Alton Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market Bylaws 2025

  1. Vendors of homegrown, good quality produce and merchandise which meet City, County and State codes are eligible to participate – such as (but not limited to): fresh fruits and vegetables, garden and houseplants, cut flowers and herbs, honey, baked goods, canned goods, ready-to-eat foods, and homemade art and crafts. 
  2. Uncut fruits and vegetables may be sold; samples may be distributed in accordance with Health Department regulations.
  3. The only items approved to be sold at the market are products that have been handmade or homegrown – by the person, family, or cooperative operating the booth. (No resellers or wholesalers!)
    Since 2013, all new produce vendors must grow their crops within a 50-mile radius of the Market. A limited number of farmers within a 50-100 mile radius have been grandfathered into the Market.Since 2016, a Farm Inspection Task Force has been established to coordinate a visit to each farm in order to verify that all products are being produced on the property. This team of 5 will include the Head Farmer, with the 4 remaining seats to be appointed by the Head Farmer & Executive Director. The Task Force will consist of local farmers with specialized knowledge in various agricultural products, whose own farm locations cover a wide range of our territory. Each farm will be subject to a one-time inspection fee of $20, to be paid upfront. The inspector will verify that the vendor is growing a significant majority of what they are selling themselves, although provisions will be considered for cooperative arrangements between family farms. In that case, each farm involved with the cooperative will need to be visited and pay a separate inspection fee. 100% of the products sold must be grown within the 50-mile radius.

    A random farm inspection will occur if two or more produce vendors report their suspicion to the Head Farmer that products being sold have not been grown by the person, family, or cooperative operating a booth. A vendor that files their concern questioning the validity of another vendor’s product will be subject to a $50 fee, which will be refunded if the accusation is founded or forfeited if the accusation is unfounded. If a vendor submits three unfounded reports their participation will be suspended for the remainder of the current season.

    Failure to comply with the guidelines will result in the following penalties: 1st Violation – suspension from vending at the Market for the remainder of the current season, 2nd Violation – expulsion from vending at the Market permanently

    Our policy regarding products that have been contract packaged is as follows: If a vendor starts out by making the product by hand and selling it direct to consumers at a market and then graduates to contract packaging then it will be allowed, but if the product went directly to being contract packaged without the step of it first having been handmade then it will not be allowed.

  4. Prices should be set in keeping with customer satisfaction and consideration of other market vendors.
  5. Any grievances regarding the actions or prices of other vendors must be brought to the attention of Alton Main Street in writing, not directed to the vendor in question.  The Board of Directors will determine if a special meeting needs to be called to settle the grievance.
  6. The market will be open on Saturdays beginning May 10th through October 18th, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Seasonal vendors may arrive to set up their assigned market stall as early as they need to. Saturday week to week vendors are asked to arrive no earlier than 7:00am and no later than 7:45am; please defer to the head farmer for booth placement.
  7. Each vendor is to provide State approved scales, as necessary, display racks or tables, shopping bags, money for change and professional signs displaying goods for sale, info on point of origin, and prices in full view of the consuming public.
  8. Products should be displayed in a professional and attractive manner.  Remember: Good marketing practices reap larger profits! 
  9. It is the responsibility of individual vendors to maintain clean and healthful conditions within their assigned area. VENDORS WILL NOT BE PROVIDED ACCESS TO A TRASH DUMPSTER.  Therefore, it is the responsibility of vendors to bag their trash to take with them and leave their area free of debris (including boxes and produce/product remnants).
  10. Each vendor is allowed an 11’x11’ booth space as well as one adjacent parking stall. Please park any additional vehicles to the back of the lot, leaving prime parking locations open for our customers.
  11. FEES: The daily rate is $12 per booth for Saturdays – to be paid on-site the day of the market. Please do not send daily fees through the mail or via Paypal.  Please consider investing in the Market & committing to a full or half-season!  The full-season rate for Saturdays is $150 (24 weeks), and the half-season rate for Saturdays is $80 (You may sign up for either the first 12 consecutive weeks or the last 12 consecutive weeks). Seasonal options are to be paid in full in a single installment. The daily rate for food trucks (any food service vehicle requiring more than 11’ of frontage) will be $25 per week, with no seasonal option. No refunds will be issued for rain-outs or unused weeks of a seasonal rate. Please write checks to “Alton Main Street” and mail to: Alton Main Street – 200 W. 3rd Street Suite 512 Alton, IL 62002
  12. Alton Main Street reserves the right to cancel the privileges of any vendor, who in the opinion of the Market committee and the Board of Directors, has willfully violated the rules governing the market.
  13. All participating vendors must sign and return the waiver of liability form before sales begin.
  14. Vendors who have purchased a full or half season will be assigned a permanent location. If a seasonal vendor has not arrived to set up by twenty minutes prior to the start of the market, the head farmer may assign another vendor to use the space for that week.
  15. No Hawking (loud yelling to promote your product) is allowed.
  16. Please do not smoke inside your booth (regular or electronic cigarettes). Vendors need to be in accordance with Illinois State Statute stating all state-licensed facilities are required to ban smoking inside their establishment and outside their facility at a minimum distance of 15 feet from ANY door and/or window that opens and/or ventilation intake.
  17. During the peak months of June, July and August only one free non-profit booth will be offered per week.  Non-profit organizations may choose their peak week on a first-come first-served basis.
  18. “Young Entrepreneurs” will be offered free booth space at the market the first week they attend. This opportunity is open to any vendor under the age of 18 years old, who must be supervised by an adult.
  19. Voting rights on major decisions for the market will be a privilege of vendors who have paid for a full season or half season. Any decisions made in the off-season regarding the upcoming season will be voted on by vendors who have paid for a full or half season during the prior year. One vote will also be cast by the Executive Director, and in the event of a tie the deciding vote will be cast by the Alton Main Street Board of Directors.
  20. Covid-19 vendor protocol will be attached as an addendum to the registration form and all vendors will be required to agree to follow the recommendations within as per State guidelines.

The complete Illinois regulatory guidelines for foods often found at farmers markets can be found here:

http://www.idph.state.il.us/pdf/IDPH_FDD_TIB_30_Farmers_Markets_051613.pdf

 

It is the vendor’s responsibility to collect tax (at the proper rate), pay the tax collected, and report the tax. To obtain the
correct tax rate or for forms and information on how to file, please contact the Special Event Coordinator at:

Email: Rev.SpecialEvents@illinois.gov
Call: 1-847-294-4475
Write to:
SPECIAL EVENTS UNIT
ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
PO BOX 19035
SPRINGFIELD, IL 62794-9035

http://tax.illinois.gov/Individuals/SalesandRelated/Fairs.htm

 

Article from the IRS “Earning side income: Is it a hobby or a business?”
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/earning-side-income-is-it-a-hobby-or-a-business