Are we ready?

The strength of the National Lentil Festival's identity is its foundation and history as a food and agriculture event. In future years, our team will prioritize these themes as we promote our Festival as a tourism destination event.

We are actively modernizing our Festival to engage national and global audiences. As we grow, we remain deeply committed to honoring our shared roots and values. At its heart, the Festival will always be a celebration of our community - one we are proud to share with the rest of our country and the world! While building our town's tourism potential, we will continue to work collaboratively with local and regional leaders, business owners, entrepreneurs, organizers, and residents (including our students and farmers) to ensure that our growth strengthens our community.

Starting this year, we will prioritize food vendors, artisans, and makers and feature a flat fee structure: $200 for a 10x10 space or $350 for a 10x20. As part of this fee, vendors receive Wi-Fi access, courtesy of Ziply Fiber. All vendors must complete the online registration form, which opens March 9 on this website. Applications are subject to review and approval. Submission does not guarantee acceptance; approved vendors will receive a confirmation email with agreement and payment instructions. We encourage vendors to register by the priority deadline of May 1. If all spaces fill before then, registration will close early. Late applications may be considered if space allows. We will maintain a waitlist in order of submission for any openings that become available.

Yes! Our new structure provides vendors with the opportunity to receive up to a 20% discount off their registration fee. During registration, vendors should specify how they meet discount criteria, with details on menu and/or product offerings and photos. Vendors are also welcome to share booths to further lower individual costs: • Maximum of 2 vendors per booth, regardless of size. Food vendors • 15% off - Feature lentils or other pulses (such as chickpeas and beans) (https://usapulses.org/about/what-are-pulses/)as an ingredient. Please note: Chili cannot be offered as part of this discount. • 5% off - Add another vegetarian or vegan dish. This dish cannot be the same as the 15% off item. Artisans and makers • 15% off - Create products yourself, without using or selling pre-bought items. • 5% off - Promote agricultural themes in product concept, design, or materials. All accepted vendors must agree to on-site, unscheduled verification. If vendors commit to discount criteria but staff finds requirements unmet, non-compliant vendors will need to repay the discounts they received and could face suspension from future events. Tip: While discounts cap at 20%, we encourage vendors to offer additional lentil-based, vegetarian, or vegan dishes, as well as self-made items with agricultural themes. These won't increase discounts this year, but they may strengthen applications for future events.

After reviewing our funding model and feedback from previous festival attendees, we are discontinuing the non-profit section to expand opportunities for food vendors, artisans, and makers. Non-profit organizations may still apply for booth space; however, as space allows, priority is given to those with direct connections to food and/or agriculture. Non-profit organizations can also: • Partner with a vendor (one registration form suffices with explicit mention of non-profit participation) • Submit their own vendor application if offering food or products for sale We also encourage non-profit participation through these free opportunities: • Provide 8.5"x11" handouts or materials that we'll put in a dedicated section. To reduce waste, we will accept a laminated copy with a QR code or no more than 50 unlaminated copies. • Sign up for volunteer shifts during the week and/or day of the Festival. Available opportunities will be available on this website on April 6. • Register for The WSECU Grand Parade. Please note this requires an approval process with an earlier priority deadline than previous years. • Explore other community tabling events, such as the Palouse Family Fair or the WSU Week of the Welcome All Campus Picnic.

We are currently reserving sponsorship opportunities to last year's sponsors. We will release more information on remaining opportunities on March 6. Our new sponsorship structure starts at $1500. We welcome contributions less than $1500, though they will only be listed on the website without logo placement or additional benefits. Only official National Lentil Festival sponsors and partners who meet a minimum $3500 contribution may secure booth space. This policy ensures we honor and protect the visibility of our valued sponsors.

Aside from our future Festival dates being August 22, 2026, and August 21, 2027, here is a general timeline for this year. • "Official" partner bids open: February 20 • Website FAQs published: February 25 • Previous-year sponsor commitment deadline: March 5 • Sponsorship options open to all: March 6 • Vendor registration opens: March 9 • Agreement and payment instructions sent: Starting March 30 • Activities, Parade, and Volunteering registrations open: April 6 • Sponsorship commitment deadline: April 17 • Priority vendor deadline: May 1