PLEASE READ

Hey there, I can’t tell you how excited it makes me that you would like to be a part of our event!  The Rural Road Trip was created to highlight shops in smaller communities and give people an opportunity to embrace the rural roots that surround them. It will be a fun weekend to hit up stores that have been hidden treasures to most. My hope is for individuals to fall in love with our small towns and come back time and time again.

This application is for the SPRING edition:
Friday, April 23 |  9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Saturday, April 24 | 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday, April 25 | 10:00 - 2:00 pm

I’ll be hammering out details as vendors join in so we can have a finalized map but here are the locations and surrounding areas with shops that were included on our last route. PLEASE UNDERSTAND that while you may only be 20-30 minutes away from ONE of these locations you may be 1.5 - 2+ hours from the furthest location. We try and make this route possible to do as many as you can in a day. We certainly aren't trying to exclude anyone but it needs to be beneficial to all the places that apply.  Rural Southwest Iowa City, Kalona, Rural Wellman, Washington, Keota, Sigourney, North English, Parnell, and Oxford.

ALL POP UP VENDORS will need to apply, just like any other vendor show or event. We need to be able to monitor how many of each type of vendor we have along the route so each stop doesn’t include the same items. It is also beneficial and important as the event coordinator, that I actually know who all is participating. If they are popping up at your place for a day, two days or the whole time THEY NEED TO APPLY. Failure to have your pop up vendors apply will disqualify you as a map stop and also the pop up vendor for any future events. If they are not a regular part of your shop, we need their application.

Here are the ways you can be involved in the event:

A Map Stop: This means you are a numbered stop on our map. Your business name and address will be listed. It is preferred you have an established business at this location so people can come back and visit later on. And best of all….no traveling! Our vendors from this past year have reported increased visits stemming from the Rural Road Trip Event and we are very excited to hear that! You may host additional vendors at your location. If you choose to host vendors at your location we need to know who they are and they will need to select one of the two vendor types listed below to sign up as. Having additional vendors at your location is often a good incentive for people to make sure they stop at your location. Your business will be advertised as a stop in all of our marketing material and you will agree to be open during the ENTIRE duration of the event. $150 (Application deadline MARCH 1ST)

Pop Up Vendor Listed On Map: This means you are popping up at one of our map stop locations for the ENTIRE duration of the event.  Your business name will be listed underneath the stop. This is a great way for you to get your business name out there and your products in front of shoppers. Your business will be advertised in all of our marketing material with the location you will be set up at.  $75 (Application deadline MARCH 1ST)

Pop Up Daily Vendor Unlisted on Map: This means your business name will not be included on the map but seen as “additional vendors”. You will not be required to be present the entire weekend. It is between you and your host site to work out when you will be present then let us know what days you will be popping up with them. Your business will be advertised in all of our social media marketing materials with the exclusion of the map. ($25 per day. Pop up DAILY VENDORS will be accepted up until 4 weeks prior to the event.)

There will be NO DIRECT SALES allowed at this event. If you are a map stop that currently sells direct sale items or any other MLM products they should be pulled for the weekend.

As a vendor and a pop up vendor you will receive features on both the Rural Road Trip: Spring Edition Facebook Event Page as well as the Rural Road Trip Facebook Page. You will also be listed with your link under the event and page description. This way individuals can check everyone out all in one location instead of searching the page for the feature. Your business will also be featured on the google map that will be created for the event. I have had lots of customers tell me they saved the link to the app on their phone so they can use that route to road trip throughout the year!

Our Rural Road Trip event will also be accepting sponsorship's from restaurants, hotels and other specialty businesses in your area. Sponsors will have features on both the Facebook event and Facebook page as well as in the event description with their link if applicable. They will have their names listed under the town name on the map with either a restaurant, hotel, or sponsor icon beside them. Sponsors have no obligation to be open during the entire duration of the event. It is a great way to get your name out there but still keep your normal business hours. Sponsorship's are $50. If you know of a restaurant, hotel or specialty store in your area that would be interested please have them contact me. After all, you each know your town better than I do and I would hate to leave anyone out!

The deadline to join in as a Map Stop or Vendor Listed on the Map or Sponsor will be Monday, March 1st.  All applications will go through a jury process and you will be notified if you were accepted by Monday, March 8th and payment and signed contract will be due by the following Friday, March 12th.

You can email us at ruralroadtrip@gmail.com, contact us via Rural Road Trip Facebook messenger with any questions you may have.  Please refrain from messaging me via my personal Facebook messenger as Shawna my Virtual Assistant will be helping with these messages. Please DO NOT hesitate to hit me up with questions. I look forward to hearing from you!

Mallary Snakenberg
Rural Road Trip

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