We’ve got some exciting news to share with you. Festival of Thrift 2026 will return to Kirkleatham, Redcar & Cleveland! But that’s not all – our festival dates have moved too, with the festival taking place on 4–5 July 2026.
If you would like to trade at Festival of Thrift 2026, please read the below information carefully, and get in touch if you have any questions.
Sign up to our mailing list here to be alerted when our applications go live!
How to apply:
This year our application process is as follows:
Stage 1 – Login or register to our trader portal. Please then complete Part 1. This will gather some information about your business and what type of pitch you want to apply for.
If you are accepted, you will receive an email to confirm this. If you are rejected, we can provide feedback as to our reasons for not accepting your application this time. It could be that we require further information or have some queries about your pitch requirements. In this instance, our decision may change if these issues are our resolved.
Stage 2 –, You will be sent a link to complete Part 2 with your confirmation email. At this stage we will ask for key documentation (i.e Public Liability Insurance, Risk Assessment, etc.), and you will make payment for your pitch booking.
Please also make sure to review our updated T&Cs. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions or issues, contact Morgan directly at: morgan@festivalofthrift.co.uk
What are we looking for?
Festival of Thrift is all about the celebration of sustainability, culture and style. We look for unique and creative businesses that meet our ethos. Pre-loved, upcycled, handmade and innovation are all welcome amongst our Thrifty Market.
We’re keen to hear from traders who may be offering:
🧶 Handmade, upcycled, repaired or salvaged crafts
📚 Second-hand & vintage books, comics, posters & print media
👗 Pre-loved, vintage or upcycled fashion
🌿 Eco-conscious products for home, beauty & cleaning
🌱 Tasty vegan treats
🌿 Artwork
Food and drink?
We want our food and drink offerings to align with our ethos, so please tell us how you meet this in your application. As well as considering the serve ware (ideally plastic-free and recyclable/compostable/reusable), we choose businesses that:
- use locally, ethically sourced ingredients
- minimise packaging and food waste
- provide low emission meals
- have a vegan/vegetarian menu
We are also keen to hear from businesses that are on a sustainable journey, who can tell us about how they are improving their practice to be more ethical and sustainable.
There are some great resources that can help you calculate your menus carbon online, but here are just a few:
- Food carbon footprint calculator | My Emissions – Free calculator
- Carbon Footprint Calculator for Food Businesses | Klimato – Professional tool with free demo
What Pitch options are available?
(Prices are for both days and include VAT)
- 6ft Trestle table or Rail space= £100
- 3x3m pitch only = £230
- 3×3 pitch with Festival gazebo hire (includes table and chair) = £275
- Catering pitches from £500
- Hot drinks pitches £300
- Bar pitches from £350
Add ons are available like additional tables or chairs, and we charge separately for power by connection.
What documents will I need to send?
For us to complete a booking, we require some documents from your business. Some traders will need different documentation to others, so please read the guidance you are sent and if in doubt, get in touch. Below are some of the key documents we will ask for:
All Traders:
Public Liability Insurance – Please ensure you have the correct insurance coverage, and that your cover dates include the dates of the festival. Your insurance may renew before the festival dates, and in this case, please make sure to send the updated insurance document as soon as you receive it.
Risk Assessment – If you don’t already have a risk assessment or need some guidance in completing a risk assessment, you can find useful information linked below:
Food and Drink:
If you are a hot food/drinks trader, you will also be required to provide us with your Food Hygiene rating certification.
Bar:
Bar traders will also be required to provide a copy of their Personal License for alcohol sales.
If in doubt, always reach out to the team and we will assist where we can.
Is your stall accessible?
We have put together a few tips and examples of how small changes to your stall could improve the experience for people with access needs.
Lowered counters – Lowered counters mean that people in mobility aids (such as wheelchairs) can be served more easily. A cheap way to provide a lowered counter can be using a table for part of your counter, the measurement for a lowered counter should be 800mm to 850mm to the top of the counter.
The simplest solution to providing accessible service in absence of lowered counters is to come round the counter when serving customers with access needs.
Menus – Having menus placed at ground level can make it easier for people with access needs to view and read your menus.
Avoiding italics, using contrasting colours and having large print menus can also improve readability for those people with visual impairments.
What if I have questions about trading at Festival of Thrift?
You can contact us by email with any questions or issues regarding trading at Festival of Thrift by emailing Morgan@fesitvalofthrift.co.uk (or info@festivalofthrift.co.uk).
We can also arrange a quick zoom call if you want to have a chat.
Extra Information:
CATERING:
Food Safety
There will be spot checks over the course of the weekend to ensure your stall is complying with all food health and safety requirements.
BARS:
Bar trading area
The festival will have a dedicated bar trading area over the festival weekend. Details on the designated bar area will be released as soon as possible. If you have any questions regarding this, please get in touch with us.
TENs
We will submit a TENs application on your behalf, so we will require a copy of your Personal License. Please email this to us as soon as possible.
