5th Annual Maynardville Evening Food Market >
To apply for Maynardville, please look immediately below for the application link.

Cape Town Festival of Lights at Meerendal >
To apply for the Cape Town Festival of Lights at Meerendal, please scroll further down to the application section.

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5th Annual Maynardville Evening
Food Market: Hospitality Partner & Food Truck Application,
Selection Criteria & Onboarding

Celebrating 71 Years of Maynardville

As Maynardville celebrates its 71st season, the Maynardville Evening Food Market (MEFM) enters its fifth year on the back of exceptional year-on-year growth. Following another record-breaking Festival season in 2025, MEFM returns larger than ever, with an extended run from 13 January to 20 March. The longer season presents even greater opportunities for our hospitality partners to engage with thousands of festivalgoers across an expanded world-class programme. The extended Festival includes an expanded ballet season featuring Cape Town City Ballet and Cape Ballet Africa, alongside Macbeth, jazz, opera,
and orchestral concerts.

While the Festival remains deeply committed to its Schools Programme, we have introduced greater flexibility for our hospitality partners. Partners may choose not to trade on School-Only Performance Nights. Vendors who elect not to open will be charged a nominal participation fee to retain their allocated trading position. Further details are available in the Q&A section below.

The Maynardville Evening Food Market has become an iconic Cape Town institution and represents the longest-running non-permanent food market presented by a festival in South Africa. Welcoming thousands of guests each season, it has evolved into a destination in its own right—bringing together exceptional food, premium hospitality, and one of the country's most celebrated cultural experiences.

Designed to be enjoyed by everyone who lives in and loves Cape Town, the Food Market offers a relaxed, open-air dining experience where guests gather before the show, during interval, or simply to enjoy an evening in the park. With an extended Festival season, more performances, and more trading days than ever before, the 2027 Food Market presents our largest commercial opportunity to date for hospitality partners.

You can download the full trading day schedule here.

How we work

We have built more than a festival—we've built a thriving hospitality community. We are committed to the success of our hospitality partners and continually invest in enhancing the front-of-house experience, ensuring every guest enjoys an unforgettable evening from arrival to curtain call.

To protect the quality of the guest experience and maximise commercial success, vendor spaces are intentionally limited. This carefully curated approach provides category exclusivity, reduced direct competition, and access to up to both theatre patrons and locals who pop in just for the food experience. For our selected hospitality partners, the Maynardville Evening Food Market offers exceptional brand exposure and the opportunity to grow alongside one of Cape Town's most iconic cultural institutions

Our culture

Our mission is to reconnect Wynberg Park with the broader Cape Town community by revitalising this historic festival and celebrating underused green spaces as places of connection, safety, and care.

Selection Process

We champion hospitality partners who prioritise quality, sustainability, exceptional ingredients, and community impact. Every hospitality category is carefully curated to ensure the highest standard of food, service, and variety. Applications are assessed on their overall merit, including food quality, presentation, operational capability, sustainability, guest experience, and alignment with the Festival. Our objective is to appoint the strongest hospitality partner in each category, creating a balanced food market that enhances the guest experience while maximising each partner's opportunity for success.

Beyond exceptional food, we ask every hospitality partner to embrace the values that define Maynardville. We believe in the arts as a force for connection, opportunity, and community, and we strive to create an experience where every guest, partner, sponsor, and performer leaves feeling enriched. For returning applicants, your feedback has directly shaped many of the improvements introduced for this season.

Fee classes

We have two FEE classes, namely:
Class 1 – FOOD VENDOR: Vendors whose core business is a Food Truck or operates from an established food market.
Class 2 – OAC COLLAB/MEFM PARTNERS: Established concerns not operating in the Food Vendor space but can benefit patrons by offering a unique food experience. This class includes food innovators, food labs, unique restaurants, training colleges, and identified high-volume Vendors.

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To be considered, please complete the application form below. Applications will only be reviewed once the application fee has been received. Successful applicants will be contacted as contracting commences. Application fees are non-refundable.

Applications for the 2027 MEFM are NOW OPEN.
2027 MEFM - APPLY HERE

Application Q&A

Q: What is the application fee?
A non-refundable administration fee of 750 ZAR is required when submitting your application. Payment details can be found on the application form. If you are submitting a second application for the same season, the fee for the additional application is reduced to 500 ZAR.
Q: Do I need to submit separate applications for multiple food trucks?
Yes, each food truck must have its application. If you’re applying for more than one truck, please complete a separate application for each.
Q: What certifications do vendors need?
A: Vendors must have a valid Certificate of Authority (COA) and a business license. If using gas, a gas certification is also required.
Q: In addition to the application fee, the daily Evening Market vendor rates for 2027 are:
-Monday to Thursday: R500 per day (except on School Booking Nights, see below)
-Friday and Saturday: R700 per day
-Sunday: R900 per day
-School ONLY Nights (performances where the theatre is booked out for school groups attending as part of the Shakespeare programme, typically Mondays and Tuesdays): optional participation—R300 per night to trade, or a R150 per night reservation fee to close and retain your allocated position for the season.
Dedicated Food Truck Vendors (see below) are required to trade on all nights, including School Only Nights, and are not eligible for the reservation fee option.
Q: What is a Dedicated Food Truck Vendor?
The festival requires a minimum of three food trucks, one dessert truck, and one coffee truck to remain open for all performances throughout the season. Vendors filling these roles are classified as Dedicated Food Truck Vendors.
Q: How do I apply for Dedicated status?
Vendors may apply for Dedicated status at the start of the season.
Q: What do I get if I'm approved as a Dedicated Food Truck Vendor?
Approved vendors receive priority site selection and seasonal discounts in return for the commitment to trade every performance.
Q: What happens if not enough food trucks apply for Dedicated status?
If insufficient food trucks apply, the festival reserves the right to appoint a vendor to fill the role based on operational need, or to bring in additional food trucks to meet the required service level.
Q: When does the festival take place?
The festival runs from 13 January to 20 March 2027.
Q: Are vendors required to operate on show days?
Yes, vendors must commit to being open on all show days and operating for the full duration of the festival.
Q: What is the available power supply at the venue?
The Park has limited electrical capacity available for hospitality partners. While improvements have been made to the venue's power infrastructure, electricity should be used only where necessary. We therefore encourage all partners to use gas as their primary cooking source wherever possible. If your operation requires electrical power, please contact the Festival team before applying so your requirements can be reviewed and approved.
Q: How can I obtain the vendor agreement, and what are the next steps?
If approved, we will email your agreement—return it promptly with your deposit to secure your slot.
Q: Whom should I contact for more questions?
For additional questions or assistance, please reach out to our support team via the contact information on our website.

Resources

-Festival Website: click here.
-Festival Programme, click here.
-Trading Days Schedule, click here.

Contact us

Vendor Queries

For Vendor applications and related queries, please email foh@openaircollective.co.za; please note that during the Festival, our response times are 4-8 hrs., pre- and post- the Festival 3-5 days.
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Sponsorship queries

Become a Maynardville Food Market Partner

Join us in shaping one of Cape Town's most iconic summer experiences. The Maynardville Food Market offers a distinctive platform for brands dedicated to innovation, design, and community. Now in its fourth year, the Maynardville Food Market has become a beloved Cape Town fixture, running for over sixty nights in one of the city's most enchanting parks and drawing a diverse, loyal audience. If you are a food or design brand looking to stand out, this is the place to be. To explore partnership or sponsorship opportunities, please email us.

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Vendor Applications Cape Town Festival of Lights at Meerendal
4 December 2026 – 3 January 2027
Meerendal Wine Estate

We are looking for a carefully selected group of food vendors and Children's Activity Vendors to help create an exciting evening destination for families, friends and visitors throughout December and the festive period.

The inaugural Cape Town Festival of Lights at Meerendal is bringing together food, lights, entertainment and family experiences for 29 operating nights this festive season. With an expected 2,000–2,500 visitors per night, this is an opportunity to trade at one of Cape Town's most beautiful wine estates during one of the busiest periods of the year.

The Festival at a Glance:

-29 operating nights
-2,000–2,500 expected visitors per night
-16–18 core food vendors
-Up to 20 food vendors on peak nights
-5 children's activity vendors needed
-7:00 pm–11:00 pm trading

The Festival will operate seven days a week, excluding 25 December and 1 January. 

The Food Offering

We are open to all cuisines and menu concepts. The objective is to create a distinctive and exciting food destination with strong variety and minimal direct duplication between vendors.

We are looking for operators who bring:

◆ A premium, well-executed product
◆ Strong presentation
◆ A professional food truck, trailer or trading setup
◆ Reliable service and operational capability
◆ A concept that adds something distinctive to the Festival
◆ The ability to maintain quality and service during busy periods

Your product, concept, branding, food truck, layout and overall visual presentation will all form part of the selection process. The Festival is not simply looking to fill spaces. We are building a balanced food offering with commercially viable opportunities for participating vendors.

Vendor Categories

Full Food Trucks: Substantial food operations with broader menus and the capacity to serve high volumes. Burgers · Pizza · Mexican · Asian · Seafood · Grill · Pasta · Fried Chicken · Street Food: South African Food and more.
Single-Product Food Vendors: Specialist operators built around one great product or a tightly focused product family. Speciality sandwiches.
Dessert & Snack Vendors: Smaller-format operators specialising in sweet treats, desserts and festival snacks. Ice cream · Gelato · Soft serve · Baked goods · Popcorn · Pretzels · Sweets and more
Coffee/Beverage Trucks: Speciality coffee and hot beverage operators, with limited accompanying food.
Non-Alcoholic Beverage Vendors: We are looking for distinctive drinks that complement the evening experience.
Fresh juices · Lemonade · Iced tea · Smoothies · Speciality soft drinks and other non-alcoholic beverages.

The Festival is intended to operate as an alcohol-free Festival. Alcoholic beverage vendors will not be sourced or appointed unless specifically authorised by the Festival.

Children's Activity Vendors

Give families another reason to stay. Food is only part of the experience. We are also looking for Children's Activity Vendors to create simple, engaging and family-friendly experiences throughout the Festival.

Activities should be:

◆ Fun and engaging
◆ Family-friendly
◆ Visually appealing
◆ Affordable
◆ Low-footprint
◆ Easy to operate
◆ Suitable for a contained stall or designated activity area

Potential concepts include: Face painting · Glitter tattoos · Festive crafts · Christmas cookie decorating · Colouring stations and similar activities.

The current Festival position is for 5 Children's Activity Vendors operating every night. Larger attractions such as rides, large inflatables, substantial entertainment structures, major activations or other complex installations fall outside the standard Children's Activity offering.

Vendor Rates

Simple. Transparent. No commission. Approved vendors pay a fixed daily rental fee according to their category and trading date. No commission on turnover.

Peak Nights

The nights you really want to be there. Peak rates apply to the Festival's highest-demand festive-season dates:

◆ 16 December
◆ 18–24 December
◆ 26–31 December
◆ 2–3 January

These dates include the 16 December public holiday, the Christmas holiday period and the major New Year period, when visitor numbers and evening leisure demand are expected to be strongest. The Festival is closed on 25 December and 1 January.

Why Trade at Meerendal?

You will be trading as part of a new festive-season destination combining:
-Food + Lights + Entertainment + Family Experiences
-The setting provides an opportunity to create a memorable evening food experience rather than a conventional daytime market.
-We are looking for operators who care about the complete experience — not just the product.
That means great food, a great-looking setup, efficient service and a brand that feels right at Meerendal.

What Makes a Strong Application?

We will look at the complete offering.
-Product
-Is the food or beverage offering strong, distinctive and well executed?
-Presentation
-Does the truck or trading setup look professional, attractive and appropriate for the Festival?
-Customer Experience
-Can the operator deliver friendly, efficient service when demand is high?

Commercial Fit

-Is the concept appropriate for a fixed-rental festival environment and capable of trading successfully across an extended season?
-Variety: Does the concept add something different to the overall vendor mix?
-Reliability: Can the operator commit to the agreed trading dates and meet the Festival's operational requirements?
Full Festival Commitment: We strongly prefer vendors who can trade for the full Festival period.

Final trading dates and allocations are not guaranteed and remain subject to Festival requirements, available space, operational considerations and the overall vendor mix.

OpenAirCollective will collect and coordinate required vendor documentation as part of the onboarding process. Vendors remain responsible for the accuracy, validity and ongoing maintenance of their own compliance documentation.

Power & Setup: We will collect your setup and infrastructure requirements during the application process. This includes: Truck or setup dimensions · Electrical requirements · Equipment · Water requirements · Gas requirements · Refrigeration · Storage · Waste requirements. The Festival has advised that HCC will manage vendor electrical requirements and provide generators where necessary, while Meerendal is expected to provide the three-phase point for the vendor area.

Halal Vendors

We are aiming for a strong Halal offering across the Festival. We will use reasonable commercial efforts to source a vendor mix capable of providing approximately 50% or more Halal offerings, subject to availability, suitability,

Application & Selection

There is no application fee. Applications are reviewed as part of a curated selection process. We are not simply looking to fill every available position. We are building a food and family offering that feels considered, exciting and commercially viable.

Ready to Join Us?

Think your concept belongs under the lights? Whether you are serving incredible food from a food truck, creating the perfect festive dessert, pouring exceptional coffee or giving children something fun to do, we are looking for operators who can help make the Cape Town Festival of Lights at Meerendal a destination people want to return to.

APPLY TO TRADE

Limited spaces available. Only selected vendors will be contacted.

Frequently Asked Questions (To be ADDED). 

Terms & Conditions

By applying, you acknowledge that an application does not guarantee appointment or a trading position. All applications are subject to final Festival approval.
The Festival may decline or cancel an application or vendor appointment at any time and for any reason.
Approved vendors pay the applicable fixed daily rental fee. No commission on turnover is payable.
The Festival reserves the right, at any time and without prior notice, to cancel, postpone, suspend, shorten, extend, reschedule or amend any Festival date, trading period, operating hours, venue arrangement, site or vendor allocation.
OpenAirCollective acts on behalf of the Festival and is not liable for any loss, cost, claim or consequence arising from an application being declined, cancelled or amended.
A vendor is confirmed only once written appointment and required onboarding are completed. By applying, you agree to the applicable Festival Vendor Terms & Conditions and Vendor Agreement.

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*The rates listed apply exclusively to Evening Market activities. Any additional activities during this period not covered by these rates will be billed separately. Rates are subject to change without notice. Disclaimer: We reserve the right to change any terms and conditions at any time on any platform. We also reserve the right to change or add to these terms and conditions from time to time for legal, safety or other substantive reasons or to assist the event organiser, or to ensure the safe delivery of the event. We will update this site with any such modifications as and when these modifications take effect.

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