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Hey everyone! I'm new to these forums and to the Bonnaroo experience in general but the more I read about the festival the more pumped I am. I am extremely interested in the chance to volunteer and I have a couple questions that I'd like to have answered. I am 18 years old and am willing to take either pre-festival or festival volunteer shifts. I have been a part of one music festival before running the sound board and teching the stage and bands in general, and I often volunteer my time to help out with concerts and events. What are the odds of me being accepted to the volunteer program? Also, I understand that you must be 18 to volunteer but do you have to be 18 to attend the festival? And if you do get selected for pre-festival do you camp those two or three days before the festival on site? Thanks for the info! I hope to see you all there!
To those that volunteered last year, how did it go with WET? I volunteered in 2009 and will be doing so again...I was just wondering how things were run last year with the new company. Also, as a returning volunteer, will I get to work with my boyfriend? We were first time volunteers in 2009 and had separate shifts.
This question may have been answered somewhere on the thread, but I think I did the volunteering thing wrong somehow...I filled out my application (or what I thought was one) a while ago, and I think it said it was going to e-mail me the real application when it became available to people who have not previously done it. It's been a long, long time and I was just wondering if I need to do something else? Thanks
Linz, last year was ok with WET. There were kinks that they said they would be able to work out next year. Nothing major though. There were just so many of us the logistics behind it is what crippled them. It took forever for us to get our wristbands and once we got on site it took me an hour and a half to get my id card and then they had ran out of almost every shirt size. I needed a medium and got a 2XL. Other than that they were really cool. Just worked my shifts and checked out and enjoyed the festival. They could probably fix it by having you put your shirt size on the application and giving you everything when you get your wristband instead of having going to two places for all of your stuff. I would opt-in through WET if you haven't you may not be considered returning if you haven't volunteered from WET.
phunk, that is just an opt-in. They will send you an e-mail to you when the application goes live. It hasn't for me yet and returning volunteers get their applications two weeks before new ones. I find myself checking my e-mail every hour or two to see if it has posted or not. I'll let you know when mine goes live.
I was afraid of that too, so I checked with them, and if you have volunteered at all (no matter how far back), WET will have your info. I guess now I just have to wait for the applications to open up. I saw on Facebook, WET said they'll be open for returning volunteers next week, so we should be getting an email soon!
By the way, does WET honor your requests on who you want to work with? I know it's not a guarantee.
I mean they try but they can't guarantee it. This will be my first year volunteering with someone else so I hope so. I do know they honor band request before people to work with request. So, make sure you guys select the same departments and same band. I think we get higher priority as well being local since we are more likely to show up. I'm pretty sure they ask where your closest metropolitan area is when you apply.
i have volunteered for the past 2 years, but bought my ticket this year. my wife is going to 'roo for the 1st time and doesn't want to be by herself when i'm working. however, i would have volunteered again for the third year in a row.
last year i worked "toll booth" and it was ok. check-in was a long process, but it was because the during festival volunteers were supposed to wait until 1:00 to check-in and there were a TON of them there trying to check in with toll booth vols. i was scheduled for 2 shifts for about 18 hours total (10 hr and 8 hr). first shift was overnight wednesday (10 pm-8am), and we supposed to be helping with the cars that were coming in wednesday night. however, they quit letting people in because of the lightning, so we did absolutely nothing til about 6:00 (i even got to take about a 4 hr nap!). more of the same the next night. went to check in for my thurs night shift and was told there wasn't anywhere for us to go work, so we had to wait for a couple of hours doing nothing while they tried to find us somewhere to go. nothing came up, so they let us go about 10 pm, and we were free for the rest of the festival. all in all, i did about 3 hours of "work" and was done thursday night.
camping was in BFE (around pod 1) and took about 30-40 min to get to centeroo...other than that, it was great!
I think my post was lost in the thread but basically I'm just wondering if most applicants are chosen as volunteers or if they turn a lot of them away. Are your chances pretty high if you jump on the application right when it is available? (As a first time volunteer) And what qualities is the WET team looking for in particular if any? ???
Post by bearlyedible on Mar 6, 2011 19:56:54 GMT -5
Feel Good Food is still looking for volunteers in concessions and catering. Please apply at www.feelgoodfoods.com go to the festival service page and click on volunteer for an application.
I got my email about returning volunteers over the weekend.
I will not be volunteering this year though.
As far as a question that was asked. I would think that if you sign up right away you'll get a spot for during festival volunteering. I know everyone wants to have a pre festival spot but the truth is they go first and normally to the people who have volunteered in the past.
They also ask what kind of skills you have. I don't think this decides whether or not you will volunteer but it helps them figure out a schedule.
If you get accepted and decide to do it, I would suggest getting there to check in a while before they tell you to. Be polite to the people checking you in. They are working long hours. The line might be long. Don't drink in the line while you are waiting for your credentials. In 09 we had these kids that were drunk and rude when they were checking in. It wasn't pleasant for anyone.
If you sign up and you get there and you don't like your assignment. Still show up. If you look back through the thread there are always people that say they will just forfit their money if they don't like their shifts. By signing up for WET you are entering into a contract to halp Bonnaroo run smoothly. If you don't show up it's going to make someones elses job harder.
For those of you that are volunteering in Pre Fest. Show up early to check in. If the volunteer camp is in the same spot as the last few years then there is this spot in the middle with a tree. BEST CAMPING SPOT EVER.
I think my post was lost in the thread but basically I'm just wondering if most applicants are chosen as volunteers or if they turn a lot of them away. Are your chances pretty high if you jump on the application right when it is available? (As a first time volunteer) And what qualities is the WET team looking for in particular if any? ???
I volunteered with a friend last year and we were pretty run-of-the-mill average, never volunteered at roo before, and we got in. I think they pretty much accept most people. The harder part is being on and getting your deposit in when deposit slots open, but if you pay attention you should be fine.
As far as working with people last year I volunteered with a friend and all 3 of our shifts were scheduled at the same times. We were willingly split up during one of them (me working silent disco, him working comedy tent) but they asked us if it was okay beforehand. I think they try pretty hard to be accommodating.
I think my post was lost in the thread but basically I'm just wondering if most applicants are chosen as volunteers or if they turn a lot of them away. Are your chances pretty high if you jump on the application right when it is available? (As a first time volunteer) And what qualities is the WET team looking for in particular if any? ???
I volunteered with a friend last year and we were pretty run-of-the-mill average, never volunteered at roo before, and we got in. I think they pretty much accept most people. The harder part is being on and getting your deposit in when deposit slots open, but if you pay attention you should be fine.
Thanks for the info Pixip, I really appreciate it. I have worked a music festival before once so I'm hoping this increases my odds of being selected.
I think if you get your application in as soon as it is available, you should be good. We waited till the last minute in 09 and were able to volunteer but were split up for all our shifts. Hopefully since we're veterans and will be turning the application in ASAP, we'll get to work together.
For those that worked last year, I saw somewhere on the WET website that we can pick the department we want to work with. Does that mean VIP, concession, merch or more along the lines of during fest, pre fest, and toll booth?
Not updated for 2011, but still has info on the WET system.
It answered a lot of my questions about what kind of hours are required and how the whole free ticket thing works. There's also an email address for further questions.
I'm really hoping to get some pre-festival times, but we'll see!
Post by travelinbeat on Mar 17, 2011 3:09:05 GMT -5
Can anyone guess as to whether or not having a preference of Pre-Fest will really put you in a "highly likely to get pre-fest" category? Any hints on what I could do to increase my chances of getting prefest?
Can anyone guess as to whether or not having a preference of Pre-Fest will really put you in a "highly likely to get pre-fest" category? Any hints on what I could do to increase my chances of getting prefest?
Work during fest this year and then next year you will get the two week advantage to fill out your application and have a good chance at working pre-fest next year.
So what did all you veterans sign up to do? During fest here (can't be onsite for that long of a period of time), picked VIP coordination - not really sure what any of the departments meant. I wish they could have given us an idea of what we'd be doing in each, but I guess that's asking too much.
Yep! I just submitted mine. I requested pre-fest so I'll have to keep my fingers crossed.
they said in the email "Pre-Festival spots will be filled from past Bonnaroo volunteers", but you could do tollbooth maybe (assuming you're a new volunteer). 2 12-hour shifts that are done by Friday (so then you can relax the rest of the weekend). Plus, both toll booth and during fest require you to check in as early as Tuesday, so it seems more beneficial to do toll booth and get it all over with. My main concern is missing Thursday late nights though.
Anyone know when the latest is after we're accepted to respond? I kind of want to wait until I know for sure what's gonna happen with my work (job hunting right now) and whatnot.
Yep! I just submitted mine. I requested pre-fest so I'll have to keep my fingers crossed.
they said in the email "Pre-Festival spots will be filled from past Bonnaroo volunteers", but you could do tollbooth maybe (assuming you're a new volunteer). 2 12-hour shifts that are done by Friday (so then you can relax the rest of the weekend). Plus, both toll booth and during fest require you to check in as early as Tuesday, so it seems more beneficial to do toll booth and get it all over with. My main concern is missing Thursday late nights though.
Yeah, I just thought that since they made it an option on the application form there was still a chance. Correct me if I'm wrong but haven't first time volunteers been chosen for pre-fest at past Bonnaroos? I can still change it to toll booth if need be.
I just called WET and they said that past Bonnaroo volunteers get first priority for pre-fest but any extra spaces are passed down to first-time volunteers.
I just went through the process and they say you can cancel without penalty by May 1st, so that's nice. I also like that you can log in and edit your application (so if I find out a friend wants to volunteer soon, we could request each other I'm hoping, especially since I dont want to drive down alone).
I put tollbooth and Eminem as my top artist to see since I'd never see him outside Roo. Thankfully I have deposit money, so my main issue now is cancelling in time, if need be. (I just wonder if i win a ticket somehow, I wouldnt know until after May 1st most likely). Oh well. Should be a fun experience regardless.
"IMPORTANT DATES: Monday, March 28th: Priority applicants can begin submitting their WET Deposits Monday, April 4th: Priority Deposits close and deposits open to all General Applicants. Sunday, May 1st: Last Day to cancel and receive full deposit back. Sunday, June 5th: Pre-Festival Volunteers need to check in between 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM Tuesday, June 7th: Toll Booth and During Show Volunteers need to be available to Check In as early as this date."
Figure this is good to post. Who are priority applicants and general?
Just got my email saying I'm accepted and already sent in my deposit! Had to do "during fest" since I can't be onsite by Sunday. Oh well...hopefully I won't miss too many shows!
Priority applicants are people that have volunteered before. General applicants are everyone else.
oh duh! i didnt read it thoroughly. I thought it said the 1st date was that priority applicants could submit an app, and then a week later was general applicants. I didn't realize March 28th was regarding deposits. My bad! That makes sense.
I have worked a music festival before once so I'm hoping this increases my odds of being selected.
