Unauthorized booths now banned during H&H
A new Gainesville city ordinance adopted Aug. 11 aims to keep vendors who have not paid the required fees for Hootin an Hollarin from setting up independently and reaping the benefits of the large crowds the festival brings to town without contributing to the festival, as all the other booths do.
The ordinance came to the city council earlier this year at the request of the Hootin an Hollarin committee, which says that in past years, unauthorized vendors have balked at paying a fee to have a craft or food booth at the festival and have instead setup shop on a street near the square. One such vendor even blocked the parade route last year, causing the big Saturday event to be delayed until the vendor could be found and food truck removed.
Hootin an Hollarin typically features nearly 100-plus vendors, including craft sellers, food booths, community organizations and demonstrators of old-time skills. Those participating as official festival vendors sign a contract with the Hootin an Hollarin committee and agree to pay the required fees.
Under the new city Ordinance (No. 2026-101), anyone operating a temporary vendor booth within Gainesville during the festival must be registered with and approved by the Hootin an Hollarin committee and assigned a vendor space. The ordinance applies throughout the city limits during the festival's official dates, the third Thursday through Saturday of September.
The festival's vendor fees vary depending on the type of booth. Craft booths are charged $75 for an approximately 12-by-12-foot space. The festival's rules require all arts and crafts to be handcrafted and indigenous to the Ozarks, with no off-the-shelf or manufactured items, consignments, flea-market or commercial booths allowed.
Food booths pay 15 percent of their gross receipts, with a $50 deposit required to hold a space. Electricity is included, and food vendors must comply with Missouri Department of Health guidelines. Vendors are also responsible for collecting and remitting sales tax according to state requirements.
The money collected from the vendors is 100 percent reinvested back into the following year’s festival, paying for the many expenses involved in putting on such a large festival. The funds make it possible for nearly every Hootin an Hollarin event to be free to enter and pays for trophies, cash prizes, banners and more.
Booth spaces are located on the square, and vendors must provide their own tables and display materials. Canopies or tarps are recommended for shade, but staking is not permitted.
Vendors from the previous year have until April 20 to submit their application indicating they wish to return for the following year. New vendors may apply at any time, but consideration isn’t given until all returning vendors have been placed.
The festival committee also maintains a waiting list of vendors who hope to fill spaces if a registered vendor is unable to attend.
The new ordinance does not prevent Gainesville's established businesses from operating at their regular locations during the festival. Established mobile food vendors may also continue operating at their regular locations. However, if an established business or mobile food vendor sets up an additional, off-site operation during the festival, that location falls under the temporary-vendor rules and must be approved by the festival committee.
The ordinance also does not exempt vendors or businesses from other applicable laws, including health, fire, building, traffic and noise regulations.
The Ozark County Sheriff's Department is authorized to enforce the new ordinance during the festival. Officers may issue warnings or municipal citations carrying fines of up to $500. Continued violations could result in an order to stop selling and, if necessary, removal from the festival zone.
The ordinance establishes the entire Gainesville city limits as the temporary festival zone during Hootin an Hollarin. Its stated purpose is to protect the integrity of the festival, keep vending organized and safe, prevent unauthorized vending and promote fairness for vendors who have registered and paid or agreed to pay the festival's required fees.
For information about becoming a Hootin an Hollarin vendor, contact booth coordinators Barbara Luna at 417-712-1946, Melanie Cook at 417-840-6976 or Dia Premer at 417-543-0337. To receive a copy of the city ordinance, call Gainesville City Hall at 417-679-4858 or stop by their location on the northwest corner of the square.