WE WILL BEGIN TAKING APPLICATIONS STARTING APRIL 1, 2025.

SCAM ALERT!!

We have been made aware that someone is trying to illegally collect money for being a food vendor at Oktoberfest!! Please do not fall for this scam!

The only way to become a food vendor is by invitation from executive director Amy Ogle or our food vendor coordinator, Lance Riddile. Anything from Maggie Clardy or anyone else other than Amy or Lance is a scam! We also do not accept payment through Zelle, Venmo, Apple Pay or Cashapp.

The Hickory Police Department has been notified and a report has been filed. Please reach out if someone attempts to solicit funds from you so that we may share that information with the Police Department.

WELCOME TO THE 38TH ANNUAL HICKORY OKTOBERFEST!!

WE WILL BE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS BEGINNING APRIL 1, 2025

Hickory, NC, is proud to host Oktoberfest this year on October 10th, 11th, and 12th, 2025. The festival is held each year during the second weekend of October. Having been co-founded by a German, Adolphus “Dolph” Shuford, Hickory has a long, proud German heritage. Home to the United States headquarters for several German companies, and being a sister city with in Altenburg, Germany, our connection to Germany, has never left us.

It’s with this pride in our heritage and our Historic Downtown, we invite you to this year’s 38th Annual Hickory Oktoberfest in Downtown Hickory. Please see pricing below, and explore the links on the right to learn more about opportunities to be part of Oktoberfest.

Thank you for your interest in joining us!

Festival Food Vendor Guidelines

Vendor Pricing - Application Deadline: Monday, July 14th, 2025

Vendor Type	Price
3 Types Of Food Vendors	Space Fee
Commercial Vendor	$250 / 10' x 10' Space
Crafts Vendor	$150 / 10' x 10' Space
Kids-Fest Vendor	$150 / 10' x 10' Space
Non-Profit Vendor	$150 / 10' x 10' Space

Vendor Pricing - Late Application will be accepted: Tuesday, July 15th - August 15th, 2025

Vendor Type	Price
3 Types Of Food Vendors	Space Fee + $100 late fee
Commercial Vendor	$350 / 10' x 10' Space
Crafts Vendor	$250 / 10' x 10' Space
Kids-Fest Vendor	$250 / 10' x 10' Space
Non-Profit Vendor	$250 / 10' x 10' Space

VENDOR APPLICATIONS

Food Vendor Application

Commercial Vendor Application

Non-Profit Vendor Application

Kid-Fest Vendor Application

Craft Vendor Application

Festival Event Policy

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

info@downtownhickory.com

NO PETS ALLOWED

City of Hickory's Pet Policy

Event Policy

The City of Hickory is a North Carolina Main Street community, designated by the N.C. Department of Commerce Main Street & Rural Planning Center. Hickory Downtown Development Association is charged with administering the program at the local level and building public-private partnerships to spur economic development that achieves measurable results such as investment, business growth, and job creation.

Main Street America™ has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for more than 35 years. Today it is a network of more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, who share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

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Hickory Downtown
Development Association
24 First Avenue NE
P.O. Box 9086
Hickory, NC 28603
828-322-1121
info@downtownhickory.com