The below contents have been updated on 2022-04-05
Note: The below policies were written to apply to our physical, in-person Vendor Hall. In the case of an online Vendor Hall, anything below that could still apply does.
Attendee Code of Conduct
Despite their additional privileges, vendors and assistants are still a form of attendee. As such they will be expected to hold themselves to the same standards in respect to the Attendee Codes of Conduct, in addition to those policies and codes of conduct found in this document.
Age Policies
Vendor Point of Contact
In order to be listed as the point of contact (POC) for a vendor booth, you must be at least 18 years of age or older as of the first day of the event. A parent or legal guardian must be the POC for the booth of children under the age of 18, as set forth above.
On-Site Vendor Operations
There must be someone behind the table 18 years of age or older, as of the first day of the event at all times while the hall is in operation and open to attendees. Children under the age of 18 shall not be left unattended while running a booth.
Sold Content
Vendors selling, displaying, etc., mature or adult art must be at least 18 years of age or older as of the first day of the event. No children under the age of 18 are allowed to sell, display, etc., mature or adult art at Whinny City Pony Con.
Badge Policies
In accordance with the Attendee Code of Conduct, vendors must always wear their badge while in any convention space. Vendors are required to prominently display their badge while in the vendor hall, especially during vendor-only hours, setup, and teardown. For the purposes of this document and for the Attendee Code of Conduct, vendors are a type of attendee and will be handled as an attendee during most, if not all, instances.
Badge Sharing
No badge sharing will be permitted or tolerated at Whinny City Pony Con. This includes, but is not limited to, sharing a single badge between multiple people simultaneously, badge passing, and sharing a single badge between multiple people at different times throughout the day or weekend. Each vendor and assistant must have their own unique badge.
Badge Identity
The badge you wear must match the table you are sitting behind. The badge you wear must also identify you personally and be distinguishable/unique from other similar badges, i.e., your badge name could be “Scribbles”, “John”, or “Scribbles Badge #1”, but it can’t be “Scribbles”, “Scribbles”, and a third “Scribbles” at the same table.
Access to Hall Outside Attendee Hours
In order to be in the vendor hall during load-in and load-out or during vendor-only hours, you must have a vendor badge. No attendee help is allowed.
When the Hall is closed to the public and vendors, entrance will require a member of leadership staff (preferably the Vendor Hall Department Head or Assistant Department Head), your Whinny City Pony Con Vendor Badge, and a valid reason for entry. Denial of entry after hours is up to the discretion of the escorting staff and ultimately to Vendor Hall Department Head.
Five Senses Policies
The following collection of policies refers to avoiding offending the five senses of anyone near, at, around, or next to your table.
Sight
Does it offend the sense of sight? No flashing or strobing lights. All mature or adult materials must be displayed correctly. Tables and the spaces around them should be kept clean, clear, and uncluttered.
Sound
Does it offend the sense of sound? No loud music or sound. Artists should refrain from loudly discussing subjects of a divisive, mature, or adult nature, especially around children.
Touch
Does it offend the sense of touch? Displays should be stable and safe to the touch. There should be no sharp or dangerous materials, tools, products, etc., easily handleable or reachable at the table. Anything reasonably expected to be handled by attendees, staff, guests, etc., should be kept clean and secured or dismantled if they are dangerous, such as bladed weapon-like props.
Smell
Does it offend the sense of smell? Tables, displays, and products should be kept clean, clear, and uncluttered. Spills should be reported immediately to convention or hotel staff. There should be no strong or dangerous odors emitted from your table or persons. Use of dangerous tools, materials, etc., that have to be used in a well-ventilated area and/or with special protective equipment and/or cannot be used safely indoors, should not be used in the convention space. This includes chemical etchers, spray paint, bonding adhesives (E6000), and unfiltered laser engravers.
Taste
There should not be any food, drink, or technically edible products available to attendees in any way shape or form. This includes giving out candy, water bottles, toothpicks, pizza, mints, cupcakes, gum, and muffins. This policy applies even if you have the necessary licensing and certification to legally sell or resell food products in the state of Illinois. Extra care should be given to small products that can be popped into the mouths of small children.
Late Arrival and Cancellation Policies
Vendors are required to show up and finish setup by close of the hall on Friday night. Otherwise, their booth will be counted as a no-show and will be canceled without refund. No show/forfeited booths can be resold by the convention at a prorated rate for Saturday and Sunday.
There will be no refunds for booths canceled. Exceptions may be considered on a case by case basis.
No transferring of booths will be tolerated.
Vendors should make every effort to be in the hall the entire weekend. Vendors leaving early or arriving late will not get a prorated refund or any refund of any kind.
Vendors wishing to cancel their tables should do so as far in advance as possible, in order to allow someone from the waitlist a chance to claim the space.
Bootleg/Art Theft Policy
All items for sale or potentially for sale must be made, created, designed, etc., by the vendor, or have express written permission from the original maker, creator, designer, etc., to sell or resell at Whinny City Pony Con.
No reselling of bootleg or fake items will be allowed or tolerated.
Policy on Selling Blacklisted IPs
Do not sell intellectual property (IP) that currently have DNS’s (Do Not Sell orders) on them from creators. Ignorance of this policy does not constitute an exception to this policy.
Shopping Cart Vendors Policy
Vendors are prohibited from selling/reselling products that they clearly picked up from Wal-Mart, Target, Toys’R’Us, etc., on their way to the con. Proof of rights to resell must be presented if requested by con staff.
Adult/Mature Art Policy
All artwork or products of a mature or adult nature must not be clearly visible or accessible to attendees under the age of 18. Censoring materials is acceptable, as is adult binders and similar displays, so long as they are clearly not marketed to, geared towards, or displayed at the eye level of children.
Artwork or products involving, putting, or displaying children in adult situations will not be allowed or tolerated at Whinny City Pony Con, regardless of how it is displayed. No exceptions.
Acceptable Setups Policy
Vendors’ setups must be sturdy, easily assembled or disassembled without the use of power tools, must obey the above Five Senses Policy, and must obey the below Spatial Boundaries Policy.
Policy on Use of Provided Materials
Each tabletop exhibitor booth – or simply, table – shall come with one table and two chairs, per space. The provided materials are meant for use only by the vendor assigned that space. Do not use, move, or otherwise interfere with another table’s provided materials. This means no stealing chairs, putting your stuff or trash on or behind another’s table, or plugging into power outlets or strips you did not pay for.
Policy on Theft
Whinny City Pony Con is not liable for any loss of or damage to any vendor’s property. Staff will make every effort to ensure that theft does not occur but ultimately are not liable.
Vendor agrees to allow Whinny City Pony Con and its staff to act as their agents to investigate on their behalf, but no guarantee is made as to compensation or return of any lost or damaged property. We strongly advise that cash and any small, highly valuable items be removed from the hall when it is not occupied and stored in the Vendor’s room or other secure space.
Weapon and Weapon-like Props and Goods Policy
No ammunition of any type is allowed to be sold in the Vendor Hall, whether it be shotgun shells, rifle round, or Nerf brand foam darts.
Any realistic-looking weapon props will need to be stored off property or in the purchaser’s vehicle immediately after purchase. These props can not be brandished or even out in the open at Whinny City Pony Con even if peace-bound. The ruling of WCPC leadership or hotel security shall be the final word on whether a prop is acceptable, for sale or otherwise.
Spatial Boundaries Policy
The ceiling in the vendor hall is fourteen feet (14’) high. No display should come close to touching the ceiling or any hanging signs, lights, etc., that may be present in the hall.
No displays should extend beyond the limits of their table space, and therefore no displays should encroach on another table’s display or space.
Tall displays should avoid turning into “sails” that could easily be blown over/down by the venue’s air conditioning and circulation systems.
Policy for Food and Beverages at Table
Food and beverage behind a vendor’s table should be for personal consumption only. Available for sale or otherwise to attendees, etc., is not allowed, as previously mentioned in the above Five Senses Policy.
Use of Convention Logos and Branding
Before using or selling logos or branding (including the mascots) that belongs to Whinny City Pony Con, its parent company, or its parent company’s other properties, explicit permission must be received from the convention’s leadership.
Policy Against Gambling and Games of Chance
You must have an Illinois State Raffle License in order to hold a raffle in the State of Illinois. Violators of this policy can be eligible for prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.
In order to qualify to purchase a Illinois State Raffle License, they must be a local charitable organization as recognized by the State of Illinois. See this page for more information.
All other forms of gambling are strictly prohibited.
Free drawings do not count as a raffle, nor therefore as a game of chance. As such, they are permitted.
Statement of Notifications of Changes
Whinny City Pony Con and its staff will make every effort to notify vendors of changes to these policies, but can’t guarantee such notifications. WCPC and its staff reserve the right to make reasonable changes with or without notice at any time.
Statement of Final Judgement of Rules and Policies
The Vendor Hall Department Head and Convention Chair(s) have the final say on any ruling or interpretation of the above policies.
Statement of Spirit of Document
If the exact wording of anything contained in this document does not quite apply, but the spirit of this document or anything contained within still does, then this document will still apply. Vendors are expected to follow, and rulings will be made in, the spirit of this document.
Statement of Part Versus Whole
If any part of this document becomes void or unenforceable, the rest of this document shall still be valid and enforceable.
Failure to Follow the Above Policies
Failure to follow the above policies may result in disciplinary measures up to and including ejection from the Vendor Hall and convention without refund and revocation of all vendor badges without refund.
Statement of Agreement through Acceptance and Payment for Space
By accepting this exhibitor space and paying the invoice for payment for it, you are agreeing to abide by these policies and codes of conduct. This document shall act as a vending contract between yourself as a vending attendee and the convention.