One Sunday.

Hundreds of booths.

Up to 15,000 guests, according to the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce.

That is a substantial audience for anyone selling art, food or something shoppers did not know existed until it appeared beneath a white canopy.

Vendor applications are open for the 2026 San Marcos Harvest Fest.

The festival takes over North City Drive on Sunday, Oct. 11, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For local sellers, the invitation is clear:

Bring the product.

Harvest Fest will bring the street.

Thirty-Five Editions. Two Years Here.

The official vendor portal calls this the 35th annual Harvest Fest.

But North City became its home only last year.

The festival moved to the district near Cal State San Marcos in 2025. This October brings the encore.

How large will it be?

The official pages cannot quite agree.

The Chamber’s website advertises more than 200 vendor booths. Its recruitment post says more than 250 vendors. The vendor portal references more than 225 artisans and crafters.

Those figures describe the event’s planned scale—not a confirmed count of accepted vendors.

The Chamber’s estimate of upwards of 15,000 guests comes with the same caveat.

North Valley Flare found no independently audited attendance total.

Still, nobody reserves an entire street because six people might buy candles.

One Very Important Number Is Missing

The Chamber is recruiting artisans, crafters, community businesses and food vendors.

Applications are handled through EventHub.

Kennedy Faires manages Harvest Fest and lists the festival on its official 2026 schedule.

The company identifies Rick and Chris Bauer as its owners and event managers and publishes a Vista mailing address.

That gives the event a small North Valley connection:

The festival happens in San Marcos.

Its event manager receives mail in Vista.

But the public festival pages leave prospective vendors hunting for the number that matters most.

The booth fee.

North Valley Flare could not find prices in the publicly accessible event information.

Complete details about booth dimensions, insurance, permits, electricity, refunds and vendor-selection rules were also unavailable.

Kennedy Faires lists 760-945-9288 and info@kennedyfaires.com for questions.

Calling before applying may be wise.

“Surprise me” is a delightful approach to birthday cake.

It is less charming as a business expense.

What Visitors Get

Admission and parking are advertised as free.

Current event pages promise food, shopping, children’s activities, inflatables, carnival rides and beer, wine and cider.

Live entertainment is also planned.

How many stages?

The Chamber and North City say three. The festival’s music page says two.

Until someone settles the arithmetic, “multiple” will have to carry the tune.

The music page currently names School of Rock Oceanside, Leading Note Studios and CJ The DJ, but still labels the complete 2026 lineup “coming soon.”

North City also advertises a literacy nook, live animals and Rover, a nature-based educational bus.

Harvest Fest may be approaching middle age.

Its North City chapter is only on year two.

And organizers are looking for enough vendors to make one San Marcos street very difficult to leave empty-handed.

Questions You May Have About the San Marcos Fest

When is San Marcos Harvest Fest?
Sunday, Oct. 11, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where is it?

Along North City Drive in San Marcos.

Are vendor applications open?

Yes. The official festival website links to the EventHub application.

What does a booth cost?North Valley Flare could not find the fee on the public event pages. Typically you need to contact the event organizer for these details.

Is admission free?

Yes. Admission and parking are advertised as free.