New York Reptile Expo Vendor Rules

TABLES/PAYMENTS

All tables are standard 8 feet long by approximately 30 inches wide.  Tables are not considered reserved until receipt of payment and current tax ID number! If you cancel your space at least 30 days prior to the show , the table price will be refunded. NO refunds with less than 30 days notice unless the table can be resold. Tables must be claimed by 9:30AM or they will be made available to other vendors without refund. If you do not show up at all and we don't hear from you that day, we will assume that you no longer wish to be a vendor and will re-sell your space at future shows to other vendors without refunds! All tables will be within 40feet of an electrical outlet. You are responsible for providing a extension cord to connect to your table.

Each table is entitled to 2 vendor badges only, which will be available for pick-up when you arrive in the morning. Please bring your own, labeled, loading cart- very few are available at the County Center! For safety and insurance reasons the County Center prohibits loading carts in the show aisles during hours when we are open to the public.

We retain the right to prohibit certain types of exhibits and behavior that we feel is inappropriate or unsafe. Flashing lights, music, handing out flyers away from your booth, and walking around with animals for sale are all prohibited. All empty boxes and styrofoam coolers must be taken with you at the conclusion of the show- the County Center does NOT allow us to dispose of them in their dumpster!

SET-UP

Vendor set-up time is from 6:00am to 9:30am, and show hours are from 9:45AM to 4PM.  All load-in will take place in the rear of the building. There are only 35 parking spaces available in the vendor parking lot, which will be available on a first come, first served basis. If you arrive after all of the spots are taken, we will have you double park while you quickly unload, and then send you around the building to the main County Center lot ($4/day), or you can try the Municipal lot across the street.  There is also free street parking just outside of the vendor lot. Do NOT park in the vendor lot the night before the show without clearing it with the show staff ahead of time- unauthorized vehicles may be towed! Staples across the street will also tow vehicles from their lot!!

Arrive by 7:30am if you want to park in the vendor loading lot or if you have a truck or trailer! Once the vendor lot is full, we CANNOT let trucks and trailers in- you will have to unload from the street. No loading dollies are permitted on the show floor while we are open to the public!

All tables MUST be claimed by 9:30am!  If a table is unclaimed after 9:45am, we reserve the right to re-sell or otherwise fill the table WITHOUT REFUND!!

HOTELS

The Hampton Inn (914 592-5680) and the Summerfield Suites (914 251-9700 x 509) have both offered a $109 special for our expo in the past, and are ok with discretely packed herps.  Other hotels in the area that have in the past been used by our vendors include the Courtyard by Marriott (914 631-1122, and the Marriott (914 631-2200). Call at least 2 weeks ahead- all rooms are often booked on weekends.

SALES TAX

Vendors are responsible for obtaining a State of NY Sales Tax Permit (Certificate of Authority), collecting 7 3/4 % sales tax, and displaying their valid permit at their table. Strict NY State laws require that the Expo have on hand a copy of your valid permit. WE MUST RECEIVE THIS AT LEAST 14 DAYS BEFORE THE SHOW TO HOLD YOUR TABLES. If we do not receive it, you will loose your tables, and no refunds will be given! If you do not have Sales Tax Certificate call (800) 972-1233 to have an application for a "Certificate of Authority for Show and Entertainment Vendors" sent to you, or download the application at www.tax.ny.us. The applications can take weeks to process- be sure to allow for enough time to get your permit before the show. We must have a record of your permit number before the show, and the certificate MUST be displayed at your table. Please note that if you are sharing a table with someone else who has flyers, etc. identifying them as different from the business/individual listed on your permit, they must also have their own permit We now have to be very strict about the tax certificates, since as promoters of the show we are liable for large fines for allowing vendors without permits to sell!! Be sure to have your original sales tax permit displayed at your table, as per NY state law.

SMOKING/DRINKING

The Westchester County Dept. of Health regulates the County Center building, and specifically requires that there be NO SMOKING or ALCOHOL allowed in the building. The County Center will operate a snack bar selling burgers, sodas, etc during the hours that the show is open to the public. Vendors may NOT sell any food from their tables.

ANIMAL RULES

- Although we do not restrict sales to just captive bred animals, we do require that all animals be healthy and acclimated. Any animal deemed unsuitable or unhealthy by the show staff must be removed from the table without question!

- All turtles and tortoises must be at least 4 inches long- sale or display! The county health dept. sometimes checks for and confiscates undersize animals!!

- All animals must be sold in secure containers or bags. No "loose" animals, please!

- Animals should NOT be overcrowded in their display cages.

- All animals must be displayed in closed containers or tanks that children cannot reach into!

- No live mammals or birds, except eyes closed pinkie/fuzzy feeder mice.

- No crickets, except in pre-counted, sealed boxes.

- No federally endangered, threatened, or NY native herps may be sold or displayed. Please contact is if you have any question about whether a species is native to NY.

- No scorpions or "dangerous" arachnids (Westchester County Health Dept.).

- No venomous or devenomized reptiles allowed

- No Crocodilians- display or sale- even skins, mounts, etc. (NY State Law)

- NY also prohibits the sale of Reticulated, African Rock, Burmese/Indian, and Amethystine Pythons, Anacondas, and Nile, Water, Croc, Black-throat, and White-throat Monitors.

- NEW: When a live reptile is sold the purchaser MUST be given a copy official NY State Salmonella Warning Flyer. Copies of this will be available at the vendor registration table for you to hand out. NY state consumer laws also require that you give a receipt upon request.

Vendors shall hold Animal Encounters LLC, the show coordinators, staff, and the Westchester County Center harmless from all claims beyond the price of the table rental. The expo staff reserves the right to refuse entry or evict any vendor not in compliance with the above show regulations without refund of table rental fee. Vendors assume full responsibility for all animals brought to the show, and any injuries caused by animals brought by a vendor are the sole responsibility and liability of that vendor.

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ReptileExpo 2007