For Immediate Release: 2/26/2025 11:24 am
WORCESTER, Mass. – The City of Worcester Department of Public Works & Parks and Purchasing Division announced Wednesday that they will be hosting a lottery to select parks concession vendors this year. The decision to host a lottery in lieu of a bidding process was made after receiving feedback from the public.
There are two vending proposals for each park, food and novelty. Proposals are available for 28 parks and beaches across Worcester. Coal Mine Brook has been added to list of sites for 2025. Vendors may apply to up to four locations and select the type of vending they wish to sell. A single vendor will be selected via a lottery system for each park and type of vending. There is no price bidding. A vendor that wins a location via the lottery will be removed from the remaining locations. However, winning a location via the lottery does not remove a vendor from consideration for locations that have received a single bid.
Also new for 2025, each awarded vendor, at their sole discretion, will be allowed to have one additional vendor of the same type of vending at the facility that they were awarded. The awarded vendor will be responsible for the additional vendor including but not limited to scheduling, safety, certifications, adherences to the City of Worcester rules & regulations and proper operation of the additional vendor. The awarded vendor shall not charge the additional vendor more than 50% (Fifty Percent) of the awarded vendor’s payments to the municipality.
“We are proud to offer this lottery system for 2025 Parks Concession Vendors,” said City Manager Eric D. Batista. “This process gives more small businesses a fair opportunity to be awarded a location for the 2025 season. We’re excited to continue to add locations for vendors and introduce the opportunity for vendors to co-vend with another vendor at their awarded location, enhancing opportunities for collaboration. Overall, this is another great example of interdepartmental collaboration, in this case between the Parks and Purchasing Divisions. We’re looking forward to a great 2025 season and encourage all interested vendors to apply.”
As another enhancement, vending will be allowed for an extended period, beginning on or about April 1 (depending on when parks open for the season), through Dec. 31, during the hours of 8 a.m. to sunset, except for facilities that have a sports field lighting system that are active at the facility. In this case, the hours would end at sunset or 8 p.m., whichever is latest. There will be no vending on Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day.
All Event Permits will take precedent over vending permits. It will be the event organizers’ decision on who they will allow as vendors during their event.
The City of Worcester Purchasing Director will conduct the lottery. Proposals are due by 10 a.m. on March 19, 2025, and can be delivered to the Purchasing Division at 455 Main St., City Hall, Room 201. Late submissions will not be accepted. The lottery will be held at 10 a.m. one week after proposals are due in the Esther Howland Chamber at City Hall, 455 Main St. All vendors are welcome to attend.
Interested vendors can find the applications online. Please refer all questions pertaining to vendors to Purchasing Director, Christopher J. Gagliastro, via email at gagliastroc@worcesterma.gov.
