Country Booth Application

1. Country Booth Purpose: The Country Booth is an educational space dedicated to showcasing Arts and Culture, specifically as part of the Passport program. The primary purpose of these free booths is educational—they are not intended for commercial activities. If you wish to sell products or promote a business, please apply for a Commercial Vendor or Food Vendor booth instead.

2. Country associations are welcome to conduct fundraising activities at their designated booths. Funds raised should support the mission of the each country association/group. Additionally, proceeds from the Country Booth could contribute to the Asian Culture Center Building Project by donating to the Asian Culture Center of Tennessee. (PO BOX 31793 Knoxville TN 37930)

3. I hereby FULLY AND FOREVER RELEASE, the Asian Culture Center of TN, The Knox Asian Festival and the Metropolitan Government of Knoxville and Knox County, and any of their related entities, subsidiaries, affiliates, and their respective officers, directors, agents, servants, contractors, representatives, employees, heirs and assigns (individually and collectively, the “Releasees”) from any and all liability, claims, demands, actions and causes of action of whatsoever kind or nature, either in law or in equity, known or unknown, arising out of or related to any of my participation in the 2024 Knox Asian Festival as an artist, exhibitor or vendor ( "the Activity").

4. It is my intent that this agreement shall be binding upon myself, the Participant, the members of my family, my spouse, heirs, assigns, guardians, and personal and legal representatives, both as to claims which may be asserted by such parties on my behalf and otherwise, and shall be deemed as a full and complete release by all such parties. The provisions of this agreement are intended to be as broad and inclusive as permitted by the laws of the State of Tennessee and shall be governed by, construed and interpreted according to the laws of the State of Tennessee without regard to the conflicts of laws or principles thereof. If any portion of this Release and Waiver is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, it is agreed that the remainder shall, notwithstanding such holding, continue in full force and effect.

3. By checking the box below, I acknowledge, represent and warrant, as follows: (a) I have read this agreement, understand it, and I am acknowledging it voluntarily as my own free act and deed; (b) no oral representations, statements or inducements have been made to me in connection with this agreement; (c) this agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties; (d) I am fully competent and at least eighteen years of age, or a parent or legal guardian of a minor child with complete authority to grant this release and waiver on the minor child’s behalf, and have executed this agreement for full, adequate and complete consideration fully intending to be bound by it; and (e) I understand and acknowledge that the Releasees are relying upon my acknowledgments, representations, warranties and agreements contained in this agreement in permitting me to engage in the Activity.

4. I agree to indemnify and to defend the Releases from and against any and all causes of action, demands, suits, liabilities, claims, damages, losses, costs and expenses, including but not limited to attorney’s fees and court costs that any of the Releases incur (directly or indirectly) in any way related to or arising out of my participation in the Activity, whether caused by the negligence of the Releasees or otherwise. I also agree to indemnify and defend the Releasees if any of my acknowledgments, representations, or warranties above are wrong or false.

5. I agree to rain policy.Knox Asian Festival is an outdoor venue and we use a weather data team to monitor weather conditions hourly on event days. All events are rain or shine. We offer no refunds or exchanges in the event of rain. Raincoats and ponchos are allowed. In the event of severe weather conditions (thunder/lightning, etc.)during events announcements will be made from the stage concerning the status of the event due to weather conditions. Information will be posted on Facebook. We ask all patrons to remain calm and listen for these announcements.

Country Booth Rules

Knox Asian Festival: Country Booth Rules

Cultural Booth Participation in the Passport Program and Sales Policy

Your cultural booth is a vital part of the Knox Asian Festival's Passport Program. The following rules and guidelines will help you create an engaging, enjoyable, and culturally enriching experience for all attendees.

1. Booth Activities and Cultural Representation
   • Interactive Activities: Showcase your country's unique arts, crafts, music, dance, and traditions with hands-on, family-friendly activities.
     • Examples include traditional crafts, musical instrument demonstrations, cultural games, or dance tutorials.
   • Cultural Displays: Decorate your booth to reflect your country's traditions, including flags, photos, traditional attire, and other cultural symbols.
2. Passport Program Participation
   • Stamping Passports: After attendees participate in your booth's activity, provide a stamp for their festival passport.
   • Social Media Engagement: Encourage attendees to share their experiences at your booth using the hashtag #KnoxAsianFestival.
     • Photo Contest: The top 10 photos shared with this hashtag will win free festival t-shirts, which will be distributed after the event.
3. Sales Policy
   • Booths are permitted to sell cultural items, crafts, and souvenirs, provided they align with your country's cultural theme.
   • Food or beverage sales are prohibited.
   • All Sales transactions must comply with local laws and festival sales guidelines. Fundraising at the country booth is permitted only if the funds are used to support the mission of the respective country association or to manage the Knox Asian Festival country booth.
4. Booth Setup and Decoration
   • Booths must be set up and decorated by the assigned time before the festival opens. Need to pick up the tents,table, as instructed.
   • Use creative and visually appealing designs to attract attendees and highlight your country’s heritage.
   • Power and internet access are limited; plan your activities accordingly.
5. Conduct and Hospitality
   • All booth representatives must maintain a respectful and welcoming environment.
   • Share authentic and educational information about your country's culture with enthusiasm.
6. Clean-Up and Responsibilities
   • Booth areas must remain clean and tidy throughout the event.
   • All decorations and materials must be removed at the end of the festival.
   • All tents and weights must be returned to the designated area after the festival.
7. Prizes and Recognition
   • Encourage attendees to participate in the passport program and photo contest for a chance to win prizes.
   • Winners of the photo contest will receive free festival t-shirts, to be claimed after the event.
   • By participating in the Knox Asian Festival, your booth contributes to a vibrant, educational, and culturally rich experience for our community. Thank you for your dedication and creativity!

For further inquiries or assistance, please contact the festival organizers at [email protected]

Knoxville Convention Center Vendor Agreement

DECORATION:

• All decorative materials such as loose fibers, board, curtains, hangings, table covers, etc., must be fire retardant treated in an approved manner. Materials used in display construction or decorating shall be made of fire retardant materials and be certified as flame retardant, Samples should also be available for inspection. Vendors/Licensee must dispose of any waste products they generate during the event in accordance with guidelines established by the Environmental Protection Agency and the facility.
• Do NOT lean any equipment against any of the walls or doors inside or outside the KCC facility.
• All Electrical cords must be taped down when they are in public areas or across door ways they must be taped in a bright color gaffers tape. You can purchase yellow gaffers tape through the KCC or provide your own. We use yellow gaffers tape.
• Please do not drill, core, or punch holes in the building.
• Signs must be of professional quality.
• Handwritten signs are not allowed.
• Signage or décor cannot obstruct any fire suppression equipment or exit.
• Under NO Circumstances are helium or Mylar balloons, or adhesive backed decals (except name tags) to be given away or used in the KCC. Any cost incurred by KCC from the use of, or removal of these items will be charged to the Licensee at the prevailing rate.
• NO Artwork inside the facility is allowed to be removed off concourses or walls.
• Decorations, signs, banners and streamers may not be attached, taped, command strips, nailed or otherwise fastened to any ceiling, window, equipment, painted surface or wall of the KCC. Any special decorations or signs must be approved by the KCC Management.
• You must provide your own painters tape or you can purchase through the KCC Contact your Event Manager for pricing.
• Confetti/Glitter/Rice are prohibited without prior approval by your Event Manager. Mylar Confetti is NOT allowed inside or outside the facility.
• Lewd or offensive language or pictures as determined by the KCC are subject to removal.
• The use of paper signs shall be limited to card index paper or poster board paper, equal to or less than eight square feet in size. Fabric signs are not limited in size, but shall be treated as decorative materials.
• If you are using Helium & Mylar Balloons for decoration including balloon arches or structures inside the building you must get approval from your Event Manager prior to your move-in day.
• If a Balloon goes to the ceiling it will be $100 a balloon to take them down.
• If balloons are being inflated onsite using a helium tank, then the tank needs to be secured to prevent tip over and balloons must be inflated in the service hallways and NOT inflated in the rooms or on the concourses.
• NO painting or refinishing of signs, displays, or other objects will be permitted inside the venue. This activity may take place in approved loading dock areas if the surface is protected. Contact your Event Manger for details.
• NO open flames are allowed inside the facility; candles may only be used if the flames are enclosed.
• The use of unity candle for wedding ceremonies is only allowed with approval from your Event Manager prior to the wedding day. If approval is given, then the client must follow all rules dictated by the Fire Marshal for using those unity candle.
• No sparklers are allowed on property unless the proper permit is obtained. A copy of this permit must be submitted to your Event Manager prior to the event day.

FLOORING: Any freight going to the meeting rooms and lobby space will require extra care to protect the carpet and doors. Where possible all movement MUST take place through the service corridors. In areas where this is not feasible, we require that all decorators and/or licensees tape down a layer of visqueen or plastic from Point A (origination point) to Point B (the final destination of the freight or project).

Area’s requiring protection include but are not limited to storage rooms, production areas, exhibit space and under any vehicle being used as a display (vehicles must have carpet protection under engines, transmissions, and tires once in place).

Carpet protection is required for move-in and move-out and in the backstage storage areas. When rolling road cases, vehicles or any equipment across any of our carpeted floors, carpet protection must be applied in the area being traversed in order to prevent damage to the carpet. We require the use of Poly-Tak or other non-skid floor covering. Poly-Tak may be purchased onsite through M&M Productions. M&M Productions may also be contracted to install Poly-Tak. Please contact Barry Dunford with M&M Productions for pricing (865) 809-7235 [email protected]

FREIGHT ELEVATORS: For your experience the KCC has 2 freight elevators. One Elevator weight capacity is 5,000 lbs. weight capacity of the second elevator can accommodate up to 10,000 lbs. Both Elevators are accessible from all three floors. Entrance is external to Hall AB from loading dock: The dimensions are:

• 5,000 lb. Elevator: 5.7” W x 8’5” D and the door opening is 4’ wide
• 10,000 lb. Elevator: 10’ W x 20’ D x 8’ H

INSURANCE:

• Every contractor must submit a copy of their current Certification of Insurance with the correct subrogation clause to the Event Manager prior to entering the building. Ask your Event Manager for a sample of the correct language.
• It is the responsibility of the contractor to make sure that the KCC has a copy of their current (up-to-date) insurance before entering the building. If a contractor’s insurance has been updated, then a new copy needs to be submitted to the Event Manager prior to the contractor entering the building.
• You can also purchase insurance through the convention center at $200, or the client can add you to their insurance if possible.

INTERNET:

• There is no Free Internet on the 1st floor or inside the Exhibit Halls you would need to purchase from Shownets are provider.

EXHIBITOR/VENDOR MOVE-IN AND MOVE-OUT:

• All events that use the Ballroom drop-off for exhibitor move-in and move-out must have a marshaling guard onsite during both the move-in and move-out. Marshaling guards are ordered with a minimum of 4 hours per shift at pre-vailing rate
• All Events that have tradeshows/conferences with vendors/exhibitors in the Exhibit Halls must have Marshaling guards for move-in and move-out.
• Contact your Event Manager for truck marshaling directions and maps.

MOVE-IN & MOVE-OUT:

• Under NO circumstances shall anyone attempt to move-in or out any materials, etc. through the main entrance areas of the facility without prior approval from their Event Manager. The KCC’s lobby and meeting rooms & Ballroom spaces carpet must be protected with visqueen or other approved covering in order to move-in/move-out exhibits, registration counters, freight, etc. on to carpeted areas. Any deviation from this procedure must be approved by KCC Management. Visquee/Plastic can be installed for your ahead of time with are in-house AV Provider M&M Productions.
• All contractors must check in with security upon arrival and departure. KCC security: (865)-251-6040
• Set-up prior to your contracted move-in days is NOT allowed must be on your contract to be able to drop items off or set-up in any space. Contact your Event Manager or Sales Manager for pricing and to add it.
• No deliveries of event items are allowed prior to the contracted move-in day(s) with the exception of linens.
• There will be a labor charge for our staff to bring any rental equipment from the dock to the rooms for clients or contractors. This charge will also apply for our staff to return any rental equipment to the dock for pick-up after the event.
• No equipment or items from the event may be left overnight for pick-up the next day. All equipment and items from the event must be broken down and removed from the building at the end of the event. If it can’t be picked up after the event, then you will need to coordinate with your Event Manager.
• Any plants rented for events must be picked up after the event (that same night) or at the latest, the next day between 7am-12pm. Must be brought down to the loading dock for pick-up.
• Contact your Event Manager for truck marshaling directions and maps.

NOISE GUIDELINES: Knoxville Convention Center has a responsibility to ensure the quiet enjoyment of the facility for all our clients. KCC retains the rights to regulate the volume of any audio signals that interfere with any other Licensee’s use of contracted space within the KCC.

LOADING DOCK:

• Will be required to supply your Event Manager with a detailed schedule covering all move-in and move-out activities, including anticipated freight deliveries, general service contractor materials and exhibitor access times. The KCC may mandate changes in schedule to maintain the smooth operation of your event and any other events operating concurrently in the facility.
• Underground loading dock with 9 truck bays, 7 with dock levelers for easy-off loading.
• Capability to turnaround trailer trucks up to 74’ in total length underground.
• Direct truck entry via two ramps and two 15’5” high x 27’ wide sliding dock door.
• Entrance through a secure gate into the loading dock via Cumberland Avenue that is 37’10” wide and 15’5” high. With 24/7 security on site at all times.
• Angle of ramp approximately 2% on the west wall to 14% on the east wall. The vertical curve at the west wall as “K-value” of 8 or less.
• Ramp into Exhibit Hall A: 60’L x 29’ W with a 5% slope
• Ramp into Exhibit Hall B: 60’ L x 35’ W with a 1.5% slope
Turning radius from Cumberland traveling west 52’
• Turning radius from Cumberland traveling east 33’
• Commercial and production trucks may be left overnight, however, no personally operated vehicles may be parked overnight in the loading dock. Must get Event Manager approval for any commercial or production trucks to stay in the loading dock.
• Trailers/ Box trucks approved to park at the loading dock must keep trailer doors unlocked and open while parked at dock. Only Trailers are allowed to stay at the dock the driver must unhook the and leave they cannot stay at the dock.

PARKING:

• Knoxville Convention Center has a parking lot that is available to rent at $400 a day. There are 154 parking spots at the lot.
• There is absolutely no parking allowed at the Clinch cutout.
• Please contact your Event Manager to assist with any parking or valet needs you may have.
• The Ballroom Drop-Off off Cumberland Avenue is our designated handicap parking area and is first come first serve.
• Clients and volunteers arriving for move-in and set-up may park in designated areas only with prior approval from their Event Manager. If allowed to park onsite during set-up and move-in, licensee and volunteers must move their car at least two hours before the event starts.
• Ask your Event Manager for parking maps and directions to the Locust Street Garage.