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For World Food & Music Festival Vendors

Food vendors, merchants and nonprofit organizations help create the vibrant experience that makes the World Food & Music Festival, presented by Veridian Credit Union, one of Greater Des Moines' signature annual events. Each year, local businesses and organizations connect with nearly 100,000 attendees while showcasing international cuisine, unique products, community resources and the cultures that make Greater Des Moines a welcoming and diverse community. 

Whether you're serving authentic global cuisine, selling handcrafted goods or sharing your organization's mission, The Festival provides an opportunity to reach thousands of visitors from across the region during one of Iowa's premier cultural celebrations. 

Why Participate in The Festival? 

For more than 20 years, the World Food & Music Festival has been bringing people together through food, music and culture. Recognized as the No. 8 Best Cultural Festival in the Nation in the 2026 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, the No. 3 Best Midwest Food Festival by Parade and named the Best Food Festival in Iowa by Midwest Living, The Festival welcomes nearly 100,000 attendees to Downtown Des Moines each year. 

Participating in The Festival offers the opportunity to: 

  • Connect with nearly 100,000 Festival attendees over three days. 
  • Showcase your food, products or organization to visitors from across Iowa and the Midwest. 
  • Celebrate the cultures and traditions that make Greater Des Moines unique. 
  • Reach new customers while participating in one of Iowa's premier cultural events. 
  • Be part of an award-winning Festival that brings together food, music and community.

Vendor applications for the 2026 World Food & Music Festival are now closed. If you have questions about vendor eligibility or The Festival, please contact Amelia Klatt, Director of Events, at aklatt@downtownDSMUSA.com.

Interested in participating in the 2027 World Food & Music Festival? Complete the 2027 Vendor Interest Form to be notified when applications open and receive information about vendor opportunities for next year's Festival. 

For 2026 Approved Vendors

The following information outlines key systems and communication requirements for the 2026 Festival.  

Marketspread

The Festival uses Marketspread for vendor applications, scheduling and more. Vendors are required to check Marketspread on a regular basis for updates to the schedule and general notifications. It is the responsibility of the vendor to ensure all contact information is updated and maintained.  

If a vendor has changes that need to be made to their Marketspread account, please contact Marketspread directly at support@marketspread.com. 

Log in to your Marketspread account here.  

The Festival Handbook 

The Festival handbook serves as the official guide for all vendors, merchants and nonprofits participating in the World Food & Music Festival. The document outlines policies, procedures, regulations and expectations to ensure a smooth festival. All participants are required to review and sign the handbook prior to The Festival and adhere to its policies, conducting themselves and their businesses in a manner that is respectful to fellow vendors, staff and the community. 

Review The Festival Handbook and Vendor Rules + Regulations.

Vendor Load In and Out Times

Load In

All vendors will receive one vehicle identification tag, that they will be required to place on their rearview mirror or dashboard. Only vehicles with The Festival approved hang tag will be allowed onsite for load in and out.

  • Thursday, Aug. 27 | Preliminary Set-Up: 5-7 p.m. 
  • Friday, Aug. 28 | Event Set-Up: 8-10 a.m. 
  • Saturday, Aug. 29 & Sunday, Aug. 30 | Restocking: 8-10 a.m. 

Note: On Saturday and Sunday, all vehicles must be off site by 10 a.m. 

Load Out

When ready to bring your car in, please find The Festival Staff to review your space and give you a load out pass. This pass will allow you to bring in one car with the hang tag.  

When loading out, Vendors must have all items packed and ready to load before vehicles are allowed onsite. Security will not allow you to bring your vehicle on-site without this pass for teardown. 

Time: Vehicles will not be allowed in The Festival site prior to 6 p.m. 

Weather Policy

The Festival is a rain or shine event. The Festival staff takes the safety of vendors and patrons seriously. The Festival staff is the only entity with the ability to close or delay The Festival.  

If The Festival closes, in the case of severe weather, or another emergency, vendors and patrons are expected to leave The Festival footprint and close booths as soon and safely as possible.  

In the event The Festival must close, vendors will be notified by Festival Staff as soon as possible and will receive notifications via email and text from Marketspread.

For more information on inclement weather and emergency procedures, see Festival Handbook.  

Contact Information

For questions, contact Amelia Klatt, Director of Events, at aklatt@downtownDSMUSA.com.