Volunteer Camping

[Gail Greenberg]

Thanks, Steve. The Camping website says the gates open "no later than 5pm on Wednesday". I see the map showing the different camping areas. Where is the official volunteer camping area?

And thanks for having extra poles available just in case. See in in two weeks!

BTW what is your volunteer crew? I'm on the Ice Crew which should give me a chance to meet lots of new people.

[darkdeer]

Gail, will you be working in the ice booth or do you get to be an ice pirate, riding around the canpsites selling ice? Definitely cool (pun totally intended) job! I'm on the accounting staff.

Steve, you rock!! How kind (and typically Falcon Ridgish) of you to bring extra stakes for other campers. I think I'm set w/ stakes but I'll be coming alone for the first time in many yrs and would appreciate some help getting my tent set up. Just can't do it alone like I used to.

I think the lines about where volunteers can or can't camp got a little blurred this past year because for the 1st time, the volunteers weren't able/required to get there before everyone else. As far as I know, the camping areas were opened to anyone as early as Wednesday, even though the actual fest didn't start until Friday. Same this year. If it's just a matter of not wanting the volunteers to snag all the good spots before others have a chance, that shouldn't be an issue (I'm guessing) if everyone is allowed in at the same time.

[Gail Greenberg]

Hi darkdeer, I'm the ice princess not the ice pirate ! I'm doing accounting and scheduling for the ice booth. Good pun. Looks like we have similar jobs. If it gets cold and rainy we can cool the books to stay warm!

I have to be there Thursday at noon and I know that camping opens Wednesday. Hopefully my tent will be set up for me (it's a loaner) on Wednesday but if not, I'd welcome help from Steve when he's done helping you out.

Hopefully next year I'll come earlier and know what to look for in my own tent.

[darkdeer]

Gail, the "ice pirates" comment wasn't referencing the movie. I think the ice crew got that nickname because they used to use a really bad PA system as they rode their golf carts around the campgrounds -- so "ICE" always came out sounding more like "AAAARRRRGGGHH!" And everyone would say, "the ice pirates are coming" when we heard them. Just some old FR trivia. Like the time it had been dark, dreary, overcast, rainy yuk for three days straight and as we all sat on our sodden tarps, covered in rain ponchos and garbage bags watching the mainstage performers, the clouds parted and a beautiful full moon peeked through -- and someone began to wolf-howl at it and soon we all picked it up and were baying like a buncha werewolves. Such great memories! I'm sure you will come home this year with plenty of your own.

I don't think anyone ever answered your question about where the designated volunteer camping area is. The first (and flattest) section at the bottom of the hill is the first one you approach as you come through the gates. That is set aside for camping trailers that need level ground. The volunteer section is just past that -- still on the lower, flat part of the land. It doesn't seem to be as segregated as it was at the former site -- people seem to pretty much camp where they want to.

Do you have friends who are coming up on Wed? (The keepers of your tent?) Are they volunteering, too? If not, I doubt that anyone will care if they set your camp up wherever they are camping,

I'll stop by the ice booth to say hi. The accounting trailer is great -- the music from the mainstage gets piped in so we miss very little of the show while we're working.

[Gail Greenberg]

Hi Darkdeer, I knew you weren't talking bout the movie. Thanks for explaining the origin of the ice pirates nickname. Your 'werewolf' story is a howl (pun intended). Three days of dark, dreary and overcast and rainy weather? Sitting on sodden tarps covered with trash bags? Sounds like fun - can't wait! Seriously, I will come prepared for bad weather and if it doesn't rain I'll take credit for bringing good weather on my first trip to FR.

Thanks for telling me where the volunteer camping is. I can see it on the camping site map. My friend is volunteering too and has assured me that there will be no problem if I arrive by noon, 7/21.

I'm glad they get the mainstage music into your trailer. When do they have music on the mainstage?

I look forward to meeting you soon.

[steve_martin_upper_darby]

Gail, I'm on early safety and security. I'll be on site Monday. When I'm not wondering around, you can find me at the Budgiedome in the lower pasture camping area.

[Gail Greenberg]

I'll be there by noon Thursday and I'm staying in the Volunteer Camping area. I see that Lower Pasture is uphill from the ampitheater. Where is the Volunteer camping area. A friend is setting up a tent for me there? See you in a few days

[Tomes]

Hi Gail,
I have been seeing this question throughout your posts [and welcome to FRFF indeedy!] about the volunteer camping area. In many festivals volunteers are sequestered over in some side camping area but not officially at FRFF. Volunteers seem to collect right near the entrance on the flats, but only because they got there first. There is no camping area that non-volunteers are excluded from [except for handicapped area].
Volunteers camp everywhere.
It all depends upon what you want. If you want a higher level of quiet and actually sleep you might want to find a designated quiet zone. If you want to party* all night, then you might want to go up the hill. Or if you want to party and then sleep then camp in the flats where many other volunteers camp by choice and then roam at night. The area near the entrance where volunteers seem to collect is generally pretty quiet after 1 or so but there are some song circles in there too that go late.

Hope to see you there,
Tomes

* By party I mean anything like listening/playing music/being silly - festival night stuff.

[Gail Greenberg]

Hi Tomes,

Thanks for clearing things up for me. I realize that volunteers can camp anywhere but my friend will be setting up my camp in the Volunteer area so that's why I wanted to know where it was.

If I wanted a full night's sleep I'd stay home If I read the site map correctly, the Lounge Stage is uphill from the Volunteer area so that will likely be my first stop. I like the idea of hanging out ont he hill then having relatively quiet place to get some sleep.

I'll be working in the ice tent and will see you after I get up there on Thursday.

Take care,

Gail

[Tomes]

It is good that you have someone already there for you when you arrive. That will help you greatly and secure a spot where it will be pretty filled in by the time you get there. And yep, the Lounge Stage is right up that hill and to the left a bit. You are thinking about all this OK.

[Gail Greenberg]

I'm sure Joe will set up my tent in a good spot. As a first time camper at the Festival (actually a first time camper anywhere), I'm naturally a little curious about how things work. I'm glad I have a good idea about the layout of the camping area.

See you soon,

Gail

[K-Step]

A few years back, I posted a primer to help people answer the annual question:

"WHERE SHOULD WE CAMP?"

I have received some pleasant feedback on it, and am re-posting it (with newly updated web-links for the map) for this year, here. I am also re-posting answers to the annual questions about the official "Volunteer Camping Area" and the annual confusion about "Restrictions over 14 Acres" separately, below, too:

You might want to print this and bring it along with you, if this is your first time. Here is a

Falcon Ridge Volunteer Camping Primer

I have worked the front gates where people are coming in. And, I have roved in campgrounds crew and talked to lots of folks camped all over the festival. Over the years, I have developed some hopefully concise answers to the constant question we get: "Where should we camp?"

The answer really starts off: "It depends ..."

It really does depend upon what is more important to you: shade, quiet, slope, mud, closeness to stagesmusic-jams & song-swaps. I am going to refer to different names of camping areas at Falcon Ridge, which are all listed on the on-line map here: http://falconridgefolk.com/assets/sitemap2008.jpg

Here are some different priorities, and where to find good camping to suit each of these:

SLOPE-- Almost the entire festival camping is on some angle of hill, except for the RV and Volunteer area. The flatter spots get occupied first. As a volunteer, you get the pick of these. If absolutely flat is you highest priority, the flat volunteer area may be for you. Also, the "15 Acre" area has some flatter camping than most.

SHADE -- There is practically no shady camping under trees almost anywhere at Falcon Ridge. So, bring your own tarp or sun-shade, and expect to be woken up early by the sun.

If sleeping-in is a bit of a priority for you, here are a few camping tips. The sun rises in the East, meaning over the hills opposite the festival (across the valley). However, there are a few lines of trees at the festival. If you camp right under the uphill-side of these trees, you will get a bit more AM shade. Not a lot, but "a bit." These campsites fill up incredibly fast.

Late afternoon shade can be had by camping along the upper rim of the festival, under the downhill side of the trees lining the tops of the fields. Again, these camping spots fill up first.

QUIET -- If you mainly want to be in a peaceful area away from the stages and late-night drum-circles, loud whooping, etc. .... camp in "15 acre". It is a longer walk (15-20+ minutes) from the stages, less crowded, and more full of families. That can mean the boisterous noise of kids earlier in the AM may wake you up.

Another area that is still quiet, but closer to everything is "Upper Ledge." It is a good compromise between "too far" and "quiet enough."

In answer to the annual question, the "Volunteer Area" is pretty noisy during the day, with crowds of folks walking around nearby. You will also awaken early AM with the sounds of early risers. Late night, you will be further away from the drum circles, so you will not hear them as much. But, you will be closer to Rt. 22 down there, and so will pick up more road noise than higher up on the hill late night, if you are in a tent.

MUD -- In drier years, mud is not much of a issue. Check the 5-day weather forecast. If it is going to rain a lot, expect mud in the main areas at the base of the hills.

Considering most festival camping is up a hill, that means rain tends to run down off the slopes. This means it is less muddy (relatively speaking) camping on the hills.

Another factor to consider: IF it rains a lot, the roads can get very muddy. If it rains too much, FRFF Security may briefly close the roads, to prevent everyone from getting stuck. So, if you plan to drive in / out a lot, realize you will have to carry stuff up on foot if that happens.

The Volunteer camping area on the flats at the bottom will get the muddiest if it rains a lot. If so, mud will permeate your entire body and campsite. Want to avoid the mud? Higher up on the hills, towards the top of "Upper Pasture", "10 Acre", "Upper Ledge" will be much less muddy if the week is wet.

Also, if you want to avoid mud on the hills, camp away from the roads that criss-cross the slopes horizontally (side-to-side, not up-and-down). They end up forming grooves which stop the rain run-off, collect water, and so get muddier fast. Here is a trick: Camping on the uphill side (above) the roads, or further into the meadows will reduce that problem.

A word to the wise: "If the festival is going to be rainy, bring those tall, rubber fireman's boots, or highhhh galoshes. The main festival roads near the stages, food, etc., all get quite swampy when wet."

CLOSENESS TO STAGES -- A rare delight for festivals is camping so that you can hear the music on the main-stage right at your campsite. If you want this, camp in "Lower Pasture." It is a popular spot because you can hear the whole festival without going anywhere.

MUSIC JAMS & SONG-SWAPS -- One of the high-points of Falcon Ridge for many are the bountiful campfire sing-alongs, song swaps, and jams that happen, many at night. Read on.

Some of the drum-circles get quite loud, with much late-night whooping and yelling. They are all kinds of fun. But, they are not so good if you want to get to sleep before 1 or 2 am (or later) -- beware! The wilder drum-circles tend to be in "Upper Pasture" and "Lower Pasture."

Campfire song-swaps and sing-alongs, etc., are sprinkled throughout the fest. In general, I have noticed they tend to happen along the edges (and in) "10 Acre", and "Upper Pasture" and "Lower Pasture". The left-edge of "10 Acre" usually has a couple of really hot jams. There seem to be fewer in the RV and volunteer areas. Just wander around and keep your ears open to find them. (I usually ask if I can sit down, and have never failed to be warmly invited in. There is a lot of Falcon Ridge friendliness everywhere.)

I hope some of this helps.

[K-Step]

The Volunteer Camping Area

(Here is an updated re-posting of an answer to the annual questions of "WHERE DO VOLUNTEERS CAMP?")

Yes. There is an official "Volunteer Camping Area." But, volunteers do not have to camp there. In fact, many do not. It is a prime, flat area next to much of the FRFF's operations. So, volunteers can choose this prime option. But, volunteers can camp anywhere (except for the "Handicapped" Area) that camping is allowed at the Festival. (See the one exception, about "10 Acre", I posted below.)

The "Volunteer Camping Area" is not shown on the official Festival map on-line. But, typically (I cannot vouch for it this year, though still almost certainly) it is down near the main stage, along the flat road that leads off to the left, after you enter the main gate. Look for a line of low trailers.

That area has advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages:

-- Really close to the festival, main-stage, volunteer dining tent, showers
-- Flat. (much of the festival camping is on varying degrees of slopes)
-- You can hear much of the Main Stage music from there

Disadvantages:

-- Quite noisy during the day with folks walking by from dawn till late
-- If the festival gets rainy, this area gets quite muddy, and nearly impassable if it rains hard
-- Crowded, cheek-to-jowl-style, with campers lined up next to each other

If being close is most important, than this is a good place to be, though.

[K-Step]

Volunteer Camping in "10 Acre" Area Explained

(Here is an updated re-posting of an answer to the annual questions about volunteers camping in "10 Acre")

While it is true that volunteers may camp in any of the camping areas they want to -- and certainly do not have to just stay in the official "Volunteer Camping" area -- there are annual questions about the restrictions on volunteers camping in the area on the map called "10 Acre." Here is an explanation:

Because "10 Acre" is very popular, the organizers do not want volunteers to put tarps down and lock up much of "10 Acre" before the general public arrives. So, early-arriving volunteers may not camp there in advance of the arrival of the general public (ticket-holders,) and are asked to set up elsewhere. However, volunteers are not restricted from moving over and re-setting up camp in "10 Acre" once the main gates are open and ticket-holders start to stream in.

Why is "10 Acre" so popular? Partly, it is because it is right next to most of the venues of FRFF, so it is a short walk to most everything. And, there is less uphill walking required to get to it than to "Upper Pasture" and "Lower Pasture." And, it hosts a fair number of song circles and jams.

But, "10 Acre" also gets packed with people, is mostly on a slopey hill, and can be a bit noisy. If "less crowded" or "flatter" or "quieter" are priorities, you may want to also consider the other options I mentioned in my colored Primer, two posts above.

You can see where "10 Acres" is located on the festival map, here:
http://www.falconridgefolk.com/assets/sitemap2008.jpg