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2025 VENDOR
OPEN CALL

DEAR SMALL BUSINESS: 

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Thank you for your interest in participating as a vendor in the 7h Annual Annual Boston Art & Music Soul (BAMS) Festival. Named "Best Music Festival" by Boston Magazine, BAMS Festival will take place on Saturday, June 28, 2025 inside the historic Franklin Park Playstead Field. Since our debut in 2018, we have brought together 45,000+ attendees, presented 115+ recording, performing, and visual artists; and have supported 240+ small minority-owned businesses and nonprofit organizations. 

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Why should you participate?

  • You and your business become part of this growing festival tradition that celebrates joy and connection, elevates local businesses of color and amplifies emerging and national talent.

  • Access to a diverse cross section of an estimated 10,000+ attendees from New England and the Mid-Atlantic regions.

  • Opportunity to generate revenue and promote your products/services to a viable market.

  • Your business will receive promotion and social media support.

  • As the owner, you will be invited to attend offsite networking events and festival-related programming.

 

We give priority to Black owned/ BIPOC businesses, but all of those interested should apply. All vendors will apply through the application below.

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2025 Festival Highlights:

  • One day with one electrifying stage, featuring local, and GRAMMY-nominated music artists.

  • “KIDchella Pavilion ” - A fully immersive experience for the whole family that includes a curated music lineup of NextGen youth artists, an active play area featuring face painting,  and arts & crafts; as well as interactive dance performance and dance workshops where attendees can learn both traditional and contemporary African and Afro-centric dance styles from local choreographers. 

  • Soul Food Row - a curated selection of ethnic cuisines representative of the people, neighborhoods and culture that amplify Greater Boston.

  • Vendor Village – A showcase of artists, craft makers, creative entrepreneurs and small businesses who will promote and sell their diverse products and services.

  • Community Resource Village - An interactive pavilion featuring local organizations who provide services, activities and careers.

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Fill out the vendor application form below. All vendor applications will be vetted BEFORE vendors are selected and finalized. All applicants will be required to make a non-refundable $25.00 deposit. If your application IS selected, your deposit will be applied towards your full vendor payment. 

 

For more information or if you have questions, please email us at vendors@bamsfest.org. To secure your vendor spot, full payments will be expected.

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2025 FESTIVAL VENDOR RATES

Small Business

Single Booth
Double Booth
$305
$500

Booth assignments are on a first come, first served to those who complete the application and submit their payment on time. All small business vendors will be under one large tent.

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Priority given to Black owned/ BIPOC small businesses

now accepting 
applications:

Rolling Deadline:
4/18/2025, 11:59pm EST

Food Trucks / Caterers

Single Space Deposit
$125

New this year! BAMS Fest requires ​a 15% commission on gross receipts.  Food vendors will be required to provide a credit card on file. Deposit will be applied to the 15% commission due post festival.

Nonprofits

Single Booth
Double Booth
$125
$200

Nonprofits cannot sell any product, but can promote or recruit for services or opportunities. Booth assignments are on a first come, first served to those who complete the application and submit their payment on time. All nonprofit vendors will be under one large tent. All nonprofits will be required to have an activation at their table / booth space to engage attendees for the day.​

Information to know:

  • Small business:  Up to 5 years in operation; Up to 10 employees; Annual revenue up to $1M

  • Vendors will be limited to 40 Businesses Maximum in the Vendor Village

  • Food businesses are open to food trucks and open flame

  • All selected vendors will be required to submit a Certificate of Liability (minimum $500,000 or higher per claim/$2,000,000 aggregate for the year / January 1 – December 31, 2025) or One-Day Event Liability Insurance

  • All applicants will be required to make a $25.00 non-refundable deposit. If your application IS selected, your deposit will be applied towards your full vendor payment. 

 

​Inclusions:

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Single Booth Space (Small Business & Nonprofit)

(1) 10x10ft area/space with (2) 6’ tables, (2) Chairs and (2) black linens. All must fit underneath and within the assigned area. No electricity will be provided or available. Small businesses are NOT ALLOWED to have their own tent. All businesses will be under a large shared tent. Small Businesses will be located in the Vendor Village; Nonprofits will be located in the Community Resource Village.

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Double Booth Space (Small Business & Nonprofit)

(2) 10ftx10ft area/space in activation zones, (4) 6ft tables, (4) Chairs and (4) black linens. All must fit underneath and within the assigned area. No electricity will be provided or available. Small businesses are NOT ALLOWED to have their own tent. All businesses will be under a large shared tent. Small Businesses will be located in the Vendor Village; Nonprofits will be located in the Community Resource Village.

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Food Truck / Caterers Space

 (1) 18ft x 20ft area/space. All must fit with the assigned area. No electricity will be provided or available

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Vendor Village Hours:

Saturday, June 28, 12noon - 8pm EST

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Soul Food Row Hours:

Saturday, June 28, 12noon - 8pm EST

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Community Resource Village Hours:

Saturday, June 28, 12noon - 6pm EST

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For Food Trucks and open flame businesses, we require a copy of:

  • General Food Truck Permit from the Boston Fire Department

  • Health Certificate from the City of Boston  

  • Certificate of Insurance (with $1M threshold or higher)

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CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON GETTING YOUR FOOD TRUCK HEALTH AND FIRE PERMITS FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR CITY OF BOSTON FOOD TRUCK REGULATIONS CAN BE FOUND HERE. ALL ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS REGARDING PERMITS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE AGENCIES LISTED ABOVE.

 

For Food Trucks permitted outside of Boston, you must provide us with everything listed above for Boston Food Trucks, by first:

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Vendor Marketplace Vendors

All vendors who would like to sell/display commercially packaged food or non-alcoholic beverages will need to provide a us with a valid Temporary Food Service Permit from the City of Boston. No refrigeration is allowed in this area. All items must be shelf stable and unpackaged goods are not allowed. More information on obtaining a Temporary Food Service Permit is available here.

Application at the bottom of the page

READ BEFORE YOU PROCEED

TENTS & EQUIPMENT: 

Due to liability and insurance requirements, VENDORS are not allowed to bring their own tents. You can however bring your own necessary displays, signs, and other equipment needed to vend at the Boston Art & Music Soul Festival.

 

CERTIFICATE OF LIABILITY:

All vendors will be required to submit a Certificate of Liability to the organizers of BAMS Festival. If a vendor does not submit their COI in time, they forfeit their spot and will not be refunded.  A minimum $500,000 and up per claim/$2,000,000 aggregate for the year / January 1 – December 31, 2025) or One-Day Event Liability Insurance.

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VENDOR ASSIGNMENTS:

It is up to the sole discretion of BAMS Fest, Inc to determine and assign the position of where vendors will be placed onsite at the festival grounds. Special requests will not be accepted, unless for health-related reasons.

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TAX ID CERTIFICATES:

Tax ID Numbers are required in Massachusetts. All Exhibitors must be in compliance with State & Federal Tax Laws and display Tax ID Certificate in booth. This is required for both in state and out of state vendors. If you do not have a tax id certificate, you can obtain one online in a few minutes at no cost. Click HERE to register with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.
 

HEALTH AND LICENSE REQUIREMENTS: FOOD VENDORS ONLY*

If accepted, each vendor will be required to obtain a Boston Board of Health Inspections Temporary Food Service Permit (if you don't already have one). Additionally, you must pass health and fire inspections prior to the event start time on the day of the festival. On the day of the event, if your health and fire inspections do not pass, you will not be refunded. 

 

REFUND POLICY

  • No refunds will be given. 

  • If the Festival is cancelled due to force majeure, vendors will be given a credit to next year's festival (regardless of rate change) 

 

WEATHER POLICY:

Boston Art & Music Soul Festival is a rain or shine event. By choosing to participate in a rain or shine market, vendors assume all risks associated with adverse weather conditions. 

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LOCATION OF YOUR BUSINESS:

We encourage all minority/women/veteran/LGBTQ small businesses to apply. If you are applying from out of state or outside of Boston limits, you may need to apply for a temporary permit with the City of Boston.

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PROMOTER STATEMENT:

Boston Art & Music Soul Festival producers, man­agers and pro­mot­ers reserve the right to restrict or terminate any vendor’s activ­ity or remove any prod­uct, which, in their opin­ion, is objec­tion­able or inap­pro­pri­ate or is detri­men­tal to the qual­ity of the event as a whole. In the event of any restric­tions or evic­tions, the Boston Art & Music Soul Festival and its affil­i­ates will not be liable for any refund of rental or other expenses. The Boston Art & Music Soul Festival producers, man­agers and pro­mot­ers reserves the right to remove, with­out refund or recourse, any exhibitor who misrepresents him­self or his prod­uct. In addi­tion, the pro­moter reserves the right not to select ven­dors who may not be suit­able for the market. The Boston Art & Music Soul Festival reserves the right to amend or add to the applic­a­ble rules per­tain­ing to and gov­ern­ing the our Festival at any time dur­ing and before the oper­at­ing sea­son without notice. The interpretation of all the rules by the pro­mot­ers shall be final.

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