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VillageFest board approves multiple vendor applications, denies one after on-street incident
Summary
The VillageFest board approved a slate of vendor applications on Feb. 10 and continued rule revisions; the board voted to deny an applicant after reviewing staff correspondence and a police response tied to an incident at last week’s event.
The VillageFest board voted Feb. 10 to approve several vendor and performer applications and continued work on a multi-page update to the event’s rules. Chair Roberts opened the meeting at 5:30 p.m. and staff confirmed a quorum.
Among the approvals, the board admitted a gelato vendor operating as Gelatowagogo, multiple food and craft vendors (including Miskibaj, Play More LA and Christy Pease), an artisan identified as Circles and Squares and a remote performer who auditioned via Zoom. Each applicant described products and operations; board members asked about packaging, production locations and food-safety compliance. Several applicants said they source locally or use permitted kitchens and offered samples or demonstrations during the meeting.
The board also addressed a complaint and correspondence about an incident at the prior week’s VillageFest involving the applicant Sage Walker (33 Cymbals). Staff told the board they had received written correspondence and that police had responded to the scene. According to the record, the applicant recounted a dispute over booth placement and said staff contact information was provided; the applicant also said an accompanying person suggested calling “our brothers” to help calm the situation. Board members described that comment as an escalation and expressed concern about conduct that does not comply with VillageFest’s code of conduct. After discussion, a motion to deny the applicant’s admission to VillageFest carried in a roll-call vote. Staff noted an appeal process is available through staff channels.
Board members spent the remainder of the meeting reviewing proposed rule changes. Staff and members worked through the last two to three pages of edits to the VillageFest rules, discussing the categories that determine vendor eligibility (retail merchants, commercial vendors, collectibles/antiques), food-vendor requirements (Riverside County food permits, food-handler cards, vehicle removal before event start), sustainability language for packaging, limits on political booths (board favored a numerical cap of no more than four pending legal review) and the definition and role of promotional or sponsorship partnerships. Several members asked staff to compile edits from this and a previous special meeting into a single clean draft for future review and submission up the chain for approval.
The board adjourned after setting reminders about the VillageFest 34th birthday celebration on March 5, which will include cupcakes and a band. The board scheduled follow-up on the rules draft at a future meeting.
