09/21/23 - 06/30/24
Cleveland History Center
All food vendors participating in University Circle Inc. (UCI) led events are expected to follow rules and regulations as outlined below. All vendors are subject to Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, State of Ohio, and Federal Laws.
For all Wade Oval events, University Circle Police Department is the primary acting safety agent. Call UCPD at (216) 791-1234.
These regulations apply to but are not limited to events such as Parade the Circle & Circle Village, WOW! Wade Oval Wednesdays, The Rink at Wade Oval, and YAY! Saturdays.
UCI expects vendors to follow all rules stated in the application and as it relates to food and fire safety. UCI expects proper handling and disposal of hazardous equipment such as propane and charcoal. Your space should be kept looking clean and professional. Trash and recycling should be handled and disposed of properly. Wade Oval events are public event with large attendee numbers. Please do not leave equipment unattended. Cash boxes, tip jars, payment devices, etc. should be secured at all times. Any vendor not following instructions from UCI staff or University Circle Police may be asked to leave.
UCI sees its event opportunities as an economic impact driver for the Greater University Circle community. Wade Oval often is transformed into a fantastic food court or open air shopping market bringing in wealth generation for small business owners.
UCI selects vendors based on a variety of factors, but the overall goal is to support University Circle based businesses and those businesses in neighborhoods immediately surrounding University Circle including Hough, Glenville, Little Italy, Fairfax, and Buckeye-Shaker.
Second to geographic location of the business or business owner, UCI selects vendors who represent disenfranchised and marginalized communities. Often, events led by UCI include 60%+ minority business representation. Specifically, UCI looks to support immigrant-owned businesses, Black-owned businesses, woman-owned businesses, LGBTQ-owned businesses, Hispanic-owned businesses, and Veteran-owned businesses.
WOW! Wade Oval Wednesdays
Only businesses that have a brick & mortar location in University Circle are eligible for a full season. Typically, repeat vendors receive 4 to 5 WOW! dates and new vendors receive 2-3 WOW! dates. UCI believes in spreading opportunities as often as possible.
Vendors must follow timing as instructed on applications and notices from UCI staff. For WOW!, all vendors need to be set up and ready to go by 5:15 p.m. each Wednesday. No cars, trucks, or vans will be allowed on Wade Oval after 5:15 p.m. Vehicles left on the Oval after this time will be ticketed and fined. UCI has the right to cancel your participation or future participation if you are not ready by 5:15 p.m. All WOW! Concerts start at 5:30 p.m. and end by 8:30 p.m. (the final two concerts of the season may end earlier due to earlier sunset).
All vendor tents will be uniform and set up according to UCI’s specifications. All vendors are responsible for their own signage, which can be hung from the table or from the inside of the tent. UCI reserves the right to decide what signage and promotional items are appropriate for the event. Vendors may be asked to provide pictures and images of vendor setup & signage prior to being approved.
UCI tries to provide professional, printed singage as often as possible at events for a uniform look. However, we encourage vendors to express their brands as well.
All food vendors must obtain their own temporary food license from the City of Cleveland’s Health Department/Division of Assessments and Licenses prior to the event. Licenses can be obtained at Cleveland City Hall, Room 122. All food vendors need to read and review the Food Vendor Guidelines from the Department of Health. For a copy, please call 216-664-4599 or you can pick up a copy at The Department of Health located at 1925 St. Clair Avenue. All vendors using propane or other hazardous materials need to have a Hazardous Materials permit through the City of Cleveland Fire Department prior to the event. Permits are due by May 15 or you may forfeit your concert dates and/or vendor fees.
UCI DOES NOT handle the Hazardous Materials permit for WOW! Food Vendors.
UCI DOES handle the Hazardous Materials permit for Parade the Circle & Circle Village.
Health & Food Permits can be found at:
City of Cleveland Fire Permits can be found at:
CFD Temporary Hazardous Materials
CFD Hazardous Materials Application
Please list exactly what equipment you plan on bringing and how much electricity you will need when operating that equipment on event applications. UCI’s electrical contractor must approve all electrical requests. Vendors must provide the proper receptacles for their electric connections. These receptacles will be specified and approved by UCI’s electrician prior to application approval. If any electrical needs are not noted on this application, UCI reserves the right to cancel your application.
Food trucks are expected to provide their own power.
Tent vendors must communicate all power needs in advanced.
Vendors are responsible for providing their own hoses and bringing containers for transporting water to their site. Water will be provided at only one location. Special hook up directly to the one water source may be possible for vendors that need constant water supply for their product. These special water needs must be approved by UCI prior to the event and there will be an additional fee of $30 per event for the direct water supply. The vendor will be required to provide necessary potable drinking water hoses and connections for this service.
No refunds will be given for inclement weather. UCI will decide if the event needs to be cancelled due to the public’s safety. In the event of inclement weather, vendors can decide for themselves if they would like to set up whether or not there will be a concert. They must notify UCI of this by 9:00am on the morning of the concert or event. UCI cannot guarantee that any cancelled concerts will be rescheduled. No refunds will be given if you cannot attend one of your scheduled dates. Most times, UCI has to order the equipment in advance and it is set up the morning of the event.
From time to time, UCI asks vendors to provide event sales/season sales. Although this is not mandatory, it will help UCI measure the economic impact of our events and help us ensure the future continuation of our events.
All food vendors must accept UCI’s food tickets. Vendors are reimbursed at 100%. UCI prints and distributes food tickets for its staff members and event sponsors. Tickets will be collected and tallied at the end of each WOW concert or event. Each ticket is worth $5. Individuals presenting the ticket are responsible for any difference in the cost of the food. Vendors are not asked to give change for food costing less than the value of the ticket. By submitting this application, vendors are obligated to accept the food tickets.
Vendors can also turn in tickets on their own at the Wade Oval Information Center during event hours. We ask you wait until 30 minutes prior to the end of the event to request your reimbursement.
Starting for the 2023 season, UCI will be reimbursing tickets on-site for vendors who accept credit card payments. A UCI Staff Member will be coming around approximately 30 minutes prior to event end time to pay you directly via credit card.
Vendors that require check payment must submit ticket tally by the end of the season. Reimbursements sent starting 7 days after the end date of the event or end of event series.
All vendors are responsible for finding their own parking, inclusive of both cars and box trucks. UCI will not be held responsible for any tickets or citations incurred from illegal parking, including vehicles parked on the Oval. Any special parking requests need to be addressed prior to the event.
Typically, 5:15 p.m. is the latest a vehicle can be parked for drop off prior to WOW! Wade Oval Wednesday.
PARKING IS NOT AVAILABLE IN UCI’S OFFICE PARKING LOT.
UCI contracts with a waste removal contractor for the entire season. Waste and recycling receptacles will be conveniently placed in the public and service areas around the vendor area. Vendors are expected to place their waste and recyclables in the proper receptacles in the service area (behind their tent). Recyclables consist of plastics marked 1-7, metals, paper, and clean cardboard. UCI’s waste contractor will collect both waste and recyclables during and after the event. Vendors using charcoal or other hazardous materials must be sure that the items are disposed of properly or UCI reserves the right to contact the City of Cleveland Fire Department to handle the situation directly. UCI prefers all vendors use sustainable or recyclable materials.
Upon application submission, vendor/business/individual releases all rights or claims in connection with all photo(s)/videotape collected in connection with WOW! Wade Oval Wednesday. The aforementioned material will be used for promotional purposes and you agree to waive any right to inspection or approval over the finished photos and/or advertising copy. All photographs, negatives and videotapes and other materials will be the sole property of University Circle Inc.
Through submission of this application, you forever discharge any and all rights, and claims for damages, demands, or actions which you may have or may hereafter accrue against University Circle Inc., City of Cleveland, events sponsors, affiliate organizations and its affiliated owners, volunteers, and all other related entities for any damage to personal belongings or merchandise and for all injuries suffered, even death, in connection with your participation in UCI Events, including but not limited to marketing, set-up, event attendance, breakdown, and clean-up.
University Circle Inc. (UCI) reserves the right to use any photograph/video taken at any event sponsored by UCI, without the expressed written permission of those included within the photograph/video. UCI may use the photograph/video in publications or other media material produced, used, or contracted by UCI, including but not limited to brochures, mailings, newspapers, magazines, television, websites, social media, etc.
To ensure the privacy of individuals and children, images will not be identified using full names or personal identifying information without written approval from the photographed subject, parent, or legal guardian.
By participating in a UCI event as an official food vendor, you are agreeing to release, defend, hold harmless, and indemnify UCI from any and all claims involving the use of your picture or likeness.
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