We're so happy that we'll be back under the big tent at Union Park this September for the CHIRP Record Fair at Pitchfork - our first Record Fair since July 2019!

Vendor FAQ:

• Q: I'm not familiar with the CHIRP Record Fair at Pitchfork - what the heck is this?
  A: Pitchfork Music Festival, held at Union Park in Chicago, is one of the preeminent independent music fests in the country. While typically held in July, it was bumped to September in 2021 in light of the pandemic. The Record Fair is a festival feature - an opportunity for festgoers to get out of the sun under our big tents and celebrate music by buying local and grabbing records from their favorite artists. We occupy half of the tent space on the tennis courts (shared with Renegade Craft Fair), and typically host around 40 independent labels, local record shops, used record dealers, and other music-related merch purveyors. We provide table space to cover costs and support our nonprofit community radio station, CHIRP Radio 107.1FM.

• Q: What precautions are being taken against COVID-19? 
  A: All attendees, vendors, and entrants to festival grounds will be required to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 OR proof of negative PCR test within the last 72 hours to enter the fest each festival day. No exceptions will be made. Those providing proof of vaccination will have the option to bring their CDC card each day, or upload their documentation to a health app. More details on this process to come.

• Q: How much do tables cost? How big are they?
  A: Tables will be $395/ea this year - rolling back costs to at least pre-2016 levels for this unique year. This includes 4 vendor wristbands per table per festival day and two chairs per table. Tables are 6'x30". Tables are reserved in order of payment received.

• Q: What kind of traffic can we expect?
  A: At Pitchfork, you're reaching a large, relatively younger audience - much more merch, new pressings, & indie labels at this record fair (as opposed to our Spring fair) - but used vinyl is definitely still a hit! You just might not get as much lingering crate-digger traffic as you would at a typical record show. And a lot of folks pass through our tent on their way out of the fest, so you may get more evening traffic than you expect. It also helps if you have a system in place to hold purchases, or can offer shopping bags - many festgoers don't have bags or other places to store their purchases while they attend the fest.

• Q: What other opportunities are there to move records?
  A: We will once again have a designated Artist Signings table this year! If you're unfamiliar, labels with artists performing at the fest (or sometimes a local record shop) will work with their management to have the artist come to our tent and sign records for fans. We will publicize these signings, which occur exclusively in a pop-up tent within the tennis courts, and manage the line and table. The vendor who secured the signing is permitted to sell records, tapes, CDs, or other merch to folks waiting in line so they have something to sign. 
  
  If you know one or more of your artists will be attending the fest and might be interested in sitting at a table for a little bit and signing some of their stuff, email us ASAP at recordfair@chirpradio.org.

• Q: Do I really have to be there all three days?
  A: Your company/label/group must be able to commit to all three days of the fest - noon to 9pm. Load-in and load-out times are relatively fixed, and no exceptions to this rule will be made. You get 4 staff wristbands per table per day, so while individual staff are not required to be present all three days, someone must be staffing your table every day.

• Q: Besides product, what can I bring?
  A: Vendors enter through a separate entrance, so things like coolers for water and snacks and camp chairs are okay. Tents, flags, lounge chairs, instruments, knives or other weapons, video cameras, audio recording devices, professional cameras (NO cameras with detachable lenses), pets, drugs or drug paraphernalia are not permitted. CHIRP Record Fair vendors agree to bring NO alcoholic beverages into the Festival. Failure to comply with this will result in forfeiture of participation in this Festival and all future CHIRP Record Fairs.

• I still have questions.
  Neat! Email recordfair@chirpradio.org and we'll do our best to answer them.