STALLHOLDERS GUIDE 2015
Contents Ecofest... 3 Vision, Mission, Strategy... 4 Benefits of Participating... 5 Stallholder Recognition... 6 Your Stall.. 7 Compliance... 8 Event Timeline... 9 Sustainability & Waste Management.. 10 Stallholder Registration.. 13 Ecofest Checklist. 15 Purpose of the Ecofest Guide This Stallholder Guide is designed to give you all the information you need to not only to be involved in Ecofest, but it also provides a best practice approach to ensuring Ecofest is sustainable and environmentally conscious. It will assist organisers to reduce the Event s Carbon Footprint and also enable you to maximise the event for the benefit of your business/group and the community. For further information, please contact Jennifer Russell Gladstone Festivals & Events PO Box 169, Gladstone 4680 Ph. (07) 4972 5111 Email: events2@gladstonefestival.com 2
Ecofest Ecofest is an annual environmental festival established to celebrate World Environment Day. It aims to promote positive environmental actions in the Gladstone Region and improve environmental awareness within the community. Ecofest links people with environmental products and services whilst being a fun, interactive family event. The Ecofest concept was developed by the Boyne Island Environmental Education Centre (BIEEC) after staff heard world environmental expert David Bellamy, speak in 1998. Mr Bellamy commented on the surprisingly good balance that existed between industry and the environment in the Gladstone Region. He was also impressed by the level of community involvement and suggested that the Region should promote its environmental performance. Education Queensland supported the Ecofest idea to work in partnership with industry and community groups to educate the community on the environment and sustainability. The first Ecofest was held at Bray Park, Boyne Island in 1999. After two years at this location and the festival growing in size and popularity, BIEEC sought a partnership to help with this event. Gladstone Regional Council (GRC) now works in partnership with Gladstone Festivals & Events (GFE) to deliver this important community event. In 2001, Ecofest moved to Tondoon Botanic Gardens where thousands of people attend the festival each year. 3
Vision, Mission, Strategy In 2011, Gladstone Regional Council developed a Vision, Mission and Strategy Statement in order to ensure the intent, spirit and integrity of Ecofest is upheld throughout the coming years. Vision: Ecofest to be recognised as the benchmark in regional events that celebrate and promote environmental leadership. Mission: Ecofest is the Gladstone Region s celebration of the environment and all the positive measures taken by local government, industry, business and community groups in reducing their impact on the environment. Strategy: Coinciding with World Environment Day annually, Ecofest s activities and displays will engage and increase community knowledge of best environmental practice, local environmental initiatives and the contribution of local government, industry, business and community groups. 'Grown in Gladstone' - the theme for Ecofest 2015, like the future of the Gladstone Region itself, is abundant with possibilities. The term could be applied to long-term residents who are products of the region, or to more recent arrivals who have seen their lives and careers flourish here. It could just as aptly refer to the recent rapid expansion in population, infrastructure, business and industry which the region has undergone, or the increasing awareness of environmental issues within the community, industry and agriculture and the realisation that we need to minimise damage to the benevolent but fragile ecosystem that supports us. The theme encourages the community to take pride in our region and to be proactive in helping to protect it. The theme also reflects the success of Ecofest itself, having grown from modest beginnings to become one of Central Queensland's largest environmental awareness events. 4
Benefits of Participating Ecofest has been a part of the Gladstone Region for over 15 years. It has received continued support from the community and industry alike. So, what keeps people coming back year after year? Sense of pride and achievement gained from contributing positively to the local community. Creates positive local role models through which family and community members demonstrate the importance of community participation and environmental responsibility. Establishes a sense of belonging to the community, and promotes local environmental groups. Helps to educate and inform the Gladstone Region community about the environment, and local industry environmental initiatives. A social day where you can spend time with your family, friends and neighbours. 5
Stallholder Recognition The Gladstone Region Environmental Advisory Network (GREAN) is a community reference group for Gladstone Regional Council regarding environmental matters. Forming part of their Terms of Reference, GREAN is to act as custodian to the intent, spirit and integrity of Ecofest, by acting as a reference group for the event organisers, Gladstone Festivals and Events. GREAN is working towards creating a more sustainable event each and every year, which includes greater accountability of stallholders and an increased focus on improving the events take-home message for community members. To encourage greater sustainability of stallholder s displays, GREAN introduced the following Awards in 2013: Sustainability Award This award will be presented by GREAN for the stallholder that can best demonstrate sustainability measures on their stall according to the following criteria: Locally sourced materials/products Use of Recycled and Recyclable Material Waste Minimisation Active Recycling Resource Use Stallholders will also be asked to outline their sustainability measures and intended environmental message on their registration form. Business and not-for-profits will be judged according to the same criteria. GREAN believes sustainability is not reliant on expenditure, but rather a change in behaviour. Spirit of Ecofest Award This award will be presented by GREAN to the stallholder that has demonstrated a discernible effort in achieving sustainable outcomes for their stall, and sharing their environmental message with the community. Their efforts will be measured by their ability to adhere to the criteria above, as well as their willingness to uphold the Spirit and Integrity of Ecofest, as well as this years theme. Each awardee will be presented with a trophy during the event, as well as an inaugural perpetual award. 6
Your Stall As participants in the event, we seek your assistance in promoting Ecofest as the premier environmental festival for Central Queensland. Stalls must be relevant to the theme of this year s festival and clearly have an environmental focus. Preference will be given to stallholders who can demonstrate that their environmental message/practices align with Ecofest s Vision and Mission Statements. Make your Stall a Success Prepare your stall to align with this year s theme Share information about environmental sustainability successes and opportunities for your business. Make it enjoyable and fun prepare interactive activities for kids, teenagers and adults alike. Electricity The fees associated with each site registration were implemented in order to discourage the use of electricity, thereby improving the sustainability of the event. Please note: power is only available to food vendors. If you require power please call Jennifer on 4972 5111 to discuss options. Power Leads Please provide your own extensions leads and power boards (outdoor ones if possible) marked with your name and contact details. All leads and electrical equipment must also be tested and tagged. Onsite electricians will check equipment and non-compliant equipment cannot be used at the event. You may be a considerable distance from the main power board so a long extension lead is recommended. Gladstone Regional Council/Gladstone Festivals and Events will NOT supply any extension leads on the day. Tables, Chairs & Display Boards Please provide your own tables, chairs and display boards. It is up to individual stallholders to organise their own display equipment and materials. Marquees Marquees will NOT be provided by Gladstone Regional Council/Gladstone Festivals and Events. It will be the responsibility of each stallholder to arrange, collect and erect their own Marquee on their site and dismantle it. 7
Compliance It is a requirement that all stallholders hold appropriate licences, tickets and authorisations suitable to the activities undertaken. Food Stall Permits All food stallholders must ensure they comply with the requirements of the Food Act 2006 and Food Safety Standards. Temporary Food Stall Permits are available from Gladstone Regional Council s Regulatory Services Department. Further details and application forms can be obtained by contacting GRC, ph. 4970 0700. Please be mindful that a minimum of three weeks is required to assess and approve a permit. Persons in charge need to prove that they have adequate knowledge of food handling and Gladstone Regional Council recommend they complete the free online, food training/handling course. Please log onto www.gladstone.imalert.com.au Public Liability Insurance Corporate entities and all stallholders and businesses must provide a copy of a valid Certificate of currency for public liability insurance with a minimum cover of $10 Million. Working with Children For those artists, entertainers and activity providers who will be undertaking activities for children on the day, please forward a copy of Working with Children Blue Cards for each staff member who will be involved or working at the event. 8
Event Timeline Set Up Ecofest organisers will be on site the Friday before Ecofest from 9am to 4pm and Saturday from 9am to 12pm to provide site maps and allow stallholders to set up prior to the event. We encourage stallholders to set up (marquees and tables at least) on Friday or Saturday. The Botanic Gardens are closed overnight for security, and will reopen at 6am on Sunday, for stallholders to set up their displays. Access to Sites The first two internal access roads on the left will be open for vehicles to approach their site and unload display materials. Please note: From 7.45am, these roads will be closed and all vehicles must vacate from the grounds. The road will not reopen until the end of the event. It is the responsibility of all stallholders to make all persons working with them on the day (including all deliveries), aware of these conditions. Due to safety requirements, these times and conditions will be strictly enforced. Car Parking Car parking at the Gardens main car park is limited; therefore Meteors Sports Club will also provide car parking at their site for a $2 entry. Vehicles are not permitted on grassed areas without approval from the Event Managers. No display/stallholders vehicles are to be parked on the grass during the event, unless the vehicle is part of the display. Pack Up Please pack up your site at the end of the day and ensure all rubbish from your site is disposed of appropriately in the correct waste receptacles. Please be aware that you will not be permitted to pack down your site until 3pm on the day of Ecofest, no exceptions. Remove all marquees and leave the site clean and tidy. Bad Weather In the event of bad weather, a decision will be made by 7am on Sunday. Announcements will be made on the local radio station 4CC and via the Gladstone Festivals and Events Facebook page. At the End of the Event As an essential part of your role and critical in ensuring the ongoing success of Ecofest, it is important that you provide feedback to the Event Organisers. 9
Sustainability & Waste Management Being an environmental event, the community has a high expectation that the event itself be green. This means that environmental considerations must be made with regards to all aspects of the event, ranging from the type of displays, entertainment, activities, and general event management issues such as waste management. Your participation in this event is based on an agreement to participate in a green event. Ensuring your stall is sustainable can begin before you attend the event. Waste Minimisation Sustainability can start in preparation for your stall. Stallholders should actively minimise their waste, especially non-recyclable waste, and including electricity. Every effort should be made to ensure your stall does not require electricity. Please note power is only available to food vendors. If you require power please call Jennifer on 4972 5111 to discuss options. Stallholders must use recyclable packaging to minimise waste i.e. paper plates, bamboo cutlery, and cardboard burger containers, that would usually be disposed of in landfill, and should ideally use recycled paper for flyers and posters. Not only will these small actions have a large environmental benefit, it will reduce the costs associated with providing a waste service at the event, and as such enable a much bigger and better event to be enjoyed by all. Recycling One of the aims of Ecofest is to encourage certain environmental behaviours including recycling. There are many important environmental benefits of diverting rubbish from landfill and recovering these resources. The amount of electricity saved by recycling a single aluminium can, for example, is enough to run the average television for three hours. Stallholders agree to actively participate in Ecofest s recycling strategy for all back and front of house materials such as cardboard and recyclable plastics. This includes disposing of all materials according to the waste management plan which includes disposal of recyclable materials (such as those below) in provided skips and bins. 10
Glass Bottles and Jars Aluminum Cans Aluminum Foil Newspapers Magazines Office Paper Envelopes with a Windows Phone Books Pizza Boxes (clean) Egg Cartons Cardboard Steel Food Cans Steel Paint Cans (empty) Juice cartons Milk cartons Steel Aerosol Cans (empty) All plastic bottles and containers, liquids removed Adequate waste receptacles are strategically placed throughout the Gardens during Ecofest. It is imperative that you sort through your waste and place in the appropriate bins. Remember - Red bin caps for general waste, Yellow bin caps for recycling. Skips for cardboard recycling are also located back of house, which will be located in car park No. 1. The stallholder is responsible for leaving the site in a clean and tidy state and shall immediately remove all rubbish, refuse and waste matter. Any cost incurred by Gladstone Regional Council/Gladstone Festivals and Events in cleaning the site, resulting from the condition in which the stallholder left the site shall be recoverable from the stallholder. 11
Balloons Whilst balloons provide a festive feel to any event, they can have significant environmental impacts. Once balloons burst they create litter in the environment and can make their way into the digestive tracts of animals including turtles. Whilst balloons are made from latex products, the time to decompose is generally greater than the time to enter the food chain. As such, it is preferred that stallholders refrain from using balloons. 12
Stallholder Registration Office Use Only Site Fee Date Pd Rect No 31 st May, 2015 Policy Enc Notes: Stallholder Registration of Interest Due date for Registration of Interest: Friday 16th May, 2015 please complete this form to be considered for a position at this year s Eco-Fest Preference will be given to stall holders who can demonstrate that their environmental practices align with the strategies of the Ecofest Vision & Mission YOUR DETAILS NAME of Business/Group... TYPE (e.g. not for profit)... COST (Please tick all that apply) Note: all sites are sold in increments of 3 x 3m. Therefore if your stall is 6 x 3m, the cost of your site (not including power) is doubled. Event Sponsors FREE Non Sponsor Industry/Business $75 Not for Profit: $22 + Power Required $55 food vendors only No power required FREE Total $ CONTACT PERSON... ADDRESS.... POSTCODE... CONTACT PHONE NUMBER...FAX... MOBILE...EMAIL... DONATION TO PRIZE HAMPER. Please consider donating produce, gift vouchers, or promotional items for the survey participation hamper winner, which will be displayed on entry for encouragement to fill out the audience event survey. 13
YOUR STALL You wish to (please circle) Sell Goods Display Only Please provide details (e.g. Sustainability measures to be implemented/displayed on your stall display, environmental message you wish to convey, your businesses environmental performance and activities, product demonstrations)...... Have you planned or are you interested in holding a workshop, demonstration or presentation throughout the day? If yes, please indicate the topic, preferred times and location needs....... SITE (marquee) DIMENSIONS - Size in METRES (Please be aware of size restrictions) Width... x Depth... x Height... POWER (please circle) YES NO Power required (please circle): Single Phase: 10 AMP 15 AMP 3 Phase If you require 3 Phase power what AMP is required... Maximum number of power outlets required... Please note that all electrical equipment used at the event MUST be tagged and tested and electricians will check for compliance. Please return your completed registration with a copy of your Certificate of Currency to Gladstone Festivals and Events P.O Box 169, Gladstone Qld 4680. Phone: 4972 5111 Email: info@gladstonefestival.com Bank Details Account Name: Gladstone Festivals & Events Association Inc. Bank: BOQ BSB No: 124 073 Account No: 2213 8987 Credit Card Payment: Amount to be charged: Card Type:. Card No: Exp Date: /. Name on Card: Please assume acceptance of your registration, unless you hear otherwise from Gladstone Festivals & Events. Your site will not be secured until payment is made. 14
Ecofest Checklist Payment for Site finalised Aligned with theme Marquees and banners organised Tables and chairs organised Power cords organised and safety tested Minimised non-recyclable materials used Interactive activities organised for the kids or competitions All participants advised of set up times and vehicle restrictions Site holders forms filled in and returned Certificate of Currency attached to site form Key Contacts Ecofest and its organisers place the utmost importance on safety of stallholders, volunteers, and patrons. Stallholders must cooperate with the organisers in the maintenance of a safe environment. This includes adhering to the strict conditions for vehicular access to Tondoon Botanic Gardens. Should you have any further queries now or on the day, you can contact Jennifer Russell on: (07) 4972 5111 Events2@gladstonefestival.com 15