Milk Mart is a quarterly event that takes place from 12pm-6pm the Sunday after Valentine's day, the last Sunday of May, the first Sunday of October, and the Sunday before Christmas! You can view upcoming dates on our website, milkmartorlando.com.
We highly recommend that guests bike, walk, scooter, ride-share, or carpool to the event; parking can be tough to come by later in the day! Guests can park along Robinson St, at Festival Park ($5), or at The Plaza Live. Some have even parked in garages downtown and then snagged a scooter to scoot over to the event!
Any leashed and well-behave pet is welcome! Please make sure that they have appropriate footwear (the pavement can be hot on sunny days!), as well as keeping them hydrated (as well as yourself!).
Of course! Milk Mart is for everyone; art-lovers, foodies, friends, and families. Just make sure everyone is hydrated and sunscreen'd!
Milk Mart prides itself in curating a unique, varied array of artists, makers, small businesses, demos, activities, and more at it's events; if any of those sound like you, then we want to hear from ya! Our open applications can always be found at apply.partyintheparkinglot.org.
On average, we receive over 500 applications to our events-- which is both incredibly exciting, AND incredibly time consuming! You can expect to hear back no later than one month before the event. If you apply less than one month before the event, you can expect to hear back no later than one week before the event.
Milk Mart is generally fully booked 2-3 months in advance, so get those applications in as soon as possible!
Please refrain from emailing me to ask if there are updates. When there are updates, I will let you know! I receive so many emails asking for status updates when there are none, it becomes very time consuming to answer them all. If you are wondering if I received your application, please visit the application page for the event you are curious about; if you've already submitted, the form will tell you!
If you haven't heard back, please check your Spam or Promotional folders in your email. We utilize MailChimp to streamline our communications; it's imperative that you add my email address (Ashley@ASHLEYASDFGH.com) to your contacts to ensure that you receive them!
No one! If vendors drop from an event, the newly available spaces will be given away on a first come, first serve basis via email, usually the Monday or Tuesday before the event. All you have to do is make sure you've got an application in, which you can do by visiting the application page.
Please refrain from emailing me to ask if there are available spaces. When there are available spaces, I will let you know! I receive so many emails asking about available space when there is none, it becomes very time consuming to answer them all. If you are wondering if I received your application, please visit the application page for the event you are curious about; if you've already submitted, the form will tell you!
You can see if you've applied to an event or not by visiting the application page for the event you are curious about; if you've already submitted, the form will tell you! They are set to only allow one application per email address.
We have two different sizes for our spaces; 10'x10' spaces with no coverage that require a tent, and sidewalk spaces that average about 4' deep and 8' long under the building's awning, which do not require a tent. On the application, you get to pick which type of space you'd prefer, or if you have no preference! Then, when the map goes out the week before the event, you'll be alerted as to which type of space you've been selected for.
Yes! With Milk Mart's Pick-a-Spot feature, you are able to pay to select which place on the map you'd like to be. If you don't need a specific space, but would just like to be next to a friend, put it under the Special Requests section of your application, or email us ASAP to let us know; we do our best to accommodate putting friends next to each other!
Power is only available for specialty setups, for an additional fee. Power will not be provided for lights, fans, heaters, etc, but can be provided on a case-by-case basis for specialty setups like live printing or photobooths. If a vendor is seen plugging in any unapproved devices, they will be charged a $500 fee to the card we have on file.
Yes; in fact, we encourage it! If you are unable to afford the full booth fee, don't feel you could fill an entire tent space, or just want to share the fun with your best pal, you're more than welcome to, as long as you can fit it all in a 10x10 space. Just remember to add them to your application!
In the event there is light or moderate rain/wind:
The show will go on! As long as it isn’t a downpour, we’ll be out there, doing our best. Milk Mart has seen rainy days before, and still had a good guest turnout. We are understanding that the rain can pose a threat to vendors with paper goods, or other items that are easily damaged by rain/water; in the event that there will be rain, if a vendor would like to opt out of participating, they are more than welcome to for the protection of their products. This cancellation will not be held against them for future opportunities. We understand that you need to keep your items, and yourself, safe!
In the event there is severe weather and we have to cancel an event:
In the unlikely and unfortunate event that we have to cancel due to heavy rain, thunderstorms, hurricanes, tropical storms, etc, no refunds are able to be given, no rain date will be implemented, and participation is not able to be forwarded to a future event. Expanded information for each is below:
No refunds are able to be given because the money has already been spent; on ads, on rentals, on permits, basically everything that makes the event tick! The Moo Crew also receives their payment for work whether or not the event happens, as many of them take off work from their regular jobs to help the event.
No rain date is able to be implemented because of the scale of the event; spanning so many parking lots, it can be difficult to get every business on board. As well, with so many vendors participating, it would be difficult to coordinate a secondary date that worked for everyone. Along with that, many of our required city permits mandate that they be filed 60 days before the event, and our insurance policy is per event date, not coverage for the full year.
Participation is not able to be forwarded to the next or future event because each event is curated and budgeted individually. And, more often than not, by the time we do one event, the next one has already been fully booked!
No furniture will be provided; vendors are required to bring all their own displays, tables, chairs, tents, etc!
The map and day-of details will be sent out the Saturday before the event. We have been working hard to get it delivered earlier in the week, but at the latest, you can expect it the morning before!
No, all vendors are required to remain set up for the duration of the event, even if you sell out. This is to ensure that the event remains full the whole time, and doesn't confuse other vendors or guests who may see a vendor leaving and think the event is ending early! But, more importantly, it is a safety precaution, so we don't have any large furniture moving or cars on the lot while guests are present.
If you sell out and would like to walk away from your booth, we recommend lowering your tent legs and putting up a "Sold out!" sign.
No! The only person you should EVER talk to about Milk Mart is Ashley Hallenbeck, via the official Milk Mart pages on Instagram and Facebook (@milkmartorlando), or her email address, Ashley@ASHLEYASDFGH.com. No one else is authorized to sell spaces or take money on behalf of the event. Don't get scammed! And if you aren't sure; DM the Milk Mart (@milkmartorlando) Instagram page or email Ashley at Ashley@ASHLEYASDFGH.com.
Bring a small cooler or insulated bag with cold water bottles, frozen water bottles, and cooling towels! It's important to stay hydrated, and while we do place water kegs around the event, it's nice to have a personal stockpile and not have to keep leaving your booth. We find it's handy to freeze some water bottles in lieu of ice; as they melt, they become drinkable water!
Carry a change of clothes! This is a big one; there's nothing worse than a sweaty load-in, and then having to sit in that sweaty t-shirt the rest of the day. Having an extra pair of clothes to change into just in case can bring great peace of mind, even if it's just a spare t-shirt or pair of socks!
Keep some hand wipes handy! Any kind of of skin-safe hand wipe/baby wipe is a staple for vending setups. These are handy in all kinds of situations; to clean yourself up after load-in, to stay fresh during a sweaty day, or to clean up any spills or accidents that might occur.
Invest in a 300w battery! We highly recommend the Jackery 300 for general vendor needs; they're what we use to power our sound system through ought the event! Although they can be pricey they're a solid investment, and could easily charge your devices, power some lights, and run a fan for 5-6 hours. If those are a bit out of budget, you could also...
Grab a portable power bank! Generators and camping batteries can be an expensive investment, but a smaller power bank to make sure your phone is charged the entire time can be a much more affordable alternative!
Make sure you have 30lbs of weight per tent leg! Canopy tents are basically big wind sails; for non-windy days, we require 30lbs of weight per tent leg, which is a great rule of thumb for any event you attend! 50lb sand bags can be purchased at Home Depot for roughly $6 each, and 30lb cinder blocks for roughly $3 each. On windy days, a good rule of thumb is 60lbs per leg! With that much weight, you'll be sure to stay put.
Buy an outdoor mat/rug for your setup! This is definitely the most "optional" item on the list, but they can be very helpful not only in setting a vibe, but covering any unsightly or uneven gravel, dirt, cracks, and debris, as well as help you keep your goods and display furniture clean!
Get a fan for yourself and your booth! There are tons of battery powered fans out there, and having one or two present in your tent to keep the air moving can be a huge help. We've been seeing a rise in the use of neck fans recently as well!
Bring a change of clothes! This is a big one; there's nothing worse than a sweaty load-in, and then having to sit in that sweaty t-shirt the rest of the day. Having an extra pair of clothes to change into just in case can bring great peace of mind, even if it's just a spare t-shirt or pair of socks!
Make sure to use sunscreen! It can be really hard to remember to reapply, especially when you're sweating it off so quickly. I personally hate reapplying sunscreen when I'm sweaty, so I've really enjoyed the sunscreen mists that have been coming out. I don't recommend you use them on your face, if you sweat and it gets in your eyes it burns like crazy! But they’re great for spritzing your shoulders, back, and arms, without the stickiness of aerosol sprays.
Have clean towels handy! These can be helpful for reapplying sunscreen, as well as staying fresh during the event; clean towels to use to wipe away sweat and dry you off!
It doesn't happen often, but it can! We're still preparing this list, check back soon.
Bring watertight bins, or bins with fitted lids! Personally, I have some of these bins that I use for camping. They keep everything totally safe, stack beautifully, and are strong and clear so you can still see what's inside! Home Depot also has a variety of watertight bins. They can be pricey, but are a good investment. Avoid cardboard boxes!
Bring towels; full size, paper, and hand towels! When there's rain in the forecast, you can never have too many towels. Full size towels are great for quickly draping over product; they're heavier than tarps so they won't blow around as much, and since they absorb the water, they won't drip or hold water on the surface (until they're soaking wet, of course). Even a damp towel can dry a plastic surface pretty well! A rotating set of hand towels are great for keeping yourself dry, and paper towels are great for smaller cleanups.
Use pool noodles to keep your tent taught! Pool noodles placed at the corners of your tent can keep your tent's tarp from sagging and accumulating puddles; example here, just make sure you get ones that are long enough!
Bring shower curtains and trash bags! Clear shower curtains can be great to enclose the front of your tent while still allowing guests to see inside. They are also great for draping over products. Heavy duty clear trash bags (we use these ones!) are also a great idea for getting products to a dry place quickly. I wouldn't recommend standard kitchen garbage bags for this, as they are easy to rip, and aren't usually very large.
Don't put out all of your product! I know that generally, a nice full display is ideal. But in less than ideal weather conditions, keeping product stored in totes, and then pulling from that stored inventory when sales are made, may be the better option! This will ensure that minimal product even has the chance to get wet.
Come dressed for the rain; and bring a change of clothes! Nothing is worse than soggy socks, y'all. Come dressed for the rain! Rain boots, ponchos and rain jackets, an extra pair of socks, crocs or water shoes, towels to dry yourself off, a change of clothes (or two). This will ensure you can remain comfortable all day.
Be prepared for guests to stand inside your booth! In the rain, guests will likely gravitate towards booths that have standing room. Plan to set up your booth in a way that can accommodate this!
Have a bucket out for guests to leave their umbrellas in while they shop! I haven't seen many vendors implement this, but the ones I have have been used greatly! This can also help keep dripping umbrellas from entering your setup.
Use gym puzzle mats or rubber drainage mats to help with puddles! Putting down some plastic outdoor mats like puzzle floor mats, rubber drainage mats, and outdoor plastic rugs in layers can help keep water from pooling inside your booth, keeping yourself, your products, and your furniture dry.
