The Fort Henry Rendezvous is a Rocky Mountain fur trade era, pre-1840 event, and the Fort Henry Buckskinners work diligently to keep our rendezvous as time period correct as possible in order to maintain the spirit of the Rendezvous! We want all visitors and participants to enjoy the feel of "Stepping Back In Time".  The following information and rules are set forth to further the Spirit of the Rendezvous and add to the accuracy of our portrayal of history.

All traders and vendors

• All shelters on Trader's Row must be constructed of pre-1840 type materials, canvas, oilcloth or other natural fibers, such as smoked hides or wool blankets. If your tent has a screen window please keep the flap lowered or closed to cover it.

• All modern or post-1840 equipment must be kept covered and out of sight. A simple canvas cover will hide many non-period items. Please keep your lodge doors closed if you have modern items inside not covered. Buckets, modern table legs etc. must be kept covered at all times. 

• Just because an item is made of wood or canvas does not make it correct. 

Food Vendors

• All cups, cookware, dishes etc. should be tin, wood, horn, pewter or iron, when used outside of your tent. Enamelware is also acceptable at our Rendezvous.

• Lighting should be restricted to candle or oil lamps. Please keep your Kerosene Lamps inside your lodge. Use flashlights only in emergency situations. (Finding your last bottle of beverage at midnight is not an emergency!)

• All visible cooking areas must be set up and arranged for period correctness. This may include panels, curtains etc. made of muslin or other period correct fabrics to hide any modern cooking units, supplies etc. Reasonable concessions can be made for the benefit of the Rendezvous and to promote the health and safety of the participants, but food vendors must make every attempt to limit modern materials for serving where at all possible and practical. 

• Food vendors may use modern packaging including paper plates, plastic cups, spoons etc. but we ask that all modern products be covered with brown paper coverings or something equivalent when at all possible. We strongly suggest food vendors have buckskinners bring their own plates, utensils and cups for their meals. Again, reasonable concessions can be made for the benefit of the Rendezvous and to promote the health and safety of the participants, but food vendors must make every attempt to limit modern materials for serving where at all possible and practical.

• Buckskinners should provide a drinking vessel when purchasing any beverage including water. If purchase is for the public please provide a brown paper covering or glass bottle for that beverage. Keep all cans and plastic bottles covered when serving.

• No Liquor of any kind will be sold.

• Fire Extinguishers are required for food vendors.

• Food Vendors must supply their own trash containers and are responsible for the sanitary condition of their dining area. We also ask that you monitor your trash so we don't have the modern packaging in plain sight. Please do not burn trash on Traders Row, there will be a dumpster on site.

• Food Vendors must have a current state food handler's permit and are responsible for compliance with local, state, and federal ordinances relating to the preparation and sale of food to the public.

• Re-Supply of goods and foods during the Rendezvous. Vehicles are not allowed in camp once the rendezvous has begun, however there is a handcart at registration if needed.

Traders

• A trader is defined as anyone who is offering goods for sale or trade in the Rendezvous. Anyone offering goods for sale in the parking lot will be defined as a trespasser and asked to leave.

• For blanket traders, a trade blanket or hide is limited to 72" ×110" (4-point blanket) of space to sell goods. Said goods shall not be "restocked" once sold. If you want to sell more goods than will fit on a trade blanket, please pay the required trader fee.

• Any trader not in compliance with the rules, especially after having been issued two warnings will be told to shut down and/or leave the Rendezvous.

• If you have anything with modern packaging, you can sell those items but please have it hidden or covered with a sign attached.

• Procedures for removal of non-period trade items, their containers, packaging and labeling are: the Booshway will notify and explain the nature of the problem and request compliance with the Trade Rules and Regulations and explain the consequences of non-compliance. If the trader disagrees with the Booshway, they will remove said items until they can discuss with the Booshway their reasons for disagreement. All decisions of the Booshway are final.

• If, after the above steps, the Trader is still in noncompliance and the trader refuses to comply with the Trade Rules and Regulations, they will be asked to remove all Trade items for the duration of the event. If the trader still refuses to comply, they will be asked to leave the event.

• TAXES: PROCUREMENT OF ALL FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY, AND TOWNSHIP BUSINESS LICENSES AND/OR THE COLLECTION OF CONSUMER SALES TAX IN THE STATE WHERE THE EVENT IS HELD IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TRADER

Trade Items

Please remember this is a 1650-1840, Fur-Trade Era event and we are trying to keep our Rendezvous to that standard. Trade goods are allowed at the discretion of the Booshway. If you have an item that is questionable, or have a question about any particular rule, refer it to the Booshway

• All trade goods should be of pre-1840 design and materials. Certain concessions for safety are acceptable only when a reasonable pre-1840 item cannot be substituted, for example, Co2 ball dischargers. Said items should be discreetly offered for sale via signage but not openly displayed.

• Packaging, price marking and advertising should be made of pre-1840 materials. No plastic, Styrofoam, cellophane etc. is allowed to be displayed. Stock items stored in modern packaging must be kept out of sight or covered at all times (blankets, books, CDs and sewing patterns in plastic cases etc.)

• Maps, books, and original paintings on canvas may be sold if they are relevant to the pre-1840 fur trade. If the items are in plastic coverings, you may have one on display, unwrapped, while the rest are covered.

• Contemporary artwork and artistic depictions of Native American and Mountain Man subjects should be of the period, on canvas. No depictions of mountain men, Indians etc. with fluorescent, chrome, or iridescent paint should be sold or displayed.

• Clothing, jewelry and accessories should be period correct styles and materials.

• Wooden or tin flutes, wooden guns, wooden swords, knives and toy tomahawks may be sold but not in plastic packaging or contain plastic parts. Popguns are not acceptable.

• Furs, hides, claws, feathers and animal parts are to be sold in compliance with all state, federal and local ordinances. It is your responsibility as a trader to be aware of local laws and comply with them if you are planning to offer these items for sale and trade.

Prohibited items include, but are not limited to: 

• • Firearms and knives of a post 1840 design

  • Any items made or partially made of plastic, fiberglass, resin, nylon, rayon, polyester or other modern synthetic materials, including clothing, knife handles, gun stocks, bows, rope, children's toys etc.

  • Fluorescent colored feathers, fake fur or fur dyed bright, unnatural colors

  • Fimo beads, modern beads, plastic beads

  • Stainless steel and aluminum items (except where a reasonable replacement for health and safety cannot be found)

  • Modern candles. Anything scented and/or colored

  • Mexican blankets in pastel or fluorescent colors. Old colors like Rio Grande are ok.

  • Belts and belt buckles of modern design

  • Elastic suspenders

  • Modern fasteners- snaps, velcro, zippers etc.

  • Cowboy Era Goods- Clothing, riveted jeans, etc.

  • Non time period or historic related books or magazines

  • Face painting

  • Ball caps, t-shirts, novelty mugs, etc.

  • Wind chimes, mandalas

  • Ceramic figurines, or any figurine that depicts unicorns, medieval, far east subjects etc.

  • All other questionable swap meet type items 

  • Any illegal good or substance according to federal, state and local law

This list is not all-inclusive. Some items will be judged on a case-by-case basis.