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Here you'll find info about artists, rumors, camping tips, and the infamous Roo Clues. Have a look around then create an account and join in the fun. See you at Bonnaroo!!
Hey, first time volunteer and attendee here. I'm going down from NY on the bus with a friend, but I got Tollbooth and she hasn't heard anything yet. Is it possible there are tollbooth volunteers who haven't been notified yet? We did ask to work together...
If she's during fest, is there any way we can camp together? We only have one tent between the two of us, plus we wouldn't want to be camping alone anyway. I know tollbooth has a separate area, but can non-tollboothers camp there too? Our bus gets in at 8am, so we'd be some of the first checking in...what are the chances we'll be able to camp together??
Question for those who have done volunteer camping before (in the volunteers' camping area): Do they pack you in worse than GA, about the same, or less so?
We car-camp but have a 12x14 screened gazebo we bring to most festivals and set up behind the car. At some fests, in GA, it is a tight squeeze but has always been doable. At our three previous 'roos it was no problem in GA, but I just wanted to check about volunteer camping. A friend (who has never done volunteer) said she thought it was tighter quarters than GA.
We've been debating replacing the gazebo with a 10x10 or 10x15 (to cover the car as well as provide our cooking/hangout space) more open ez-up type shelter. If volunteer is sometimes tighter than GA, it might be the nudge to get us to replaced the gazebo (which is a bit too enclosed really).
We're doing during-fest general volunteering, not pod or gate.
But I've heard voices not in the head Out in the air they called ahead Through ripped out speakers Through thick and thin They found a shelter Under my skin -Evgeny Aleksandrovitch Nikolaev
Hey, first time volunteer and attendee here. I'm going down from NY on the bus with a friend, but I got Tollbooth and she hasn't heard anything yet. Is it possible there are tollbooth volunteers who haven't been notified yet? We did ask to work together...
If she's during fest, is there any way we can camp together? We only have one tent between the two of us, plus we wouldn't want to be camping alone anyway. I know tollbooth has a separate area, but can non-tollboothers camp there too? Our bus gets in at 8am, so we'd be some of the first checking in...what are the chances we'll be able to camp together??
I think if I were you I'd call WET-404-567-4452. Your friend not being notified about toll booth yet MIGHT mean she didn't get it. I know a bunch of toll boothers (me included) who were notified last Tuesday the 24th. My money says they've notified all volunteers working toll booth. I've also read that WET requires all TB volunteers to camp away from other volunteers and the general Bonnaroo public, out near the booth on Bushy Branch Road.
I DO know they are still taking volunteers so maybe you could convince them to let your friend do toll booth with you. Good luck.
I'm guessing if not notified, assume during fest. I have a friend in my carpooling caravan group that said she requested toll booth but got during fest still. If worse comes to worse, you may be able to switch to during fest...or get the during fest friends to camp in Tent Only and you can join them when you're done with your toll booth shifts and either buy a cheap tent to use in toll booth or see if someone has room for your/can let you borrow a tent while you're there.
I think everyone will know their definitely assignment this week when emails are sent regarding check-in procedures. Hopefully in the earlier part of the week...
As far as camping space goes, I'm pretty sure it's just like GA but I wouldnt know from experience. Maybe it just depends on how tight that specific person asks you to park.
So...I'm pretty sure I've been asked this before but haven't gotten a good answer. Do volunteers have access to vendors or do they not open until Thursday or so? I'm trying to avoid bringing too much food since vendor food is pretty good. I get there Tues and Tues night is the bbq, so kind of wondering how much food I'd need to buy/bring for Wed-Thurs. Thoughts? Will campground vendors open Wed night? or later?
Question for those who have done volunteer camping before (in the volunteers' camping area): Do they pack you in worse than GA, about the same, or less so?
We car-camp but have a 12x14 screened gazebo we bring to most festivals and set up behind the car. At some fests, in GA, it is a tight squeeze but has always been doable. At our three previous 'roos it was no problem in GA, but I just wanted to check about volunteer camping. A friend (who has never done volunteer) said she thought it was tighter quarters than GA.
We've been debating replacing the gazebo with a 10x10 or 10x15 (to cover the car as well as provide our cooking/hangout space) more open ez-up type shelter. If volunteer is sometimes tighter than GA, it might be the nudge to get us to replaced the gazebo (which is a bit too enclosed really).
We're doing during-fest general volunteering, not pod or gate.
Thanks for any input from experienced volunteers!
If you've had no problem with the GA space provided for camping, then you should be fine with using the 12x14 gazebo.
W.E.T. was pretty strict last year in making sure everyone lined up just like GA camping. It appeared to me we were given the same amount of camping room as GA. May really depend on what space is available by the time you arrive and where in the volunteer campground you end up. The section for volunteer camping is fenced off but I did not see how tight quarters were towards the back. Maybe a during fest volunteer from last year can chime in......
So...I'm pretty sure I've been asked this before but haven't gotten a good answer. Do volunteers have access to vendors or do they not open until Thursday or so? I'm trying to avoid bringing too much food since vendor food is pretty good. I get there Tues and Tues night is the bbq, so kind of wondering how much food I'd need to buy/bring for Wed-Thurs. Thoughts? Will campground vendors open Wed night? or later?
Food vendors should be open at Pod 1 when the during fest volunteers start checking in on Tuesday but that won't do much good for the Tollbooth volunteers camping on the other side of the farm. I would think since the gates are opening for patrons Wednesday at 7pm that vendors at the Pod nearest to Tollbooth volunteer camping will be set up by that evening to start selling food.
Thanks! I sure hope so. I might try to hunt down some vendors somehow and ask them directly, but it's good to know they have at least *some* that open earlier for volunteers
woohoo! got check-in details! I would paste the info but it's pretty long...
Update: went to edit my profile and there were some bugs and typos. It had a random person's name after I updated at 1 point and it says Day-Month-Year for birthday but that's wrong. It wouldnt accept 19-04-1986. It kept changing mine to 07-04-1987. birdbrained... they need to edit/check for typos more. I also realized they put 2 #9s in the email... lol
Interesting... I didn't know there was a closed toe shoe requirement. Makes sense, i guess, but I havent heard that. Good thing I have sneakers I wanna take already and am constantly wearing them every day anyway. I'm used to it.
"As a volunteer, drinking water will be supplied to you during your work shift " Another good thing to know
"Showers are available to volunteers for FREE at POD 1 in Volunteer Camping" dang it! that sucks for us toll boothers
"Credential Address/Location: Regional Routes to Coffee County Central High School 100 Red Raider Drive Manchester, TN 37355"
But I've heard voices not in the head Out in the air they called ahead Through ripped out speakers Through thick and thin They found a shelter Under my skin -Evgeny Aleksandrovitch Nikolaev
I'm tollbooth, quick question to all. Will they let us wander the grounds before the gates open? I'd really like to sneak my tent to tent only camping. How strict do you think they will be about this?
Post by arizonalovesyou on Jun 2, 2011 2:30:36 GMT -5
So when you applied for the position and checkmarked that you want to do post fest. Will that automatically be given to you? I'm not sure, but all the e-mails recently sent out confused me with the work and regulations and when I'm supposed to pick up my ticket. The one e-mail doesn't say anything about post-fest and the other said we could check in on Wednesday from 10am-12pm... Do I just go at that time and I will automatically be assigned post fest??
Also, do I have to go into Bonnaroo right when I get my wristband and check-in? I was planning on coming in the general line with my friends so we could camp together, then I could move over to Volunteer camping for post-fest, and since I'm skipping Widespread Panic Sunday night I'll do that then... Any ideas? First time volunteering so a little confused on why so little details on what i'm doing.
So when you applied for the position and checkmarked that you want to do post fest. Will that automatically be given to you? I'm not sure, but all the e-mails recently sent out confused me with the work and regulations and when I'm supposed to pick up my ticket. The one e-mail doesn't say anything about post-fest and the other said we could check in on Wednesday from 10am-12pm... Do I just go at that time and I will automatically be assigned post fest??
Also, do I have to go into Bonnaroo right when I get my wristband and check-in? I was planning on coming in the general line with my friends so we could camp together, then I could move over to Volunteer camping for post-fest, and since I'm skipping Widespread Panic Sunday night I'll do that then... Any ideas? First time volunteering so a little confused on why so little details on what i'm doing.
No worries! It is a little confusing. According to an email I recieved from WET the check in times are as follows.
>Pre-Festival Volunteers: Sunday, June 5th between 12 PM - 4 PM >Toll Booth Volunteers: Tuesday, June 7th between 10 AM - 4 PM >During Show Volunteers: Tuesday, June 7th between 10 AM - 8 PM >Post-Festival Volunteers: Wednesday, June 8th between 10 AM - 12 PM (However it states that post-fest volunteers can check in on Tuesday if they would like to attend the BBQ.)
I would double-check and give WET a call to make sure you have been assigned to post-fest. The WET number is 404-987-0862. Happy Rooing!
I think tuesday and wednesday will be pretty cool too. I'm going to try to get there early tuesday so I have to time to chill, meet some people and get a pre-fest buzz going.
Post by arizonalovesyou on Jun 2, 2011 21:38:08 GMT -5
I guess that I will be leaving either late tuesday night or early wednesday morning to check in on wednesday for post fest. I guess I'll call the hotline on the 5th to see what I can do about my camping situation and such.
Lookin forward to the Tues night bbq too! Hopefully I'll have camp set up by then. I think toll booth orientation is 5pm and bbq 8pm? but then i thought i read that during fest orientation is 8pm too... *shrugs*
For previous volunteers, what is the security like getting onto the farm for volunteers? Are there still random vehicle searches? Are they about the same as for regular patrons? Do it seem like more or fewer volunteers have their vehicles searched?
For previous volunteers, what is the security like getting onto the farm for volunteers? Are there still random vehicle searches? Are they about the same as for regular patrons? Do it seem like more or fewer volunteers have their vehicles searched?
in '09, they didn't search volunteers at all. we went right in and set up camp. we could have had whatever and brought it in.
last year, they were doing the random searches. i got lucky and got searched by a bonnaroo staffer, but there were about 3-4 sets of cops searching vehicles.
For previous volunteers, what is the security like getting onto the farm for volunteers? Are there still random vehicle searches? Are they about the same as for regular patrons? Do it seem like more or fewer volunteers have their vehicles searched?
When I went last year, the volunteer searches were ridiculously detail oriented. Every bag I had, from clothing to tents was fully opened, emptied and searched. Coolers were looked through, glove box, under the seats, in between cushions, really damn near everything but actually removing door panels and other trim (hint). Now I rode down with three other dudes who I met on these forums and one of them had a umm.... herbal glaucoma medicine stuffed into a film canister. I didn't know he had it. Security's procedure was to have us turn of the car and stand off some 10 ft and watch as they tore apart all of our belongings. They found the stash and approached me, since I was the driver. I told them honestly that I didn't know it was there, and I was furious at my passenger. They put it back in the car and we were allowed to enter with it.
It was a very very profoundly strange search.... I saw other people who had beautiful glass pieces and bongs that were taken out of hiding places among the passengers' gear, then inspected, and replaced back into the car. Many of these security folks were hired security, however there were PLENTY of on-duty police there as well. I also found out later that the VAST majority of the security at 'Roo is moonlighting cops from all over TN just trying to make some extra cash.
I heard about one lady through the volunteer grapevine who was searched (she was a normal concert goer, not a volunteer), and she had absolutely rediculous amounts of very very serious brugs (apparently the forum won't let me write that word with a "d" instead of a "b", so that's how I'll write it) with her. Something like 20 8-balls of coke, a pound of weed, heroin, etc. She was freaking out because the security gaurds were confiscating her brugs. The craziness of the story of course is that had both her and the cops been about 20ft away on the other side of the fence and off of Bonnaroo land, she probably would've done 25-life. Her stuff was confiscated, and she entered the farm.
The moral is that they very well may find whatever you have, but, at least in my experience and observation, they don't care about personal use things. If you're goal is to smuggle in loads of brugs with the obvious intention of selling, then your stuff will be taken, but, from what I heard, you'll still be allowed to enter.
I really can't say it enough that this is ONLY my experience, observation, and interpretation based on the interaction I had, the interaction that I personally witnessed others having, and then that one rather outlandish story. If you're thinking of bringing in a ton of brugs either DON'T or do a DAMN good job hiding it.
I can't remember if they had dogs, but I'm about 95% sure that there were canines on hand, though not in regular use on every vehicle.
BTW: as a legal disclaimer, I don't do brugs I don't like brugs and I don't encourage brug use or distribution. It's worth reviewing Bonnaroo's official policy is as follows:
"The use of illegal brugs is strictly prohibited at Bonnaroo. All laws pertaining to brug use should be respected. We encourage you to participate in the festival in a lawful and healthy manner. POD 4 will host Clean and Sober Meetings each day at 11AM should you or any of your friends need their assistance."
BBQ is at 7pm, and during fest has orientation at 8.
oh ok. I'll be at check-in at 4pm at the latest. checkout from hotel in mcminnville is noon, then shopping at the mcminnville walmart with my caravan, then check-in, then the farm.
Hey past volunteers! I'm new this year, and it's also my first time at Bonnaroo. Is the volunteer camping site close to where we will park our cars, or is it a super long walk? Mainly I just need to know if I need to bring something in order to assist with transporting camping supplies. I'm during fest, btw.
Hey past volunteers! I'm new this year, and it's also my first time at Bonnaroo. Is the volunteer camping site close to where we will park our cars, or is it a super long walk? Mainly I just need to know if I need to bring something in order to assist with transporting camping supplies. I'm during fest, btw.
it's car camping just like the regular patrons do (unless you want to move to Tent Only). You park then camp right by your car.
Thanks! I feel so wildly over prepared now! I think you helped me with something on the wet forum. I decided against toll booth. Maybe we will meet each other anyway! Tent only is with regular patrons right?
Thanks! I feel so wildly over prepared now! I think you helped me with something on the wet forum. I decided against toll booth. Maybe we will meet each other anyway! Tent only is with regular patrons right?
I probably did write on there, yeah. I try to go on WET forum, Ask Gary forum, and here to help people even though any info I know is mainly due to what I've read and not really experienced firsthand.
Tent Only is for regular patrons but during festers were told they could move once the campgrounds are officially open, so people could move there if they feel that the volunteer campground is too far. Toll booth has to stay until their last shift is over, but I'll just take a taxi if I get tired. I wanted to be done by Friday and not worry about missin a ton of music or getting stuck with trash duty or something.
I'll be at the Tues night volunteer bbq for sure. Say hi if you recognize me
