Head of the Hooch 2022

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Edit - The form to indicate interest is now closed. We are no longer accepting submissions for participation in this event.

Hi everyone! We’re pleased to announce that Head of the Hooch will be returning this fall, November 5-6, 2022. For those of you not familiar with this event, it’s hailed as the “last of the great fall regattas” – about 20,000 athletes, families, and support staff are in attendance along the riverfront to host one of the largest rowing gatherings in the nation. It’s a great way to showcase Chattanooga, and it’s always a favorite event.

The air is crisp, the athletes incredible, and seeing a thousand rowing hulls on the water is stunning. And the Market plays a key role in providing arts, crafts and concessions for the event, all weekend long!

The general format will be arts/crafts on the aquarium plaza – River Market style – and food trucks on Chestnut street. Arts/Crafts will carry the traditional River Market fee structure (basic setup + 10% of sales), and concessions will carry the traditional Hooch fee structure (basic setup + 20% of sales). This event cost over a quarter-million to host, and half of all fees goes directly to the event. If you need to bump your prices a bit, do so! It’s a captive, hungry, and bored audience if they aren’t rowing.

The arts/crafts will operate as usual, but there are several unique requirements for the food trucks:

  • load-in will be on Friday, November 4th; no in/out at all on Saturday, and those of you who intend to remain until Sunday will need to let us know
  • quiet generators only! no loud generators will be allowed
  • there is no shore power (land-line electric) available for arts and crafts vendors; power can be made available to food trucks at a cost (last year it was approximately $200).

The event begins Saturday at dawn, and continues until dusk – tens of thousands of hungry people will want coffee, food and other distractions. Our arts/craft market will operate under normal River Market hours, but the food trucks need to brace themselves for a long day/weekend. But it’s worth it – we see some of our largest sales of the year during this event.

Registration for the Hooch will be a little different this year than in years past. Space is limited, so we’re gauging interest before we’re allowing vendors to sign up. Please complete the form sometime between now and October 5th to let us know you’re interested in the event. We’ll let you know shortly after Oktoberfest whether we are able to accommodate you at the event.

Looking forward to another great Hooch!

Food trucks will be located on Chestnut; artisans on the River Market plaza