Commercial Booth Guidelines
First Fridays take place on the first Friday of every month and draw thousands of Elkhart County residents and visitors to Downtown Goshen for extended business hours, live entertainment, themed activities, and a lively, walkable street experience. These events are a key driver of economic activity in the downtown sector, bringing a high volume of engaged, community-minded shoppers and visitors straight to your doorstep, making it the perfect opportunity to collect leads, launch promotions, and build lasting relationships with the community that you serve.
We encourage all regional commercial businesses to take advantage of this monthly opportunity. With customers already out and eager to explore, First Fridays is your chance to showcase what makes your business unique, welcome new faces through your door, and be part of the energy that makes Downtown Goshen thrive!
Commercial Booth Guidelines
Please review the information below before applying to participate.
- Application. All commercial businesses must use the application to sign up. Please note that direct sales businesses will not be accepted.
- Payment. Booth vendors will be sent an invoice for their selected dates. Booth vendors will be invoiced for all dates selected in advance of their first event. Vendors must pay in full 48 hours before their first event, or their space will be forfeited.
- Hold Harmless. You must Digitally Sign the Hold Harmless Agreement as part of your application.
- Family-Friendly. First Fridays is a family-friendly event. All items featuring inappropriate, politically charged, or lewd imagery and language will be strictly prohibited. We reserve the right to remove any vendor that does not comply. First Fridays is dedicated to maintaining a positive and welcoming environment for all patrons, investors, volunteers, staff, and other vendors. Anyone exhibiting misconduct will be asked to leave without a refund.
- Non-Proselytizing Policy. Downtown Goshen, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) organization and, as such, is prohibited from endorsing specific religious or political views. First Fridays cannot allow booths or displays designed for the purpose of religious proselytization or political campaigns at its events. Vendors participating in First Fridays must agree not to encourage event attendees to adhere to or convert to a particular faith, church, or political persuasion, nor will they distribute messaging designed to induce conversion to a specific faith, support for a candidate, or a political party.
- Weather, Cancellations, and Attendance Policy. First Fridays is a RAIN or SHINE event. Refunds will not be issued for weather-related cancellations. Vendors who are consistently late or have more than 3 last-minute absences may not be asked to return for the remainder of the season and will forfeit their vendor space and vendor fees. Vendors unable to attend must notify the vendor coordinator no later than 3 days prior to the event of their absence. Exceptions will be made for emergencies.
- Permits and Licenses. All booth vendors must have all permits and licenses applicable to their businesses on-site.
Commercial Booth Fees
First Fridays will feature a limited number of commercial booths at our events in May – October 2026, with separate opportunities possible in November and December. Please reach out to info@eyedart.com for information regarding November and December.
Commercial Booth Fee: $350 per event
Refund Policy
First Fridays events are rain or shine events. We will not issue refunds for weather cancellations.
Location / Equipment
First Fridays provides vendors with a designated 10’ x 10’ space. Booth vendors must provide and set up their own equipment (tent, tables, chairs, etc). All tents must be secured with weights – stakes are strictly prohibited. Any vendors using more than their allotted 10’ x 10’ space will be asked to downsize their display or may be subject to an additional fee. Please do not bring a tent larger than 10’ x 10’.
Electrical Access
First Fridays does not provide on-site electrical access or Wi-Fi.
Non-Compete Policy
First Fridays generally will not approve applications for commercial businesses that compete directly with a Downtown Goshen business.
Want to expand your reach?
Get more perks and visibility by sponsoring our events! Check out our sponsorship packages!
Questions
Contact us via email or phone (574) 203-2034 with any questions.
