Vendor's Information

Hello gourd friends! 

I hope all of you have put the Gourd Gatherings dates in your 2026 calendar for the 24th Anniversary Gourd Gathering will be held in WAYNESVILLE from May 28 – 31, 2026. This year the focus will once again be on students. They are the only reason why a gourd festival survives. After all it is the students who come to take classes, and stock up on gourds and supplies. 

We need to attract students, and everyone needs to help promote "our" event. So, please publicize the Gourd Gathering to your email list, on your Facebook page, on Twitter, BlueSky and on Instagram. Let people know what you will be selling and/or teaching at the Gathering. Let everyone know early so they can plan to attend and mention this event each month through May to help build attendance, fill classes, and sell supplies. 

Back to Vendor Basics 

We are pleased to announce that we once again have both the Apple Orchard building and the Burley Barn. Please read this carefully, if you have questions, please contact Judi Fleming. Her email is fleminggourds@yahoo.com and her cell phone is 336-908-6341. 

HOURS - The Gathering will be open to the public noon to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, from 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The building will be open for vendors at 7:00 a.m. each morning and run into the evening hours. 

SET-UP / TEAR-DOWN - Vendors will be asked to set up on Wednesday, May 28th beginning at 9: 00 a.m. Vendors may drive onto the grounds for easy load-in and load-out during set-up and tear-down times. Gourd vendors may drive into the Burley Barn before OR after the start of each day, but may not drive in during open hours. There is plenty of free trailer parking around the Burley Barn for those that need it once their unload their vendor booth stock. During the event, vehicles will not be allowed inside the any of the buildings. You are required to clean up trash in/around your booth daily and at final close. 

No booths are to begin packing up prior to noon on Sunday. NOTE: the buildings need to be empty by 5:00 p.m. 

GENERAL BOOTH INFORMATION - All vendors are to provide their own tables, displays, chairs, tents, electrical needs, etc. There are tables available for rental on the fairgrounds at $10 each and must be reserved in advance. Booths inside the building are approximately 10' x 10'. The booths will be assigned on a “first-paid, first-served” basis. We will try to accommodate as many vendors inside as we can, but space is limited. Bring your own electric cords of at least 100’ and the tape to tape them down to remove trip hazards for our customers and vendors. 

NOTE: Except for our long-time vendors, there will be a limit of two spaces available inside per vendor. If you did not participate last year and are interested in an inside booth or if you want one additional 

Once again we have locked in the Smokey Mountain Event Center location on the Waynesville Fairgrounds just 22 miles east of Cherokee. The plethora of hotel and other accommodations, restaurants and other after event activities have gotten rave reviews in the past years which make this a wonderful location, not to mention that ALL vendors and classes will still be inside buildings for all classes and vendors. 

 If last year's vendors do not register and pay by March 31, 2026 they forfeit their space and you will be contacted. 

Booths in the Burley Barn are covered though the flooring is soft dirt. The extra-large barn booth space size is not limited in the Burley Barn, and these vendors can use as much space as they need. See "COST" section for more information. The nice thing about this space for those who sell raw gourds is that no tents or other types of protection are necessary in this venue space! 

All booth fees are due by MARCH 31, 2026. 

SECURITY - The building will be locked at the end of nightly activities. The grounds are enclosed by a chain-link fence, and there will be someone staying on the grounds at night in their RVs. There are no other security measures, so plan accordingly. 

COST - The rental fee are as follows for all three days: 

One booth inside the Apple Orchard main building (Approximate space is 10' x 10' -- limit: two spaces) 

Extra-large (unlimited) booth spaces in the Burley Barn Please note that no rental tables are available for this space. 

Table rentals Chair rental 

$75 each $150 

$10 each $2 each 

RV hookups (electricity only) right against the drive around the main building we will use. Please note that these are SMALL spaces with parallel parking and there are only 10 so we will be offering these to vendors only. 

In addition, all vendors are required to donate one (or more) item(s) to the Silent Auction. It could be gourd art, tools, products, but must have a retail value of at least $50. 

CANCELLATION POLICY - A 100% refund of all charges will be granted to any vendor who cancels participation in the show prior to April 1, 2026. Refunds for cancellations after April 1st, will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

TAXES - Vendors are responsible for North Carolina state sales tax as well as all applicable federal taxes 

and should have your own tax ID numbers. See https://www.ncdor.gov/taxes-forms/sales-and-use- tax/sales-and-use-tax-rates for more information. 

VENDOR REGISTRATION FORM 

Please send completed vendor application with appropriate space fee to by March 31, 2026. 

Name:
NC Tax ID #:
Address: 

Email:   Telephone:

I intend to sell the following types of items (ex: raw gourds, gourd supplies, gourd tools, etc.): 

NOTE: Except for our long-time vendors, there will be a limit of two spaces available inside per vendor. If you did not participate last year and are interested in an inside booth or if you want one additional space, you will be put in the new Dogwood building. If last year's vendors do not register and pay by March 31, 2026 they forfeit their space, and you will be contacted. Booth space is “first-paid, first-served,” so mark 1st & 2nd choices below. Vendors are responsible for all their own tents, tables, shelves, electric cords, etc. 

Booth Size Dogwood Booth 

Barn X-Large Booth Tables #
Chairs #
RV Space 

Food Vendor Food Vendor 

Total: 

Choice Cost Amount Need electricity __ Booth Space for $70.00 each
__ Outside XL Space for $150.00
__ $10.00 (each) 

__ $2.00 (each)
__ $35 per night
__ $35 per day/no electricity plug in __ $110 per day with electricity 

Make checks payable to: “Gourd Gathering” and send with your application by March 31st to: 

Gourd Gathering
C/O Judi Fleming
PO Box 279 Summerfield, NC 27358 

Please DO NOT make checks payable to Judi. Thank you! 

INDEMNIFICATION AND RELEASE AGREEMENT 

It is agreed that the participating vendors will indemnify and hold harmless the 2026 Gourd Artists Gathering and the event coordinators, from and against any and all liability, claims, demands, expenses, fees, fines, penalties, suits, proceedings, actions, and causes of action of any kind and nature arising or growing out of or in any way connected with the aforementioned Gathering and from all theft, damage, or mysterious disappearance of any merchandise and/or display materials exhibited. The vendor(s) involved will be held responsible for payment of any damage caused to any part of the grounds and its structures and fencing. 

Sign and date: 

Name Company Name Donated Item(s) 

Vendor Silent/Chinese Auction 

(Minimum $50 retail value, please) 

Please attach photo, if available, or send via email so we can post items on the website to raise the excitement level for these two new events. Thank you!