Get Involved

1. Once an application is accepted, the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival must receive a non-refundable deposit (50% of space fee) by a date stipulated upon your acceptance. Failure to comply may result in your application being rescinded. Your non-refundable final payment is due no later than Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
2. All Lease Fees must be paid in full by Lessor no later than Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
3. All Lease Fees are non-refundable.
4. Checks sent by Lessee that are returned for insufficient funds constitute an automatic cancellation of the Lease and forfeiture of any Lease Fee payments made by Lessee.
5. If the entire event is cancelled by festival organizers, full space fee refunds will be made within 30 days of the cancellation.
6. All fees paid are non-refundable if you are removed from the festival by Festival Management for non-compliance, or if you are unable to participate due to failing a health or fire inspection.

The Virginia Beach Neptune Festival Boardwalk Weekend is generally a rain or shine event. Every reasonable effort will be made to conduct Boardwalk Weekend as scheduled. Festival Management, in coordination with municipal authorities, weather officials and other resources, will closely monitor weather conditions before and during events. If weather or other circumstances exist or develop that, in the opinion of Festival Management, would present serious hazards to life or property, festival events, including Boardwalk Weekend events, in whole or in part, may be adjusted or cancelled at the sole discretion of Festival Management.

Only if the entire festival is cancelled in full will applicants receive a space fee refund. There will be no pro-rated or partial refunds.

1. All vendors must provide a current Certificate of Insurance, listing Virginia Beach Events Unlimited (t/a Virginia Beach Neptune Festival) and the City of Virginia Beach as additional insured.
2. The Certificate of Insurance must include Combined Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability (including Product Liability) of $1,000,000.00.
3. The Certificate of Insurance must be listed in the same corporate name as on the vendor application.
4. Certificate dates must read: “in effect from 9/25/2026 through 9/27/2026”

1. Neptune Festival reserves the right to deny the sale of any product or merchandise.
2. Products, services and their prices must be clearly displayed at the operation throughout the festival weekend.
3. Neptune Festival will verify approved products, services and pricing compliance throughout the festival weekend. Failure to comply will result in removal from the event without a refund, without the opportunity to participate in future Neptune Festival events.

1. All food vendors are required to file for a temporary restaurant permit request with the Virginia Beach Department of Health 30 days prior to the festival. Failure for VDH to receive this application in a timely fashion will result in your inability to participate as a Vendor during the Festival. The application can be found HERE.
   • Food Vendors can submit TFE Applications (with check payment) via postal mail to the following address:
     Virginia Beach Department of Public Health
     4452 Corporation Lane, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
   • Alternatively, this can be submitted over the phone (with CC payment) by using the info below as well:
     (757) 518-2700 or (757) 278-3786
2. Tented food vendors must use felt roofing paper or other barrier approved by the Virginia Beach Health Department as ground cover under the entire food tented operation.
3. No food vendor will be authorized to operate without an onsite inspection and clearance from the Health Department. Failure to comply will result in removal from the event and the opportunity to participate in future Neptune Festival events.

• Important Health Department Regulations
• Temporary Food Service Guide

ELECTRICITY

1. Electricity is provided upon request through the Vendor and Sponsor Information Form and is included in your vendor fee.
2. All electrical requests must be submitted in your Vendor and Sponsor Information Form.
3. Ensure that the Vendor and Sponsor Information Form is filled out with as much detail as possible, noting a complete listing of all equipment to include credit card machines, lights, etc.
4. All requests must be submitted by Wednesday, July 15, 2026. Onsite requests are not permitted.
5. Electrical power can be found on the beach side of the boardwalk railing near your operation.
6. All vendors must have a minimum of 100 feet, 3-wire grounded cord acceptable for outdoor and wet use to connect to the power source.
7. All vendor equipment must be GFCI compliant. It is strongly suggested that all equipment is tested before arriving onsite, as the city of Virginia Beach or the festival does not assume responsibility for faulty equipment.
8. All 220 Volt power requests must be submitted with a clear picture of the plug clearly showing the configuration, catalog # and NEMA reference number.
9. All 220 Volt power requests will be placed on the boardwalk railing and will be marked with name of the vending operation.
10. No operations will be hardwired to power source.
11. Electrical hookups may not be active until Friday of the festival weekend.

WATER

1. Water is provided upon request through the Vendor and Sponsor Information Form and is included in your vendor fee.
2. All water requests must be submitted in your Vendor and Sponsor Information Form.
3. All requests must be submitted by Wednesday, July 15, 2026. Onsite requests are not permitted.
4. Water connections can be found on the beach side of the boardwalk railing near your operation.
5. All vendors must have a minimum of 100 feet, food-grade water hose and nozzle to connect to the water source.
6. Water hookups may not be active until Friday of the festival weekend.

You can view the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) Chart here for your reference. If you are still unable to determine your plug, we will try to assist.

You can view important electricity / water / trash / waste regulations here.

1. All required documentation and lease fees must be on file to receive assigned vending location.
2. Assigned Vending Locations will be provided between September 1-7, 2026
3. Vendors are assigned vending locations at the discretion of the Vendor Committee.
4. Vendors are assigned locations according to product types. Festival history is considered, but no location request or previous location is guaranteed.
5. The Vendor Marketplace is located between 8^th and 25^th streets along the Virginia Beach Boardwalk railing.
6. Vendors may only operate within the confines of their assigned location. Use of any potential open space adjacent to or near their location is strictly prohibited.

1. The Vendor Marketplace is located between 8^th to 25^th streets along the Virginia Beach Boardwalk railing.
2. Vending Locations are numbered from south to north, along the boardwalk railing.
3. Numbering begins at the first railing north of the steps at the beach of each street. It is noted with an identifiable street sign. Where the sign is placed is the first location on that street.  For example, where 18^th Street meets the Boardwalk, the assigned locations begin north of the steps and continue north – 1801, 1802, 1803, 1804, etc.
4. Each location is 10’x10’ from the rail and is defined by the space between the two bollards on the boardwalk railing. From the boardwalk railing, your space extends 10’ or up to but not beyond the demarcation center line down the center of the boardwalk. No part of your operation may extend beyond this point, to include but not limited to awnings, signs, tables, chairs and coolers.
5. Your space will be identified with a printed tag, placed in the center of the top railing of your assigned vending location. The tag will note the vendor’s name and assigned vending location number.
6. Larger operations will have tags on each of their additional leased spaces.
7. All spaces will be marked, and empty spaces must remain empty.
8. Neptune Festival will verify assigned vending location compliance throughout the festival weekend. Failure to comply will result in removal from the event and the opportunity to participate in future Neptune Festival events.
9. Some tents will be erected before your arrival. We encourage you to walk the boardwalk and your location prior to your scheduled Drive On time to know where to find your location.

1. Vendors are encouraged to park at the hotel or residence you are staying during the festival weekend.
2. The festival has secured vehicle, trailer parking at the Rudee Loop gravel lot during the 2026 festival weekend at 204 3^rd Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23451.
3. Parking spaces are limited and only available on a first-come, first-served basis.
4. Lot is permitted for parking only, not for camping.
5. Parking permits will be available at Drive On.

There are short-term/hourly parking lots and garages located at 2nd Street, 4th Street, 9th Street, 19th Street, 25th Street, and 31st Street. More information and rates can be found HERE.

1. Overnight security begins Wednesday, September 23, 2026 and will continue through the end of the Drive Off on Sunday, September 27, 2026.
2. Security will have an active presence throughout the festival at night.
3. Neptune Festival and the City of Virginia Beach are not responsible for items or products. It is up to the vendor to secure items overnight.

1. Vendors in need of a tent, tent lighting, chairs, tables, linens, etc. prior to the festival are encouraged to contact our operations partner, Perfect Event Rentals at (757) 428-5987 or at https://www.perfecteventrentals.com/
2. Tent-weight rentals are only available with tent rentals and cannot be rented separately
3. Vendors providing their own tents are encouraged to use commercial grade tents that are wind-rated for at least 60mph. Tents legs must be secured to the tent railing and have a minimum of 75 lbs. of weight on each leg.
4. Vendors providing their own tents must submit a copy of the Flame Retardant Certificate unless it is permanently attached to the canopy.

STRUCTURES

1. The festival is proud to offer high-class, appealing concessions to our visitors. The Vendor Committee will review all vendor applications and vending operation pictures from previous outdoor events, looking particularly for visual appeal.
2. All vending structures must be a well-presented operation in accordance with the approved operational photo and/or the requested Vendor Committee amendments.
3. Vendors will only be allowed to operate over the festival weekend with permission of the Neptune Festival Vendor Committee.

VENDOR SIGNAGE

1. Banners are limited to only one 4’ tall by the length of your operation. Multiple stacked signs and/or banners are strictly prohibited.
2. Products, services and their prices must be clearly displayed at the operation throughout the festival weekend.
3. Products, menus and pricing may not change over the course of the weekend.
4. Flags are limited to 4 flags per operation and may not extend more than 15 feet high from the ground.
5. Flags must be secured to the front or the side of your operation and must have at least 3 secure points to the operation.
6. Neptune Festival and the City of Virginia Beach have the authority to request flags be taken down due to high winds, weather, safety precautions or as deemed necessary.
7. No sandwich boards, A-framed signs, displays of any sort or any other operational items may be outside the assigned vending location and or beyond the demarcation center line of the boardwalk.
8. For the safety and enjoyment of the attendees and guests, vendors are not permitted to sell, vend, display, or hand out items outside of your leased vending location.

• All menus and pricing must be prominently displayed throughout the duration of the Festival.
• Menus and pricing must be submitted for approval with the application. No changes to the menus or pricing are permitted after initial application submission.
• Failure to list and display menus and pricing will result in removal from the Festival.
  No Refunds will be given upon removal from the Festival.

TRASH

1. The festival will pick up trash from the cans located throughout the boardwalk throughout the festival weekend.
2. Vendor trash will be located on the beach next to the boardwalk wall, south of the handicap accessible walkway of each block. Some of the food vendor blocks may have a dumpster for trash.
3. Put all trash in contractor-grade, 3MM-thick garbage bags. Light weight/duty bags are strictly prohibited, as they will split.
4. The festival requests that you hold all trash, cardboard boxes, etc. at your location until the end of each day. (Friday 11:00pm, Saturday 11:00pm, Sunday 6:00pm)
5. Ensure that all cardboard boxes are cut along the seams and folded flat. Do not crush the boxes – fold them.
6. Felt paper is to be bagged and placed in vendor trash at the end of the festival.
7. Place trash and cardboard boxes neatly at the designated areas on the beach closest to your operation. 

WASTE VEGETABLE OIL

1. The festival provides waste vegetable oil containers within all food areas.
2. Waste containers are available on the beach, next to the boardwalk wall, south of the handicap accessible walkway on these blocks: 5^th, 15^th, 17^th, 23^rd, 24^th, and 31^st streets
3. Do not leave your containers of oil there.
4. If the waste container is full, please take your WVO to the next nearest disposal area and notify Neptune Festival to have the container emptied.
5. Please only dispose of waste vegetable oil in these containers.

GREY WATER/WASTEWATER

1. The festival provides grey water and wastewater containers within all food areas.
2. Grey water, wastewater containers are available on the beach, next to the boardwalk wall, south of the handicap accessible walkway on these blocks: 5^th, 15^th, 17^th, 23^rd, 24^th, and 31^st streets
3. If the grey water, wastewater container is full, please take your wastewater to the next nearest disposal area and notify Neptune Festival to have the container emptied.
4. Please only dispose of grey water, wastewater in these containers 

You can view important electricity / water / trash / waste regulations here.

1. The Voucher Redemption Program is specific to food vendors, and participation is required. Neptune Festival Volunteers play a vital role in the success of the weekend’s events. To thank them and to provide additional post-event revenue for you, volunteers are provided with a voucher that may be redeemed at any of the food vendors at the festival.
2. Food vendors are required to provide a minimum of 2 menu options of your choosing for the program. The voucher is not to be used as a discount for higher dollar items. You must retain the vouchers and return them to the Neptune Festival office by October 16, 2026. We will then send you a reimbursement check of $5.00 for each voucher returned.
3. Failure to accept vouchers will result in removal from the event without a refund and the opportunity to participate in future Neptune Festival events.

1. The submitted application is for the vendor identified in the lease agreement, and may only be operated by that business, by name. No site subcontracting is authorized for any reason, and evidence that a site has been subcontracted is grounds for immediate removal from the Neptune Festival and forfeiture of all fees.

1. The festival will use the contact number provided in the Vendor application and Vendor and Sponsor Information Form to text information about the festival, updates, weather notifications and any other vendor information over the festival weekend.
2. If you want to provide other telephone numbers to receive this information, please share the information to the Vendor Committee.
3. If you have any questions prior to or over the festival weekend, please check this FAQ section or call the Neptune Festival Office at (757) 498-0215.

Festival t-shirts are available for purchase at the official merchandise tents located along the Boardwalk.

The Neptune Festival does not sell bagged ice. There are multiple stores throughout the Virginia Beach Oceanfront that sell ice.