Fil Fest USA 2024 Vendor Submission Form

Festival Business License Application Checklist (The City of Portsmouth)
If further assistance in needed to complete Portsmouth forms, please use the following contact information:

Debra Wilburn
Lead Deputy Business License
Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue City of Portsmouth
757-393-8771 EXT 2119

Food Truck Permit

• Attached is the food truck permit application, which can be filled out on the computer.
• At the bottom of the first page is a checklist of the other documents we need.
  • A fire inspection that has been dated, a menu, proof of insurance, and pictures of the four exterior sides of the trailer are needed.
  • The attached Commissary Agreement can be used to verify the commissary.
• Please respond to this email or email application and materials to portsmouth.zoning@portsmouthva.gov.
• There is an application fee of $50, which you can pay in person or we can process over the phone.
  • If you plan to pay with a credit card, please fill out and submit the attached Credit Card Authorization Form.

Note: All food vendors must have their own power source and/or generator. No power source will be provided.

Business License

• You'll need to contact the Commissioner of the Revenue. They can be reached at 757-393-8771.
• Be sure to ask about the Meal Tax Bond, as getting one can be a pain for some people.
• Please be aware that they will not process your Business License application until after you have your Food Truck Permit.

Health Department

• You'll take your Business License there to get your Mobile Unit Permit.
• You can call Bree Williams at 757-393-8585 x8529 for help with the Health Department part of the process.
• After that, you'll be all set to vend in Portsmouth.

Pertinent Information

• Food Truck Permits are valid for one year. Cannot transfer Food Truck Permit to another truck.
• In non-residential districts, applicant can utilize food truck anywhere legal parking is allowed, except for downtown. Downtown is considered Effingham to the water and Queen Street to the interstate. Must be invited by the City to operate downtown, except for in front of the pavilion.
• Operating in the Historic Residential (HR) zoned properties in the Olde Towne Historic District is prohibited.
• In the other residential districts, you can only locate at a person’s house for a catering event for them personally.
• A list of all of the food trucks permit in Portsmouth will be provided to Parks and Recreation Department and any other City Departments that hold public events.

If you have any questions - please call
Patrice Branch, Planner
City of Portsmouth, Planning and Zoning
757-393-8836 EXT 4263

City of Portsmouth Food Truck Program

Commissary Agreement

Food And Ice Cream Truck

Food Truck Application Fillable PDF

Credit Card Authorization Form Fillable PDF

Load In and Load Out || Setup and Breakdown

Note: No vehicles of any size are permitted on any grass areas of the park.
You are responsible for ensuring your space is clear of trash and debris.  Clean up in your area is your responsibility.  Trash cans can be found in all parts of the park.

Saturday :: October 5, 2024

Food Vendors

Note: All FOOD vendors must have their own power source and/or generator. No power source will be provided.

Food trucks will enter Crawford St., North, which turns into Bart Street. The parking for the food truck vendors will be the same road, but going in a different direction.

Food trucks may begin their set up starting at 6:30 AM.

The fire marshal will be present between 8:30 AM and 9 AM. The health inspector will be there at the same time. Program will begin at 9am.

Sponsors/Retail and Resource Vendors

All tents must be manned at all times for both days.  There cannot be any tents that are unmanned at any point in time.

Retail vendors will enter the barricaded road named Pavilion Drive. You will continue towards the stage. Once your drop off is complete you must park your car outside the barricaded area.

Retail vendors may begin their set up starting at 6:30 AM. Tables and chairs are being delivered by 7:00AM.  Retail vendors will not have access to the vendor drop off area after 8:30 AM. All vehicles must be removed and reparked.

At the end of the day – tables and chairs will remain in tents – we ask that you have tents lowered to half mass – to protect from winds

Sunday :: October 6, 2024

Program will begin at 9AM You may come as early as 6:30 to reset your tents.

Food vendors and retail vendors may begin breakdown at 5:30 PM.