Peony Festival

Application Deadline:

The City of Oshawa will make available spaces for Artists and Vendors at Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens on Saturday June 10 and Sunday June 11, 2022.  The City of Oshawa reserves the right to limit the number of Artists and Vendors dealing in sales of similar products.  Application deadline is Friday March 31, 2023.

Applications will be reviewed on an individual basis after this date. The City of Oshawa further reserves the right to select and approve all products for sale, exhibition or promotion at the Peony Festival.

Preference will be given to:

• Local handmade vendors (business or home address in Durham Region)
• Local artists (business or home address in Durham Region) with high quality items in any artistic medium
• Applicants who support the garden theme, either through artwork or items for sale
• Good quality, well priced items
• Applicants who incorporate green initiatives

Submission Requirements:

• Vendors must be aware that event parameters may change due to provincial and/or health regulations.  
• The issuance of a contract/permit is entirely at the discretion of the Community Services Department.
• The Community Services Department reserves the right to cancel any contact temporarily or permanently as the need arises. 
• All submissions are subject to a selection process.
• Price list, product list, product photograph should be submitted with application.
• Late submissions will not be accepted.
• There are a limited number of spaces available.
• Certificate of insurance for $2,000,000 liability naming the City of Oshawa as an additional insured must be obtained if selected to participate.
• Vendors may purchase insurance through the City of Oshawa’s Facility Booking office
  • fees are subject to change*

• Only approved food vendors are permitted to sell food
• Advertising of vendors attending the festival will be done once payment is received in full
• Each vendor is expected to share they are a vendor on social media and/or bring promotional postcards to other shows - a media kit will be provided.
• If selected a signed agreement, full payment and proof of insurance is due upon receipt
• Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens: 155 Arena Street
• Lot sizes: 10’ x 10’ spaces available, if a double lot is required please indicate.
• The location of each booth will be determined by the City of Oshawa
• Signage must be confined to the inside your booth
• This is an outdoor event, come prepared for weather
• Booths must have a clean, attractive and professional appearance
• Fees are subject to change in February of 2023
• Vendor are required to do their own set up and take down
• Vendors will be required to supply their own tent, tables, chairs and whisper quiet generators only
• Vendors will not stake their tent into the grounds and be responsible for supplying their own weights for tent
• Motorized vehicles are restricted to set up and takedown time along the pathways and may not drive in the park
• Set-up: Access to park: Between 12:00 and 4:00 p.m. Friday June 9 (insured only) and 7:00 a.m. on Saturday June 10, 2023
• Set-up must be completed by: 9:30 a.m., Saturday June 10, 2023
• Late arrivals will not be accommodated
• Take-down: no earlier than 4:00 p.m., Sunday June 11, 2023
• There is overnight security however, we highly recommend that you dismantle your booth and store your items

Need more information? Contact [email protected]

Food Vendor Information

The City of Oshawa will make available spaces for food vendors on Centre Street South. The City of Oshawa reserves the right to limit the number of food vendors dealing in sales of similar products. 

Application deadline is March 31, 2023.

Applications will be reviewed on an individual basis after this date. The City of Oshawa further reserves the right to select and approve all products for sale, exhibition or promotion at the Peony Festival.

Food vendors will be located outdoors. 

Preference will be given to

• Food vendors and booths that have business or home address in Durham Region
• Good quality, well priced items
• Applicants who incorporate green initiatives

Submission Requirements

• All submissions are subject to a selection process
• Price list and product list should be submitted with application
• Size of truck or space required
• Late submissions will not be accepted
• There are a limited number of spaces available
• Advertising of food vendors attending the festival will be done once payment is received in full
• Each vendor is expected to share they are a vendor on social media and/or bring promotional postcards at other shows
• If selected a signed agreement, full payment and proof of insurance is due upon receipt.

• Provide a certificate of insurance for $2,000,000 liability naming the City of Oshawa as an additional insured must be obtained if selected to participate.

Location & Space Allocation

• The location of each vendor spot will be determined by the City of Oshawa
• Signage must be confined to the perimeters of your booth
• This is an outdoor event, come prepared for weather
• Booths must have a clean, attractive and professional appearance.
• The City Of Oshawa will provide power, indicate type of power required: 3 Stage or 4 Stage
• Generators are not permitted.

Fees

• Fees are subject to change: 
  • $107.12 plus HST= $121.05 for the total duration of the Peony Festival.
  • Fees are subject to change in February of 2023
• Food vendors may purchase insurance through the City of Oshawa’s Facility Booking Office* 
• Food trucks require a mobile RV license or temporary RV license (additional fee)
• Food booths require a short term food shop license  (additional fee)
• For more information regarding requirements, contact the Licensing department at [email protected]

Set Up & Take Down

• Food vendors will be required to do their own set up and take down and all supplies necessary. Food vendors will not stake their tent into the ground and will be responsible for supplying their own weights for tent if applicable
• Motorized vehicles are restricted to set up and takedown time along the pathways and may not drive in the park
• Set-up: Access to park: Between 12:00 and 4:00 p.m. Friday June 9 (insured only) and 7:00 a.m. on Saturday June 10, 2023
• Set-up must be completed by: 9:30 a.m., Saturday June 10, 2023
• Late arrivals will not be accommodated
• No early takedown from event
• Take-down: no earlier than 4:00 p.m., Sunday June 11, 2023
• Signage must be confined to inside your booth
• There is overnight security however, we highly recommend that you dismantle your booth and store your items

Need more information? Contact [email protected]

Ontario Region Peony Show Schedule

More details to follow!

The Canadian Peony Society’s Ontario Region Peony Show will be an integral part of the 15th Annual Peony Festival, June 10 & 11, 2023 at Children’s Arena, 155 Arena Street, Oshawa.

This year's winners:

1st Place:

Allison Barrow:

2nd Place:

Laurie Cairns

• Subject - a photograph of an Oshawa peony.

• Entries must be the original work of the submitted.

• Maximum three (3) submissions per artist.
• Photographs must be submitted in digital format not exceeding 5MB in size.
• JPEG format using the following file name template: Artist's name, Title (e.g. John Doe, Pink Peony.jpg)

Contest submissions closed on July 15, 2022

Judging will be by Harmony Hill Retirement Community Garden Club

The winners have been notified by telephone and email.

Prizes:

• First Place  $150 Henry's gift card
• Second Place $100 Henry's gift card
• Third Place $50 Henry's gift card

2022 Photo Submissions:

Watch these how to videos on all types of peonies, planting, dividing and designing!

• Tree Peonies
• Herbaceous Peonies
• Intersectional Peonies
• Designing Peony Arrangements
• Digging, Dividing and Planting in the Fall

Check out these virtual tours from the comfort of your home.