Concerts in the Park

Town of Aurora Department of Community Services - Food Vendor Opportunity Request for Expression of Interest

The Department of Community Services requests to hear from food vendors that are interested to sell food during Aurora’s Concerts in the Park series in the Aurora Town Park (49 Wells Street). Aurora’s Concert series is a weekly concert on Wednesdays in July and August from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. There is an average of 1000 attendees per concert. Attendees are permitted to bring their own snacks or picnics, but having food vendors on site has been beneficial. At each concert there will be on site waste management services, access to municipal grade water, but no access to power.

Interested food vendors are requested to submit their proposal to the Recreation Coordinator, Special Events at ehamilton@aurora.ca by April 17 at 12 p.m. (local time).

Expression of Interest needs to include the following:

1. A minimum of two references for providing this service in an outdoor special event setting, including an overview of the applicant’s involvement along with hours of service, number of staff on site and approximate event attendance numbers.
2. The menu (brand, serving size) and pricing for all food that will be available for purchase.
3. A description and diagram of the food vending area including dimensions of the required space. The diagram needs to include the required 2-part hand wash station. Municipal grade water source is available on site for applicant to use to fill water containers, but a direct hook up is not available.
4. Full contact information of the applicant and confirmation for the location of the business (whether it is home based or otherwise)
5. Agree in writing to obtain, that the Town’s mandatory requirements of obtaining approval from York Region Health Unit to operate as a food vendor, a minimum of 30 days prior to the event. If the applicant is a food truck the applicant will be required to get a food truck vendor license from the Town of Aurora By Law Division a minimum of 30 days prior to the event. And that, a minimum of one food server on site must have a current Provincially recognized Food Handler certificate. Applicant needs to agree to provide Proof of Certification for each server to the Department of Community Services prior to the event.
6. The food vendor must agree to be ready to fully service customers between 6 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. In your submission, please indicate if you will participate on each day of the event series. If you cannot participate in all dates, please indicate which dates you can. Event operating times at Aurora Town Park (49 Wells Street) are as follows:
   1. July 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30, August 6, 13, 20 and 27, 2025
   2. Event time 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.,
   3. Service time 6 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.
7. Written agreement to provide a $250 refundable deposit and participate in any weather condition, unless the concert has been cancelled. The $250 deposit will be refunded via cheque within 6 weeks of your last date of participation, if you attend all pre-approved concert dates.
8. Written agreement that a proof of insurance will be provided to the Department of Community Services, a minimum of 30 days prior to the event. A minimum of $2 million dollars in general liability coverage is required. The Corporation of the Town of Aurora must be listed as a co-insured on the organization’s insurance policy.
9. The fee to participate is 10% of vendor gross sales per concert evening or a fee of $64.27 (including HST) per concert evening. The proposal to include a confirmation of which fee the applicant is choosing.
10. The applicant must agree to not use single use plastics as restricted by Single- use Plastics Prohibition Regulation and is to limit packaging where possible. Proposal is to outline what green practices or initiatives the applicant will have in place such as reduced energy consumption, using eco-friendly materials, reducing waste etc.