2026 ROTARY
MARTINBOROUGH FAIR
INFORMATION FOR STALLHOLDERS
The 2026 Martinborough Fair is held over two days – Saturday 7th February and Saturday 7th March 2026. When you are applying for a stall, please note you are expected to attend BOTH days.
This document contains useful information and guidelines (including some rules) designed to help stallholders get the most out of the Martinborough Fair. Please print this document and your stallholder’s Fair Pass and have them with you on the day for your own reference. Familiarise yourself with the Fair maps and facilities and print off any you think may help on the day.
The sites:-
Most sites are approximately 6m x 3m. Some are on grass, some on footpaths or in the centre of the roads. Because of this, many sites are not level, nor strictly rectangular. Some may have trees or other physical obstructions within their boundaries.
Whichever size you have, you must plan to remain within the stall site bounds.
Sites in the quadrangle
Sites in the quadrangle grassed areas are marked out in back-to-back rows at 6m x 3m with walkways between the rows. Some of the sites are 3m x 3m to allow for trees and other obstructions. See maps for details.
Gazebos are not always suitable for sites in the quadrangle as some of the trees have low branches, and in many of the other areas around the Fair grounds, a full 6m x 3m gazebo may be unsuitable because of the irregular shape of the sites. If you will need to use the full site area or intend to use a gazebo or tent, please make it clear on your application.
Canopies and display stands may be erected if they do fit the site, but only in such a manner as not to block access to other stalls or impinge upon the stall space of others.
Display stands within the Square should be no higher than 1.25 meters.
Sites in front of shops
If your site is in front of a shop, please communicate with the shop personnel and make sure you are not obstructing their displays or that they are happy with your layout as it impacts theirs. They might also need to put a sign out on the footpath by your stand to show shoppers that they are in fact open for business. You will, of course, be happy to help them. We are operating in their front yard, and it is by the good will of the Martinborough shop owners that we get to operate at all.
Rotary Headquarters (HQ)
The Martinborough Fire Station. The Fair Conveners, Glenn Todd and Sue Harraway will be on duty there. Please enter via the left-hand side door.
Rotarians (fair marshals) will be assisting on the day and wearing distinctive clothing (white coats / high viz vests with the Rotary logo on them). Please ask them for assistance when necessary. Your area will have 1 or 2 stall marshals. They are there to help you as well as to make sure everyone complies with the guidelines. If you receive a request from the marshals please cooperate promptly.
Rotary information marquee
Located in the centre of the square by the memorial cenotaph. Lost and found property and people may be reported and/or picked up here; details will be broadcast over the public address system. The rotary marquee is royal blue in colour and well labelled so you can’t miss us.
Money/change facility
Stallholders can buy more change at the Front window of the Fire Station. This is not intended to provide your starting change float, but to help stallholders who run out during the day. Open 8.30 a.m. till about 2.30 p.m.
Trestles
Trestles are available for hire and may be ordered on the stall site application. There may be some spare on the day for last-minute hire.
Pre-hired trestles will be listed on your site and trestle order documentation along with the trestle supply location which is indicated by a coloured tag printed on the documents.
You need go to the trestle dispatch location for your area and show them your Fair Pass.
They will check that you are on the list and schedule delivery to your site.
Those with RED pre-paid tags, take your trestle order to the Victory Fellowship Gate. (First driveway on the right on Kansas street South – opposite the Pukemanu Tavern). Stallholders in sites on the Southern end of the Square from Kitchener Street, Mitre 10 area, and Oxford and Jellicoe Streets may be able to secure spare trestles there too once orders have been fulfilled.
Those with BLUE pre-paid tags, take your trestle order to the Martinborough Winemakers’ Services Yard. (First driveway on the left down Kansas Street North – opposite Scotty’s butchery). Stallholders on the Northern end of Square from Kitchener Street, Kitchener Street itself, and Ohio and Cambridge Streets may be able to secure spare trestles there too, once orders have been fulfilled.
Fresh water
Available from one tap in front of Fire Station on Texas Street East, and one in the new town hall playground over the road from there.
Toilets
Public toilet facilities include two Spik’N’Span toilet trailers located near the Fire Station, port-a-loos at the ends of most streets, and the Square’s public toilets which are located beside the museum on the eastern corner of the square by the playground. These are available throughout Friday night for those that choose to arrive early. The toilets in the Waihinga Centre (Martinborough’s new Town Hall) will also be open to the public during the day. Please be aware that toilets in private businesses (including cafes and restaurants that are trading on Fair Day) are NOT to be used by stallholders or visitors unless they are paying customers of that business and have asked permission to use their facilities. Rotary regularly gets negative feedback about this issue, so we greatly appreciate your cooperation.
Civil defence
We ensure access for emergency services to the fair area and the entire town by maintaining a four- metre gap between all stall rows on the roads. This must remain clear. You will be instructed to move any structures or items that overflow into the access ways.
ATM & EFTPOS
The Kitchener Street ATMs are always heavily used. It is advisable to arrange mobile phone EFTPOS with your bank.
And the Rules
Stall Holders
Stall sites are not transferable. You are not permitted to give, sell, transfer, or lease your stall site to another person.
Sharing
You can share your site with a friend as long as you do not have food on sale. If sharing please make sure we know the full range of the products to be sold. You will take on responsibility for the whole range and be our primary point of contact for fees and any licensing required.
Stalls should be operative from 8am to 4pm. If sold out before the end of the day, stallholders may not begin moving equipment out until 4pm.
Cancellation policy
The Martinborough Fair Trust reserves the right to cancel any site booking at their own discretion at any time.
If conditions outside our control are such that the market cannot proceed, we reserve the right to cancel or postpone the Fair at our discretion and without consultation with stallholders. Site fees will generally not be refunded under these circumstances.
Site fees will not be refunded for stallholder-initiated site cancellations made within two weeks before the first Fair date.
Power use – safety
Stalls with electrical connections must be connected directly to the power board and will generally only have a single extension lead. If you need more, you must check first and may be charged for each connection. Your load must not exceed the socket rating. Make sure your extension lead is long enough, and you must cover it with appropriate safety mats in foot-traffic areas. The power outlets are protected by an RCD.
The RCD detects earth leakage current and will trip if your appliance is faulty. All leads and appliances must be tested by a certified testing authority and tagged as safe to use.
Note: No petrol/diesel generators allowed without prior written consent.
Parking
Vehicle movement is absolutely prohibited in the entire fair area from 8am to 4pm.
Vehicles not registered for on-site use are expected to be off site by 7:30-7:45am to give time for staff to check around the fair roadways and to close road access points before declaring the roads officially ‘closed’.
Insurance
You must arrange your own insurance.
- The stallholder shall not do anything that might render any insurance effected by
The Martinborough Fair Trust void or voidable or whereby the premium payable
shall be liable to increase. The stallholder shall be liable for all extra premiums
payable because of any breach of this clause - By accepting a stall site, the stallholder agrees to occupy and use the area at the
stallholder’s own risk and releases The Martinborough Fair Trust and any
employees or volunteers, to the full extent permitted by law, from all claims and
demands of any kind and from all liability which may arise in respect of any
accident, damage or injury occurring to any person or property in or about area
controlled by the Trust for the purposes of the Martinborough Fair. - All stallholders are advised they should consider public liability insurance, but it is
not compulsory for involvement with the Martinborough Fair.
Food safety
A Health Inspector may inspect stalls at both Fairs and has authority to close stalls that breach health and safety regulations. Ingredients requiring refrigeration must be properly chilled and hygienically stored, and all cooking equipment clean and safe.
The stall application form includes a Food Licensing section that will provide information to be forwarded to the SWDC. This information should enable them to issue a ‘License to operate a Food Stall’. This is separate to any food handling registration you may have.
Your business food registration certificate must be current at the time of the Fair.
Food stall site applications will be entered and tentatively approved but will not be ratified until the SWDC license is issued. Failure to display the SWDC Licence on the day may result in a further fee being levied by the Council.
Alcohol
Alcohol is not to be sold from any stalls that form part of the Martinborough Fair.
This includes 0% beer/wine due to the perception that the containers can give to Fair attendees and other Stallholders.
Stall access:- All Stalls must be set up within the allocated site boundaries. Walkways must be kept clear. Cars are not permitted on the grassed areas in the Square under the trees at any time. Equipment must be off-loaded from paved areas as quickly as possible to allow others access.
Pegs and nails:- No pegs are to be driven into any hard surface such as road, pavement, or concrete. If you are on the grass, pegs may be up to 200mm long. Remember, there are power and water sprinkler systems underground – any damage to these systems is your responsibility. No nails into, or other damage to trees.
Rubbish
Recycling of certain materials (compostable packaging, food waste, glass, aluminium cans, and paper) will be encouraged with nine Recycling Stations placed at strategic points throughout the fair. There will be no other rubbish bins on the streets leading to the square. For those who generate a lot of rubbish/or contaminated containers we will once again be providing you with plastic bags for you to take this home with you.
Packing material and cardboard boxes must also go home with you. We operate a policy of “pack it in, pack it out”. South Wairarapa District Council also prohibits the illegal dumping of rubbish beside public bins
Waste Reduction
The Martinborough Fair is committed to minimising waste sent to landfill. To support this goal, the Fair actively promotes the recycling of clean, recyclable containers and the composting of food waste, compostable food containers, and utensils.
All stallholders selling food for consumption at the Fair are required to use only compostable food containers, utensils, and related service items. Confirmation of the ability to meet this requirement is a condition of approval for operating a food stall at the Martinborough Fair and will be monitored on the day.
Before you come to the Fair: do you have . . . ?
- Your stallholder’s Pass documentation.
- Your (long enough) extension cord and covering/protection for it. (Duct tape is not
sufficient) - Enough money change (coins/notes). The Fire Station change facility only tops up
your change, you will need to bring enough to get yourself started