Criteria: Annual Revenue of more than $350,000

Early Bird Price: $788 (allocation exhausted)

Regular price: $1,050

Examples:
Local Council, State or Federal Government branches, offices or political parties
Local Council, State or Federal Government agencies or initiatives
National or international not-for-profit / community organisations
Educational Institutions

Small Community Organisations

Criteria: Annual Revenue of less than $350,000

Early Bird Price: $509 (allocation exhausted)

Regular price: $679

Examples:
LGBTQIA+ social and community groups
Health service not-for-profit / community organisations 
Community theatre companies or artist-run gallery spaces

All prices are inclusive of GST.
An external surcharge of 1.5% applies for credit/debit card payments.

As a Midsumma Carnival stallholder, you receive a 20% discount to advertise your event in the Midsumma Festival Printed Guide.

With a print publication of 35,000 copies across Melbourne CBD, wider Victoria, and Sydney, this is a unique opportunity to purchase at a reduced rate extra promotion for your business or organisation in the printed guide.

Email [email protected] for more information.

Tables: additional trestle tables - cost $29 each

Chairs: additional plastic chairs - cost $15 each

Power: Single 10 Amp Outlet - cost $85
For more advanced power requirements (15 Amp and above), please email [email protected] to organise. This may incur an additional cost.

Giveaways

Giveaways are a popular option for many stallholders. Food samples, branded merchandise, flyers and postcards are all great ways to engage with the thousands of attendees at Midsumma Carnival.
While a great option, we encourage stallholders to look at more innovative and green options such as reusable water bottles, digital promotions, or tote bags - and stay away from disposable options such as plastic or paper fans, paper flyers, or elastic wristbands.

Please note that any paper collateral distributed must contain the words "Please dispose of responsibly" or similar, printed on them.

If you are looking to give away anything intended for human consumption (lollies, fruit, or bottled water) you will need a food traders permit from the City of Melbourne - yes, even for bottled water! These permits are free and obtained through Streatrader. If you do not have your food permit before Midsumma Carnival, you will not be able to provide food or beverages.
Don't stress - the process is usually quick and free, depending on what you are giving away.

Merchandise

While you are not allowed to sell food or beverage (as this is reserved for our Food Vendors on site), many stallholders will sell merchandise as part of their stall. This could be branded clothing for your organisation, pins and badges, swimwear/underwear, or something else entirely!

While we welcome all stallholders to participate, Midsumma Carnival is not designed to be a retail marketplace. The primary purpose of the stalls precinct is to connect our diverse audiences with community organisations, businesses and service providers. Stallholders intending to sell merchandise at Midsumma Carnival should be aware that most stallholders provide free items and handouts to patrons, this may affect merchandise sales and should be taken into consideration before applying for a stall.

Electrical Equipment

As part of your stall registration you can hire site power rated up to 10 amps (although if you need more heavy duty power, this can be arranged). Many stallholders will simply use this to charge their tablets and other devices but in some instances stallholders will include a photobooth as part of their stall, or some other activity to engage with the public.
We encourage Stallholders to get creative with their stalls but it is a requirement that all electrical equipment brought on site has been tested and tagged.

It is the responsibility of the Stallholder to ensure that they provide accurate information about the equipment they are bringing onsite. 
10 amps is generally enough for a handful of tablets or devices, but if you are bringing a deep fryer, a popcorn machine, a slushie machine or something similar - it would be advantageous to check what amperage your equipment draws!
If you're not sure, contact the Midsumma Festival team at [email protected] or 03 9296 6600.

Signage

Midsumma Festival provides all stalls with a 2.4m x 0.3m corflute sign (see example below), but you are welcome to add any additional signage to your stall that you like.

Make your stall stand out with signage, but please ensure your signage stays within the 3x3m footprint of your marquee, isn't pegged into the ground, isn't attached to any of the surrounding trees, and isn't attached with any kind of adhesive.

If you are planning to get some signage made specifically for the event, the marquees provided are 3x 3x 2.28m (WxDxH). For more detail about the marquee dimensions, contact the Midsumma Festival team at [email protected] or 03 9296 6600.

Glitter

Due to environmental regulations, glitter is not permitted on site. If you are planning to use eco-glitter as part of your stall, contact Midsumma Festival to get prior approval.

Vehicles

In order to protect the grass at Alexandra Gardens, no vehicles are permitted onsite. Vehicles can be driven onto Boathouse Drive as part of the bump in, but must be moved elsewhere prior to the beginning of the event.

More details about bump in will be provided at a later date.

Signage

We encourage stallholders to bring their own signage to their stall, however, nothing is to be attached to the trees in the area or pegged into the ground due to City of Melbourne environmental restrictions.

In addition, we ask stallholders not to attach anything to their marquee with adhesives - cable ties or string are recommended.

Roving

Stallholders must contain their activities within the footprint of their allocated stall and cannot undertake activities beyond this site plan without prior approval in writing from Midsumma. Organisations are not permitted to conduct surveys or distribute roving handouts without current agreement from Midsumma – an additional fee for surveys or activities agreed beyond the footprint of your stall or for research or surveys agreed to will require an additional fee payable, to be negotiated with Midsumma in advance.

Donations

Midsumma is a non-profit organisation staffed by a small team of committed professionals, governed by a voluntary Board of Management, and supported by hundreds of generous and passionate volunteers every year.

Cash donations collected at major events help us to keep much-loved events like Midsumma Carnival and Midsumma Pride March free and accessible for everyone. As a result, we do not allow other people at the event to collect cash or on-the-spot donations.

Leave No Trace

In order to keep the site looking clean and beautiful, we ask that all Stallholders take responsibility for leaving their stall in the same condition it was in when they arrived.

Please read the Carnival Stall Terms & Conditions before proceeding to the registration form.

We highly recommend that you have all of the required elements ready to go when you commence registration.

To complete the Stallholder Registration Form you will need:

1. Contact details
2. The details of your organisation
3. Additional stall facilities needed:
   • Extra 3 x 3m marquee spaces
   • Extra tables
   • Extra chairs
   • Site power

To complete the Stallholder Production Form you will need:

1. Public Liability Insurance
2. Streatrader certificate of trade (if giving away edible products)
3. Hi-Res organisational logo (optional)
4. Some great ideas for what you are planning on doing on the day!