Become a Vendor at Hal-Con

Hal-Con permits the sale of weapons; however, sellers must adhere to strict guidelines.

Vendors selling weapons must be aware of, agree to, and comply with Hal-Con’s Weapon Vendor Policy as outlined below.

Weapons sold must be packaged for transport in a non-lethal fashion (e.g. wrapped in a manner that protects other attendees).

Purchased weapons may only be picked up upon exiting the convention from the coat check area.

You must provide a complete inventory list in advance that will be reviewed by Halifax Regional Police.

All vendors selling weapons of any kind are required to have security personnel for the duration of the convention. Additional security will be organized by Hal-Con. The cost of additional security will be passed on to the weapons vendors at a cost of $25 per hour, for each hour the vendor floor is open to the public. Overnight security is onsite and provided by the venue. Hal-Con will locate weapons vendors in the same area to minimize security needs.

If you do not declare your intention to sell weapons upon application and are accepted as a vendor, but choose to sell weapons, you will be removed from the event without compensation. This will include forfeiture of all entitlements from purchasing your booth (e.g. vendor badges, setting up your space, listing on Hal-Con’s website, etc). Please be advised that both the venue and the Halifax Regional Police Department patrol the site to inspect merchandise for sale.

Any vendor selling items or weapons prohibited under Nova Scotia or Canadian law may have those items taken without compensation by Halifax Police, venue representatives, security, event staff, or other officials.

We have limited spaces available for food vendors. Applicants must be prepared to handle the large attendance of our convention as the demand for food and drink is quite high. Food vendors do not have to align with our ‘geeky’ theme, however those that do may be given preference.

Private insurance is required to cover any incidents that may occur. You will be asked to present proof of this insurance upon acceptance.

Should a Food Safety inspector visit the event, food vendors may be asked to provide their food sellers permit as proof that their goods were manufactured in a certified kitchen. Have your permit readily available.

All vendors must wear their badges as identification at all times while on-site. This includes while in costume. Venue staff will not provide admittance to anyone without a pass.

Vendor badges give the same access as regular weekend passes, plus early access to the vendor floor only during set-up times. They do not have any other perks. A vendor badge will not permit you to skip lines or enter specially-ticketed events.

Hal-Con provides two (2) vendor badges with each full space purchased for use by vendors and staff. Vendor badges are transferable among staff, although the transfer must be made outside the convention; no one will be permitted inside without a badge. Vendor badges are only to be used by individuals working the vendor space.

Replacement badges will not be issued if your badge is lost or stolen.

Vendors, like all attendees and staff, must abide by Hal-Con’s Anti-Harassment and Anti-Bullying Policy.

Your identification must remain visible at ALL times.

Vendors in costume must comply with Hal-Con weapon policies and costume policies at all times. Vendors must comply with security personnel if requested to remove part of their costume to ensure the safety of attendees.

Hal-Con assumes no liability for loss or damage to vendor goods at any time during the convention, including load-in and tear down. Hal-Con staff and volunteers are not permitted to handle the goods of any vendor, including packing up or unloading vehicles.

Upon being accepted to Hal-Con, vendors agree to have their space occupied during all hours that the vendor floor is open. Vendors should not leave early, show up unreasonably late, or leave their space unattended for extended periods of time. Each full-sized space comes with two vendor badges and extras can be purchased if necessary to staff your space. If a vendor needs a short break to attend a panel, use the washroom, get food, etc, Hal-Con staff and volunteers are available to watch your merchandise. Hal-Con staff and volunteers can only sit at the table/booth for you and will NOT handle merchandise or perform any transactions. Please flag down a volunteer if you need a break, or contact the vendor team by email if you need to be away for an extended period.

Vendors shall observe and obey all Canadian laws, the by-laws of the municipality of Halifax, and rules imposed by the venue. Should a vendor be found in violation of these laws or rules, prior to the convention or during, it may result in expulsion from the convention without reimbursement of monies paid.

Vendors and their staff shall not defame, slander or otherwise harm the integrity of the convention through spoken, physical, electronic, written or any other means, at any time. Should a vendor be found to be in violation, this will result in expulsion from the convention without reimbursement of monies paid, and they will not be permitted to return in future years.

Raffle tickets can be sold, but they must be licensed by the province with the license number clearly displayed on the ticket. We expect Alcohol and Gaming will be on site periodically and may inspect raffle tickets for adherence to regulation.

Vendors will not sublet or apportion their “space” without the written consent of Hal-Con. If you are sharing space with another vendor, they must fill out the application form with full details disclosed as to the products being sold. After the original application is submitted and approved, requests for changes/additions must be submitted via email to Vendors@hal-con.com (please review the table-sharing policy indicated in the Vendor Packet to gain approval for sharing).

Any artwork based on professionally released material must be labeled as ‘reproductions.’ 

Open flames, or devices which utilize an open flame, are not permitted in the venue.

All promotional activities will be limited to your space; Hal-Con must be informed of and pre-approve activities beyond traditional sales of merchandise and other items.

Vendors must exercise discretion that any items displayed do not cause great offense to attendees.

All vendors, once approved by the Vendor Team, are subject to review by the venue and the Halifax Police Department. Should either of those reviews decline a vendor, Hal-Con will abide by that decision and will not intervene.

Why was my vendor application rejected?
Vendor applicants will only be rejected if:

1. Their products do not align with our theme (Sci-fi/Fantasy/Gaming/Comics/Cosplay/Pop Culture),
2. Their application was incomplete, or,
3. Their product or business goes against one of our policies. 

Your reason for rejection will be outlined in the rejection email you receive.

What does ‘waitlisted’ mean in terms of my vendor floor application?
Once applications are processed by our jury and the vendor floor is filled, the remaining applicants who were not accepted are placed onto the waitlist. If a space becomes available, the vendor team will contact you to see if you are still interested in joining us as a vendor.

Why was my vendor application waitlisted?
The most common reasons for a vendor applicant to be waitlisted are as follows:

1. You applied after the application deadline. Late applicants are automatically waitlisted. Please check the Vendor Information Package for deadlines.
2. Your portfolio did not accurately reflect what you are offering. Please see the question regarding portfolio requirements above.
3. We don’t have enough space for everyone. Sadly, this is the number one reason why potential vendors are waitlisted.

Every year we get more than twice the amount of applicants than we have room for on our vendor floor. Unfortunately, we must waitlist a large number of talented artists and vendors through no fault of their own. Please check the “Application” section above for information on what we look for in potential vendors and how to make your application stand out.

But I was a vendor last year!
In order to maintain fairness to new applicants and keep a fresh rotation of sights and products for our attendees, a vendor’s past history with the convention is not a guarantee that they will be selected again. 

You will only be judged on your current application, not what you brought or submitted in previous years. Make sure your submitted portfolio accurately reflects what you are offering.

But I’m a local artist!
This is not a contributing factor to our judgment at this time. The majority of our applicants and accepted vendors are local to Nova Scotia. Even if we accepted only local applicants, we would still have a sizable waitlist.

What number am I on the waitlist?
Our waitlist is not numbered. When a vendor drops out, we look for a unique vendor who is not yet represented on the floor to replace them. If none are available, we next look for a similar vendor to replace them (ie. a plushie vendor to replace a plushie vendor.)

Because we do not know who will drop out, and new unique vendors may apply later in the year, we cannot give you an accurate estimate of your chances. The closer we get to the convention date, the less likely spaces will become available.

My information has changed, or I have added new products to my lineup since I was waitlisted, can I update my application?
Absolutely! Feel free to send us photos of, or a link to, your new products and we will reassess your application. It may increase your chances of moving off the waitlist.

What are the rules for exhibitors?
All rules and regulations in the Vendor Information Package and listed on our Become A Vendor page apply to exhibitors. 

Because these tables are discounted for non-selling groups, if you are caught selling products or services at the convention, you will be billed the difference for a vendor table and banned from applying for exhibitor spaces in the future. 

How do I apply for an Exhibitor Table?
Please fill out the Exhibitor Application Form above and answer the questions on behalf of your society / nonprofit / club / display / organization.

Can I collect money on behalf of a charity at my exhibitor table?
This must be approved by the vendor team. Please contact us in advance of the convention if you intend to fundraise.

Can I apply for a different type of space instead, as a society / nonprofit / club / display / organization?
Yes. We have a limited amount of discounted exhibitor tables. When we run out we may contact you to see if you would like to purchase a vendor table instead. If you would like more space and would rather pay full price for a booth, you are welcome to indicate that on your application.

Can I get a discounted booth instead of a table as a society / club / display / organization?
Not at this time.