Your warm welcome to campus and Ames!

Fall 2025 WelcomeFest

Wednesday, August 27, 2025

5:30 - 8:30 pm

Durham Great Hall, Memorial Union

A signature bi-annual event, WelcomeFest attracts thousands of students and 100+ businesses and departments. This event gives vendors the opportunity to welcome students to our community and promote their products, services, and employment opportunities. Students - Come for the free food and swag, leave with resources to help you settle into the community!

Students looking at resources during WelcomeFest
Students at WelcomeFest
Student smiling at WelcomeFest

Registration for the fall 2025 event is now open! Have questions or want to get on our mailing list? Email welcomefest@iastate.edu

Vendor Information

Standard Registration - $200 ($250 after July 31)

  • One booth with access to electricity if needed.
  • One parking pass for the Memorial Union parking ramp.
  • Name of business, organization, or department listed and hyperlinked on the WelcomeFest website.

Cardinal Sponsorship - $350 ($400 after July 31)

  • One booth with access to electricity if needed.
  • Name of business, organization, or department listed and hyperlinked on the WelcomeFest website.
  • Primary placement in the Great Hall near the entrance used by students.
  • Logo included on all WelcomeFest promotions, including posters on campus and in the Ames community, the WelcomeFest webpage, a mass email sent out to all students, and signage at the event.
  • 2 parking passes for the Memorial Union parking ramp.

Gold Sponsorship - SOLD OUT

  • One booth with access to electricity if needed.
  • Name of business, organization, or department listed and hyperlinked on the WelcomeFest website.
  • Premier placement in the Great Hall near the entrance used by students.
  • Premier logo and link placement on all WelcomeFest promotions, including posters on campus and in the Ames community, the WelcomeFest webpage, a mass email sent out to all students, and signage at the event.
  • Digital promotions throughout the MU and in the Great Hall on the day of the event.
  • Social media shout-outs through MU accounts leading up to the event.
  • Curb-side service for supply drop-off from noon-4pm on the day of the event. Supplies will be placed on your table in the Great Hall for your convenience.
  • 3 parking passes for the Memorial Union parking ramp.
  • Access to a VIP room with snacks, drinks, and charging stations during the event.

Sponsors that register after August 8, 2025 will not be included on print marketing materials. We will do our best to include these sponsors on digital marketing materials but cannot guarantee logo placement on any specific promotion.

Vendors can register online via MidwesTIX. Every registration is subject to a $2 MidwesTIX fee and a 3% convenience fee.

One booth is included with each registration option. If you need to purchase additional booth spaces, you will need to add those as additional "Standard Registrations" to your purchase.

If you are unable to register online, please contact welcomefest@iastate.edu for assistance.

In an effort to diversify the vendors present at our WelcomeFest events, Student Engagement has a limited amount of full or partial fee waivers available to help offset the cost of registration. If you are interested, please submit a fee waiver request form prior to registering for the event.

All fees are non-refundable, with the following exception: If Student Engagement is forced to cancel the event, registration and sponsorship fees will be refunded minus applicable MidwesTIX processing fees.

  • Booths will be assigned on a first-paid, first-served basis.
  • Check-in and booth set-up will occur from 3 - 5 pm on the day of the event. All booths must be set up by 5:15 pm. Tear-down and load-out will be from 8:30 - 9:00 pm the same evening.
  • Carts are not provided. Please bring your own cart for loading, unloading, and transportation of materials onsite. 

  • Each registrant will receive one six foot table and two chairs. If you need more than six feet you will need to purchase additional spaces. Displays cannot extend beyond six feet front to back or side to side.
  • Displays must comply with fire code and safety restrictions. If we have concerns about your display, we will notify you immediately and work out an alternative solution.
  • Please let us know what freebies you are handing out so we can ensure that they follow our standards for this event. 
  • If you choose to give out food samples, you must be licensed and insured. Additional paperwork may be required for samples that are prepared by the restaurant or business. Contact us at welcomefest@iastate.edu if you have questions about handing out samples.
  • WelcomeFest is advertised as a FREE event to students. Selling foods/services/products at the booths is NOT allowed, but you may give away samples and promotional items, employment applications, invitations, or information regarding the products/services you offer to the ISU community. Credit card solicitation is prohibited at Iowa State University.
  • Electricity is limited to a first-registered, first-served basis. Please bring your own extension cords.