Okeechobee Main Street welcomes guests and visitors to their annual Speckled Perch Festival and Parade,
will be held in 2025 on March 8 & 9 10:00am to 3:00pm both days in Flagler Parks.
The Speckled Perch Festival is the oldest celebration in Okeechobee, dating back to 1965. At that time the festival honored the fishing industry with a parade and fish fry in the park during the height of the tourist season and the tradition continues today. There will be local talent, food, arts and crafts, and fun.
The Speckled Perch Festivals also includes a parade on Saturday at 10:00 am that sets the stage for the remainder of the weekend.
Saturday & Sunday, March 8 - 9, 2025
Rules & Agreement for Vendors
General Information
Booth size: 10 x 10. If you need more space, you must purchase an extra booth. Vendors must provide their own tent, table and chairs. Food vendors – space size will vary but must be provided to Main Street at time of application.
Inclement Weather Policy: This is an outdoor event and will be held “rain or shine”. It is the responsibility of the vendor to assume risk for setting up in inclement or potentially inclement weather. Please be sure to properly secure your tent with the appropriate weights and other safety measures.
Set Up/Tear Down: Vendors may pull into the park for set up and tear down. Vehicles must be out of the park by 8:00 AM. Park access areas are delineated. Vendors may not complete teardown of their booth until after the event is closed unless otherwise authorized by Main Street staff or volunteers. Doing so may forfeit participation in future Main Street events.
Vendor Parking: Designated vendor parking areas are provided. A parking permit will be provided by Main Street. Trailer parking is limited and by Main Street permission only. Vendors may not park on Park Street; all vendors must park in the designated parking area(s) or on side streets. If you park where designated as “no vendor parking” you will be towed at the owner’s expense.
Electricity: We do not provide electricity. Be prepared to supply your own, quiet generators are permitted.
State/Local Laws & Taxes: You are responsible for paying all appropriate sales tax with respect to the sale of goods and for procuring all permits and documentation that are required by local and state governments to operate within the state of Florida.
Trash: It is the responsibility of the vendor to clean up your area during and after the event. A trash trailer is provided by Main Street. Vendors ARE REQUIRED to place their trash in sealed bags in the trash trailer, the public trash cans are not to be used for vendor purposes. NO chemicals or dumping of grease on the ground or trash trailer.
Vendor Limits or Exclusions: Vendors must list specific items to be sold at the event. Main Street reserves the right to limit products and food items. Main Street reserves the right to approve or deny any vendor application.
Insurance: Food Vendors are required to carry liability insurance in the amount of $1M. Please provide proof of insurance. Additional Insureds: Okeechobee Main Street 111 NE 2nd St. Okeechobee, Fl. 34972, City of Okeechobee and R.E. Hamrick Testamentary Trust 55 SE 3rd Ave., Okeechobee, FL. 34974
Grievances and Concerns: The Event Director is fully authorized to make decisions regarding all aspects of the event. Vendors aggrieved by a decision of the Event Director shall have a right to present the grievance to OKMS for consideration, provided that the request for such review shall be in writing within five (5) days after the decision of the Event Director. The written notice should include a clear and specific description of the problem. The Vendor will be permitted to present the grievance in writing and/or in person at a time scheduled by OKMS. OKMS shall have the right to uphold, modify, or reverse any such decision.OKMS's decision shall be considered a final decision.
DEADLINES/NOTIFICATION DATES
Application and Vendor Fee Deadline: March 4, 2025
Vendor Packet by Email: March 5, 2025
Note: 3% processing fee will be added to any payments made online or in person using a credit/debit card. Event fees are non-refundable within 24 hours of the event. If a refund is requested there will be a cancellation fee of 10% of the event fee and less taxes. If you pay by check and check is returned unpaid by your bank, you will be charged a Return Check Fee of $40.00
VENDOR HOLD HARMLESS & INSURANCE AGREEMENT: FOOD VENDOR agrees to obtain at Vendor’s sole cost and expense a Commercial General Liability insurance policy with coverage to protect against any and all bodily injury or property damage as a consequence of the installation and/or operation of the equipment, sale of merchandise, services, and/or food provided by Vendor and/or employees, contractors and agents with respect to the activities of Vendor on the premises or any Festival Venue of Okeechobee Main Street, Inc., City of Okeechobee and the R.E. Hamrick Testamentary Trust. This coverage will provide at least a $1,000,000 General Aggregate limit and $1,000,000. The vendor acknowledges that neither Okeechobee Main Street, Inc., City of Okeechobee nor R.E Hamrick Testamentary Trust maintains insurance covering the exhibitor's property and that it is the sole responsibility of the VENDOR to obtain business interruption and property insurance insuring any losses of VENDOR.
ALL VENDORS agrees to indemnify and hold Okeechobee Main Street, Inc. and all partners harmless from and against any and all claims, actions, damages, liability, and expense, including but not limited to reasonable attorney's fees, in connection with loss of life, personal injury, bodily injury, and/or damage to property arising from or out of any occurrence in, upon or at Labor Day Festival, or any part thereof, or occasioned wholly or in part by any act or omission of said Vendor named above, its agents, contractors, employees, servants, customers, invitees, Vendor or otherwise arising from the agreement that the Vendor has with Okeechobee Main Street, Inc. Okeechobee Main Street, Inc. shall not be liable for any damage to property of Vendor or of others associated with the Vendor, nor for the loss of or damage to any property of Vendor or of others by theft or otherwise. Okeechobee Main Street, Inc., City of Okeechobee, or R.E. Hamrick Testamentary Trust shall not be liable for any such damage caused by any other Vendor or persons in the Premises or the building of which the Vendor is located. VENDOR shall waive all claims against, shall release, and shall not hold Okeechobee Main Street, Inc., City of Okeechobee, and R.E. Hamrick Testamentary Trust responsible for any loss or damage to Vendor’s property, fixtures, or merchandise belonging to Vendor agents, servants, contractors, employees, licensees, invitees or customers caused by burglary, theft, robbery, vandalism, forced entry, riot or other such acts.
SPECKLED PERCH FESTIVAL PARADE RULES:
All participants Must Follow Parade Marshalls Rules & Parade Order – No Exceptions.
Parade Rain or Shine!
No throwing of anything from vehicles or off of floats (that includes candy, brochures and promotional items.)
Anyone on horseback (or any animals submitted) must furnish cleanup behind them. No whip popping is permitted.
If your animal is not controlled you will be removed from the parade.
It is MANDATORY for Horse/Animal Groups to provide cleanup behind animals and proof of liability insurance.
All horse riders will be towards the end of the parade.
No hydraulic lifting of vehicles permitted.
Adults must supervise all children’s groups.
Any participant who does not cooperate with the Parade Marshall or police officials or does not abide by these rules will be removed.
No vehicle/float/etc should be more than 16’ high.
Deadline for submission to the parade is March 7 at 4:00 PM. The parade will be limited to 100 entries.
Line up will begin at 9 a.m. at the Aldi Supermarket, SW 4th Street and 2nd Avenue
You will be notified of your lineup position at the time of registration.
For parade questions please call the Main Street Office.
Parade will start promptly at 10:00 a.m
Note: 3% processing fee will be added to any payments made online or in person using a credit/debit card.
If you pay by check and check is returned unpaid by your bank, you will be charged a Return Check Fee of $40.00
As a participant in Speckled Perch Parade I release and forever discharge to Okeechobee Main Street, Inc., the City of Okeechobee/R.E. Hamrick Testamentary Trus
their affiliations, officers, members, sponsors and employees from any responsibility, personal liability, loss claims or damage arising out of or in connection
with the Speckled Perch Festival and Parade.