2025 Vendor FAQs
Before filling out a vendor application, please read the following information carefully to determine whether our market is right for you:
We are an Agriculture & Food Market Only
When booth space allows, we accept only agricultural-based registered businesses or food-based registered/licenced businesses
Makers/Producers only, no Resellers or Wholesale Brokers
No Arts & Crafts items
No Flea Market items
No CBD products
No Children’s Activities
No Promotional Booth Space for Local Businesses
No Musicians or Live Music Performances
Community Based Not for Profits/Public Service: Contact us here to share more about your non-profit/public service to see if your mission aligns with our mission
Our market is carefully curated by our market management team. Even if you fit the description of being an agricultural based business or food-based business, and we have available booth space, this does not mean you’ll be accepted into the market. Vendors are chosen based on the market’s need and the managers’ discretions. We do not have a waitlist, and filling out an application does not guarantee you a spot at the RPFM. Our vendors are chosen based on a number of factors, including: Is there a vacant spot? How does your business support local agriculture? Do your products add unique variety to our market? Are you offering something unusual/special that will delight the market shoppers? Is there an interest for your offering at our market? Can you supply and sell at least $800 worth of inventory for every market day? Have you been accepted as a vendor at our sister market - East Nashville Farmers Market? Is your business active on Instagram, and will you promote the market online if you are accepted?
Here are some Frequently Asked Questions:
Question: How easy is it to get into the market?
Answer: At this time, the market is full for the 2025 season. We receive over 300 applications each year for just 75 booth spots, and with around 90% of our vendors returning each season, openings are quite limited.
We do, however, have a sister market — the East Nashville Farmers Market — which serves as a great entry point. When a spot becomes available at Richland, we often invite a vendor in the same category from East Nashville to fill it. Depending on your category, it will be easier to join East Nashville first and get in line for future opportunities at Richland.
We encourage you to consider applying to East Nashville to get started!
Question: What is the deadline to apply?
Answer: Since this market runs year-round, there is no application deadline. Even though our market is already full, we accept applications year-round.
Question: I applied last year and I was waitlisted so my application is still active. Do I need to apply again?
Answer: Yes, you need to apply once each year in order to be considered for the market. Our market runs from January 1 thru December 31. Once the year ends on Dec. 31, all vendor applications received that year get archived and a new year is started for January 1. All vendors have to reapply each and every year including returning vendors.
Question: When do applications for the 2026 season open?
Answer: Applications for the new year open sometime in February for the April - December Summer Season. Please note that participation in the Winter Market (January-March) is limited to 2nd year vendors only due to lease restrictions from Metro Parks.
Question: If I apply as early as possible for the 2026 season, does that increase my chance to get into the market?
Answer: We don’t base vendor selection for Richland on the date of application. As mentioned earlier, our selection process is focused on vendors who are already participating in our sister market, the East Nashville Farmers Market.
Question: How are vendors chosen to participate in the market?
Answer: Our vendors are chosen based on a number of factors, including: Is there a vacant spot in the category (ie: Farmer, baker, prepared food, etc) you are applying for? Have you been accepted as a vendor at our sister market - East Nashville Farmers Market? How does your business support local agriculture? Do your products add unique variety to our market? Are you offering something unusual/special that will delight the market shoppers? Is there an obvious demand for your offering at our market? Can you supply and sell at least $800 worth of inventory for every market day? Is your business active on Instagram, and will you promote the market online if you are accepted?Question: What are the requirements to be accepted as a vendor?
Answer: The first and most important requirement is that there is a vacant spot in the category that you are applying in.How it works: When a spot becomes available at Richland, we invite an existing vendor from our sister market - East Nashville to fill that spot (in the same category). If you wish to be in line for a spot at Richland, you will need to first be accepted and participating at East Nashville. In addition, please see our vendor rules here to learn more about all of the requirements to be accepted at Richland.
Question: How long would I need to be a vendor at East Nashville before being accepted in Richland?
Answer: It all depends on if there is an open spot at Richland and if the open spot is for a vendor in your category. It could take several years depending on the situation. Most vendors tend to stay at the market for years once a spot opens up, so spots at Richland don’t open up very often.Question: Could I just come to the market as a fill-in/temporary vendor even if the market is already full?
Answer: If we need a fill-in vendor for Richland, we invite a vendor from our sister market - East Nashville.Question: Since it’s so competitive to get into Richland, could you recommend any other farmers markets in the area?
Answer: Sure! You are welcome to apply for our other markets - East Nashville Farmers Market and Arrington Farmers Market. In addition, there are 30+ Farmers Markets in and around the Nashville Area. Check out the PickTN website for an interactive listing of all the local farmers markets. You could also do an online search for holiday events and pop-up events in Middle Tennessee or Kentucky.Question: I’m a chef and I think it would be really fun to come to Richland for a pop-up. What do you need from me to make that happen?
Answer: At Richland, we typically don’t host chef pop-ups. If we need a fill-in vendor for Richland, we invite a vendor from our sister market - East Nashville. Unfortunately, at this time we don’t know of any markets or events that are geared for chef pop-ups.Question: Do I need to get any extra licenses or permits to participate in the farmers market as a food vendor if I currently own and operate a licensed and health-approved restaurant in Nashville and my plan is to prepare all food items in my commercial kitchen, fully cook and package them there, and simply bring them to the market to sell (either kept hot or cold according to food safety standards)?
Answer: You're all set with your current health permit and preparation setup. Additional permitting is only required if you plan to prepare made-to-order food onsite at the farmers market.
Question: I applied for the market but my application got declined. Why?
Answer: It can be for a variety of reasons. Some of the common reasons are:-If your business is not a food or agricultural based business, your application would be declined.
-We only have a limited number of spots in the market, if the market is already full for the season, you would be declined. Consider applying for our sister markets - the East Nashville or Arrington Farmers markets as they are still accepting new vendors in certain categories.
-We only accept new vendors into Richland that have been accepted at East Nashville Farmers Market as well. If your application did not include dates at East Nashville Farmers Market, your application would be declined.
-We only have a limited number of spots in the market, and for each category. If you are in a category where we have enough vendors already, your application would be declined.Question: If my application got declined, do I need to keep filling out applications throughout the season to be considered if a spot opens up?
Answer: No. All applications are kept on file for the season so you do not need to keep applying throughout the season. In the rare instance that a spot opens up at Richland, we invite a vendor the East Nashville Farmers Market to fill the spot. In the rare instance that there is no replacement vendor at East that matches the category where a spot opened up, we then review the declined application forms and reach out to see if that vendor would be available to participate in both markets. Only a vendor who would participate at both markets would be considered.
Question: How much do you charge for a vendor spot?
Answer: We charge 5% of sales with a minimum fee of $25/market up to a maximum of $125/market. Fees are paid at the end of each market. Here is the fee schedule.Question: Do you accept Arts and Crafts or Flea Market items at your market?
Answer: As much as we love arts and crafts and flea market items, we cannot have these items at our market due to our lease restrictions with Metro Parks. There are many art and craft type events in the city of Nashville throughout the year. We recommend you do a google search. Crafty Bastards runs 2-3 times a year, you can check them out here. Nashville Flea Market runs for 3 consecutive days, once a month, you can check them out here.
Question: I was curious as to whether you ever utilize food trucks at your market?
Answer: No, we do have food trucks at our market. We have many prepared food vendors at the market and they serve their food from their 10 x 10 tent (food tent) instead of a food truck.
Question: Do you approve applications from Out of State Vendors when there is a vacant spot?
Answer: Yes, if you are already an active vendor at our sister market East Nashville Farmers market and if there is a vacant spot open and if we feel your product(s) would add variety to the market that we don’t already have.Question: Do you allow CBD/THC products to be sold at your market when there is a vacant spot?
Answer: No, that is not something we are interested in.Question: We produce wine locally. Would like to know if you allow wine sales at the market when there is a vacant spot?
Answer: No. Our lease with Metro Parks does not allow us to sell alcohol at the farmers market.
Question: I am looking for an opportunity to play live music at the market. How can I sign up to play?
Answer: We do not host live music at this market. Although we appreciate live music, we do not host live music at this market. Here is more info for musicians.
Question: Can I set up a booth to promote my local for-profit services if there is a vacant spot? I wouldn’t be selling anything at the market, just promoting my local service to the community.
Answer: No. We don’t offer assistance or booth space to for-profit service based businesses looking for visibility in the community. If you are looking for different ways to promote your services to the community, please contact the Small Business Development Center - Nashville Office to get some consulting support in how/where to market your local service based business.
Question: How much general liability insurance is required to participate in the market?
Answer: All vendors must provide proof of general liability coverage at a minimum amount of $1,000,000.00. A current certificate must accompany each vendor application & remain on file with the market. I you want a recommendation, Campbell Risk Management out of Kentucky offers instant Farmers Market specific liability insurance. It’s easy to obtain online in about 15 minutes and it costs around $300 for the year.
Question: Who should I add as Additionally Insured to the liability insurance?
Answer: Nashville Community Farmers Markets: 6400 Delvin Farm Lane, College Grove, TN 37046
Question: What are the vendor rules that all applicants are expected to agree to and follow?
Answer: Read more about our 2025 Vendor Rules & Operating Guidelines.