GrassRoots Festival Blog

Thanks for a Great Year!

2013-07-23T13:09:00.001-07:00

2013, despite some intense heat, treated us pretty well, didn't it? The music was great, the people were wonderful, the food was delicious, the art was beautiful, and so on and so forth. We're thankful to be a part of your lives, and look forward to seeing you again next year! While you're here, leave us a comment and let us know how your festival went. Thanks!

2013 Band List Now Available!

2013-05-01T19:16:00.002-07:00

If you haven't had a look yet, head over to our band list page to see what we've stirred up for this year. It's gonna be a big one!

Camping Goes on Sale on Valentine's Day

2013-02-13T19:12:00.001-08:00

Happy mid-winter to you all! I hope you've been enjoying your Lunar New Year/Mardi Gras/Valentine's Day week. As dedicated GrassRootsers know, camping and early bird tickets always go on sale on Valentine's Day, and that's the case this year as well. Head on over to our camping page to see this year's info (nothing much new) and prices, and go ahead and make your order soon, because it'll sell out fast. Looking forward to summer!

Lost and Found

2012-07-27T13:51:00.002-07:00

After the festival ends, you will be unsurprised to learn that a lot of stuff is left behind. Lots of this stuff is (relatively speaking) not particularly valuable -- blankets, beach towels, sweatshirts, etc. and what we find of that ilk is usually washed and sent off to a thrift shop if we can't use it within our organization. On the other hand, we also find cameras, phones, wallets, keys, eyeglasses, and other important things, and we turn all of that valuable stuff over to the Trumansburg Police Department. This year, they have a fair bit of it. If you are missing anything from the festival, visit their website at TrumansburgPolice.com. On the menu bar at the left-hand side of the page, you'll see a link that says "GrassRoots Lost Property." Click it and fill out the form as completely as you can, and, with all luck, they'll link you to your missing item quickly and easily. As always, thanks so much to the TPD for doing such a great job with this.

Follow Us on Facebook!

2012-07-16T20:34:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are looking for interaction with your fellow festivalgoers, updates on the festival goings-on, pictures, etc. -- "Like" us on Facebook!

Vehicle and Next-Door Campers: Please Read!

2012-07-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

As always On-Site Vehicle Campers and Next-Door Vehicle Campers will line up on Rabbit Run Rd. You may line up as early as Wednesday, July 18 at Noon. Starting at 8am on Thursday, GrassRoots staff and volunteers will begin walking down Rabbit Run Road from vehicle to vehicle, exchanging tickets for wristbands and stickering vehicles. PLEASE be sure to be at your vehicles at this time, especially if you are toward the front of the line. Also, you are required to fill out the camper info sheet with your emergency info. The safety of the festival-goers is of the utmost importance to us. On-Site Vehicle Campers will enter through the back gate which opens at the same time it always has, noon on Thursday. Please, remain in line until this time. Next-Door Campers will be able to begin entering the Next-Door area earlier to ensure all campers get to their sites in a timely manner. PLEASE NOTE: All vehicles (regardless of camping location) must be in the same line and stay there until instructed to move. We CANNOT have 2 lines created on Rabbit Run Road. Clarification (based on several phone calls): the line will likely head in both directions on Rabbit Run Road, as has always been the case, but we are asking that two parallel lines not be formed, in order to keep lanes of traffic open for emergency vehicles. Next-door campers should be sure to enter Rabbit Run from the South Street side, rather than from the Route 96 side, in order to keep traffic moving in a logical order and avoid cross-over traffic at the back gate. NEXT DOOR CAMPERS: you will be told when you should move your vehicle and proceed to the next door camping area. A GrassRoots worker or police officer will instruct you when it is time. We will go from car to car and if you are camping next-door you will at some point be asked to get out of line and pull into the next-door camping area. PLEASE, listen to directions from the friendly officers and workers. If you get out of line with your vehicle before asked to do so, you may end up having to go to the back of the line. This process will begin shortly after 8am. If you have any questions, feel free to call the office (607)387-5098 or email tickets@grassrootsfest.org Thank you for your cooperation ahead of time! Enjoy the festival!

2012 Camping Tickets On Sale Now!

2012-02-13T21:14:00.004-08:00

We're all getting back from the fabulous Virginia Key GrassRoots Festival, with a new feeling -- instead of finishing off a festival with mud everywhere, we're covered in sand! Could be worse...

Anyhow, it's Valentine's Day, which means that GrassRoots camping is now on sale! There are a few policy changes this year, all prompted by local ordinances and Health Department regulations, but none of which will cause any major hassle for either you or us, we suspect. Still worth having a look-see, though, so go here to read up. Once you're through with that, head to the Tickets Page to buy your tickets!

See you soon...

Holiday Special Tickets on Sale Thanksgiving Day

2011-11-23T11:37:00.000-08:00

A quick note to remind you all that our 2012 GrassRoots Festival holiday special tickets go on sale tomorrow at our website. For more information, head here.

We're really excited to have a brand spankin' new (though well-tested, we promise) ticketing system that we'll be using this year. It'll cut down on waiting times at the gates, keep our records in a safer and more accurate way, and otherwise make all of our lives easier, especially on opening day. It'll also save us substantial money on postage, which allows us to keep ticket prices the same this year (the third year in a row with no increases), as you'll be printing your tickets yourself.

Countdown to the Festival - A Little Housekeeping

2011-06-21T09:22:00.000-07:00

As I write this blog on the Monday before the festival, those of us who are here in the office or setting up the fairgrounds are in the home stretch. We know that you're all busy, too, packing up your bags and highlighting your schedules. Here are a few pieces of information that you should know:

1. If you need to contact us during the festival, here's how: There is no phone number to call the festival site. All issues must be dealt with at the gate when you arrive or must wait until after the festival. If you have a ticket issue, most likely it can be dealt with at the gate. If you have an urgent need to reach someone at the festival, contact the Trumansburg Police at 607-387-6505, and they will contact our gate crews directly, who will then do what they can to get the information to the necessary parties. We do not check the blog comments, our email addresses, or the facebook page during the festival.

2. It looks like this year might be a bit of a scorcher. Please remember to bring sunscreen, cool clothing, hats, even parasols, and when you're here, drink plenty of water. You're welcome to bring your own water in, and you can also bring refillable water bottles -- there is a public spigot with clean water that runs in the lawn near the kids' area.

3. DON'T FORGET YOUR TICKETS, CAMPING PASSES, ETC. We cannot replace these for you if you arrive without them.

4. Be safe on your travels here! We can't wait to see you!

The office is open until 5:00 pm on Wednesday, July 20 -- if you have questions, it's a great idea to get them taken care of now!

2011 Lineup Announced

2011-04-14T20:19:00.001-07:00

We've announced our 2011 Lineup and we are so, so, so excited. We've got our dancing shoes ready, now it's just a patient wait until July 21. Got your tickets? Get 'em now!

CAMPING TICKETS ON SALE NOW

2011-02-14T14:48:00.000-08:00

Get your fresh, delicious Camping Tickets while they're still hot! Last year they sold out in a matter of days, we're expecting no different this year. While you're at it, pick up your early bird tickets, and how 'bout leaving a comment right here on this blog to tell us who you'd love to see at the festival this year? See you in the summer...

July 21-24, 2011 -- Tickets on Sale Thanksgiving Day!

2010-11-24T15:46:00.000-08:00

Hello and Happy Holidays from all of us at the GrassRoots Festival!

Just a quick note to let you know a couple of pertinent items of information.

First up, the 2011 festival dates will be July 21-24, so make sure you put in for that vacation time!

Secondly, tickets are available starting on Thanksgiving Day (November 25), for the Holiday Special price of $75 for a four-day pass. Get them online once you've finished your tofurkey! They'll be on sale through February 1 at that price. Camping and single-day passes will, as always, go on sale February 14. The band list will be announced in the Spring. All of this information, and more, are available at the GrassRoots Website Ticket Page.

We'll see you when it's warm again!

Big News: New Camping Area!

2010-07-02T14:09:00.000-07:00

Exciting news, campers! GrassRoots has just leased several acres adjacent to the fairgrounds to be used for camping during the festival this year. We're calling it "Next-Door Camping," and it can be accessed from your vehicle via Rabbit Run Road, right near the back gate. There is a walking path from Next-Door Camping directly into the festival site.

Next-Door Camping will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, and will not be available in advance. Sites will cost $135 per vehicle for the weekend, which includes Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. There is no daily rate for camping in this area, just the flat rate of $135. The area will open for camping at noon on Thursday, July 22. It is a primitive camping area, with no electric or water hook-ups. Portable bathrooms will be available, but there are no shower facilities in the Next-Door area.

Next-Door Camping passes can be paid for with CASH ONLY -- please come prepared!

IF YOU HAVE ALREADY ORDERED OFF-SITE CAMPING: If you've ordered Off-Site Camping (for $70), you can "upgrade" your ticket upon arrival. Just come to the Next-Door Camping area with your ticket in hand, and you can pay the difference (CASH ONLY) of $65.

The traditional Off-Site Camping area will still function as usual at the Agard Road lot. Prices for that area are $70 in advance (order by July 9) or $80 on the day of the festival.

Please note that this is the first time we've offered this camping option, and it's all happening very quickly. In order to make things run as smoothly as possible, please be sure to follow the rules as we've laid them out, and if you have specific questions, get in touch in advance at info@grassrootsfest.org or at 607-387-5098.

See you in a few weeks!

2010 Band List Posted!

2010-03-26T12:23:00.000-07:00

Yes, Virginia, there is a band list, and it's a whopper.

See it here: 2010 Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival Performers

We've invited some big names and many old friends to take part in our 20th anniversary festival (yes, 20!), and we hope you'll be as excited as we are to welcome them to Trumansburg this summer.

We've got Merle Haggard:

... and Burning Spear:

... and Arrested Development:

... and Rusted Root:

... and Oliver Mtukudzi:

... and Railroad Earth:

...and about 4 dozen others. A-list all the way this year, folks! Are we gonna see you there?

2010 Onsite Camping Passes and Early Bird Tickets Available Now!

2010-02-14T19:26:00.000-08:00

Wait, seriously? Does that mean that it's going to be Spring soon?

Yes, it's true. 2010 Camping Passes (both Onsite and Offsite) are now available, and if you're looking to buy one, there's no time like the present. No, really... they're going like hotcakes and they'll be gone before you know it. (We are aware that there was a computer glitch in the wee hours of the morning, but it has been fixed and all should be up and a-runnin' now.) The office will be staffed during normal business hours from here on through the festival, so if you'd like to call and order tickets over the phone, 607-387-5098 is the number you're looking for. Order tickets and camping here!

Visit the Camping Page on our website for a couple of slightly new and altered policies (nothing huge, mostly pre-festival parking issues).

And stay tuned for lineup announcements and other thrilling info -- we've got tricks up our sleeve that you won't believe for the 20th annual festival. As always, feel free to leave a comment with suggestions, or email us via this form.

We can't wait for this summer (for so many reasons)... we'll see you then!

Tickets on Sale Thanksgiving Day!

2009-11-25T12:43:00.000-08:00

Tickets for the 2010 GrassRoots Festival go on sale on Thursday, November 26 -- Thanksgiving! Sometime after the pumpkin pie is finished, but before the tryptophane coma sets in, pop on over to grassrootsfest.org and pick up your holiday special tickets. Or just wait until Friday. Either way. Tickets purchased at the holiday special price will not be mailed until the spring, but you can print out a certificate if you plan to give them as gifts. And don't forget to get them by February 1. After that date, we take a couple of weeks' break to catch up our systems and get ready for camping sales, which begin on February 14 (Valentine's Day... Detect a theme? We always figure that if we make it easy for ourselves to remember these dates, it'll be easier for you guys, too!), so mark your calendars for that day if you're looking to buy camping.

Lost and Found!

2009-07-20T15:24:00.000-07:00

Hey all! What a great festival, eh? We're still a little too exhausted to go into a full recap, but a lot of people are getting in touch looking for various things that they lost. We've delivered everything of value that we've found thus far to the Trumansburg Police Department, who you can call at 607-387-6505 (their non-emergency number) if you have a lost item. We don't have a record of this stuff at our office; it's best to just call them directly.

Camping Information - If You're Camping, Please Read!

2009-06-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

If you've got your onsite vehicle and camping passes all ready to go, you're probably starting to wonder what the deal is with pre-festival parking on Rabbit Run Road. Well, we've got a definitive answer: the road will open up for parking on Tuesday, July 14 at 3:00 pm. Regular parking rules apply - all four tires off the pavement, watch for signs, and PLEASE respect the neighbors. This is all the same as last year, no changes.

Another camping note: if you were planning on camping at the camping area owned and operated by the Falls Tavern (our next-door neighbors North of the Fairgrounds on Route 96), you'll need to make other plans. This area will not be a campground this year, it will only be a parking area. Again, this change only affects the area owned and operated by the Falls Tavern, NOT any of our onsite camping.

That's all the news I've got for now! Let me know if you have questions!

Upping the Ante on Compost

2009-03-29T19:54:00.001-07:00

GrassRoots has always been proud of the fact that we compost. Many major festivals don't even offer recycling facilities, so the fact that we offset over 10,000 lbs. of waste last year by turning it back into dirt makes us feel pretty good. Last year was the first year that our hospitality barn (where we feed performers and staff) became a waste-free facility - all utensils and tableware were compostable, and everything else was recyclable - and this year, we're turning the dial all the way to eleven.

Food vendors will be serving up your delicious treats on the same sort of compostable tableware that we've been using backstage, so no matter what meal you purchase, you'll be able to compost all of your scraps afterward. We're giving you a heads-up on this now, and we'll remind you again later, because if this is your first experience with compostable flatware and cups, you might find it a little strange. Yes, that fork DOES look like it's plastic, but it's actually made out of corn starch, and you can go ahead and throw it in the blue bin. We also want you to keep this in mind when you're making your packing decisions. Yes, it's convenient to bring a big ol' sleeve of plastic cups for your campsite margaritas, but if you bring reusable cups (or even compostable ones - you actually can find them in some better-stocked organic grocery stores), you'll be part of the solution.

Festivals can be terrifying feats of excess, leaving giant piles of useless garbage in their wake, but they don't have to be. We can do our part to keep our footprint closer to neutral. Need a little inspiration? Check out this cool video that our Master Composters put together after last year's event:

Onsite Vehicle and RV Camping are SOLD OUT!

2009-02-26T07:48:00.000-08:00

We've set a new record, folks. Onsite vehicle and RV camping sold out in under two weeks after they went on sale, and the waiting list is also well over capacity, so we're not adding any more names.

There is still onsite tent camping available, if you really want to be on the festival site. You can buy that online or by calling our office at 607-387-5098.

For anyone who did order vehicle camping already, your tickets will be in the mail within a few weeks. For those of you who are on the waiting list, you'll be getting a call within a couple of days to let you know whether or not we're able to sell you a ticket.

Onsite Camping and Early Bird Tickets are On Sale NOW!

2009-02-14T09:28:00.000-08:00

... get 'em while they're hot! On-site camping tickets won't last long.

Early bird tickets are available through May 1.

Early Bird Tickets and Onsite Camping go on Sale Feb. 14

2009-01-26T20:58:00.000-08:00

Feb. 14 falls on a Saturday this year, but since we've ALWAYS put tickets on sale on Cupid Day, we didn't want to mess with anyone's calendar. Early bird tickets will be available online, over the phone, or at one of our ticket outlets (see the Tickets page on our website - we'll have outlets listed there soon, they'll mostly be the same as last year). Camping and youth tickets are only available online or over the phone.

If you're in or near Ithaca, remember that our last State Theatre show of the season is coming up: The Flatlanders are coming to town on April 3. The Flatlanders are Butch Hancock, Joe Ely, and Jimmie Dale Gilmore. Some of you GrassRoots veterans will remember Jimmie Dale Gilmore's incredible performance from several years back - we're still talking about it. Butch Hancock and Joe Ely are just as amazing, and all together... well, let's just say it ain't no joke. We'll see you there!

Currently Listening: The Flatlanders - 'More a Legend Than a Band'

Currently Watching: The Big Lebowski (Jimmie Dale Gilmore plays Smokey in this movie)

Last Call for Holiday Special!

2009-01-13T11:57:00.001-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Have you gotten your tickets for GrassRoots 2009 yet? Remember that they're available at the super-cheap price of $65 for four days until January 15 - that's Thursday of this week! Get 'em while they're hot and save a few bucks. As always, early bird tickets and camping tickets will go on sale on February 14.

Did you know that you can follow the GrassRoots Festival on Twitter? We're at http://twitter.com/GrassRootsFest - so if you're a twitterer (tweeter? twit?) you can "follow" us and see what we're listening to, working on, etc. Nothing fancy, but it might give you some fun insider views on the strange musings of our team.

We've also got a Facebook fan page and a MySpace page, so if you do the social networking thang, join up with us at your network of choice!

We've also started a "lending group" with Kiva.org. If you don't know about Kiva, you should - they do really, really cool work in the emerging microlending/microfinancing sector. Basically, most regular people in third-world countries don't have the collateral or assets that large banking corporations require in order to fund a loan. What Kiva has done is make it possible, through smaller organizations called "field partners," for people in wealthier nations to directly fund small business loans for entrepreneurs in the third world. You make a loan of $25 to an entrepreneur of your choice (there are profiles set up on the website so you can choose what sort of business you'd like to help fund), and several other people join in with loans as well. Kiva distributes the money to the businessperson, who then repays the loan over a period of several months to a year. You get your money back, and you can re-loan it if you want, or just withdraw it. The entrepreneur gets funded in a good, honest, transparent way. Everybody wins! Kiva has won oodles of awards in the non-profit industry for the great work that they do, so we thought it'd be a fun thing to share with you. It's easy to join our lending group - once you've created an account, click on the word "community," do a search for "grassroots," and we're the first thing that comes up.

Looks like that's all the business we've got for today. Remember that you can post comments on this blog, so if you're thinking about anything in particular, feel free to leave a note and let us know!

GrassRoots Tickets Go On Sale TODAY!

2008-11-13T21:03:00.000-08:00

The GrassRoots Festival holiday ticket special is BACK and it starts TODAY! Yes, we can't believe it either - it seems like only yesterday that we were dancing in the infield, but it's winter now (we've even had snow a couple of times!) and we're battening down the hatches and getting ourselves set up for another GREAT festival! GrassRoots 2009 will be held July 16-19 at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds in Trumansburg, New York.

We know that economic times are tough, so we've decided to keep 2009 GrassRoots ticket prices the same as the 2008 prices. That means that, at the holiday special price, 4-day passes are only $65! Four days, four nights, four stages and over 70 bands... it's a steal of a deal, and they make a great present for everyone on your list. Tickets are ONLY available at the holiday price until January 14th. Early bird tickets and all camping goes on sale February 14th. In case you were wondering, that in-between month is when your neighborhood friendly GrassRoots office staff gets to catch up on sleep before the mad rush begins - your vacation is in mid-July, ours is in mid-January. You *might* be getting a better deal.

And hey, if you definitely want these to give as Christmas presents, you need to order them by December 12, in order for us to get them to you in the mail. If you want them for the first day of Hanukkah (Dec. 21), you should order them by December 10. If you celebrate another holiday and want them for gifts, use your good judgment and these relative guidelines to make sure you order them in time.

So head on over to our website and pick up your tickets now - we can even ship them straight to your giftee, complete with a nondenominational holiday card. While you're at the website, have a look around. You'll notice that we've fancied up a bit and added a new GrassRoots gift shop - t-shirts, Klean Kanteen water bottles, and more... if you forgot to pick up your shirt at this year's festival, you can get one now! And in other exciting news, we've moved from our old slowwwww credit card system to PayPal, which means we are finally able to take all four of the major credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express, and it'll make it faster for you and much less likely that there'll be mistakes at either of our ends. Woo hoo!

Until next summer, keep visions of GrassRoots dancing in your head - that's how we stay warm, and we're pretty sure it'll work for you, too.

Post-Festival Housekeeping: Trumansburg Fair, State Theatre, and more!

2008-08-15T09:21:00.000-07:00

The festival afterglow is starting to fade, and here in the GrassRoots office, we're starting to get very excited for some of our late-summer plans, as well as some of the fun stuff we've got going this winter.

TRUMANSBURG FAIR MUSIC NIGHT - August 21

Keeping up with our favorite new tradition, this year will mark the second annual incarnation of the Ithaca music extravaganza at the Trumansburg Fair. It'll involve a slew of your favorite local musicians - Jeb Puryear, Tara Nevins, Sim Redmond, Hank Roberts, Crow Greenspun, Richie Stearns, Johnny Dowd, Kevin Kinsella, Mary Lorson, J-San, Trevor MacDonald, Rising Sun and E-Rich, and too many more to be named. It's going to be AWESOME, and the best part? It's free! You have to pay admission to the fair itself (which is a very affordable $4 and includes parking), but otherwise, it's a gift to the community from GrassRoots and these exceptional musicians. We'll see you there!

STATE THEATRE SERIES - Beginning Sept. 11

Kicking off this year's GrassRoots at the State Theatre will be an evening with Steve Earle and Allison Moorer. Those names speak for themselves, I think, and we're beside ourselves with excitement.

Also in the series will be Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings on November 1, and The Flatlanders on April 1 of next year. This series was ludicrously fun for us last year, and we can't wait for them to start this year. Well, we actually can wait, because once it's State time, that means that summer is over. But at least these shows will be a great balm for the end of my favorite season.

And now, for some happy memories...

My personal favorite memory of the festival is as follows:

It's about 7:00 am on Sunday morning. I'm still awake, having zydeco danced until dawn. A group of musicians and festival staffers and friends find ourselves some pizza and perch ourselves on a pair of golf carts, gossiping and teasing each other about our various states of late-festival disarray. Suddenly, I hear what sounds like a gang war happening on the infield. It was very loud yelling, coming from two groups that were obviously opposing each other in some way. I kicked the masses off of my golf cart, and headed over to check out the scene and make sure things were okay. What did I discover? A large-scale kickball game! KICKBALL! If I hadn't been wearing flip-flops, I would've SO joined in. I love kickball. And what a wholesome, non-destructive way to burn off excessive alcohol before bedtime (actually, I had a feeling that about 50% of the players were still up, and the other 50% were the early-to-bed, early-to-rise types who had just woken up). Next year, I'm definitely campaigning for more kickball at GrassRoots. It's just awesome.

... and for those of you who need a slightly more visual experience to kick-start your memory, check out some of these videos:

GRASSROOTS COMPOSTING EFFORTS:

A NICE VIDEO FROM OLIVIER CONRARDY, A BELGIAN FILMMAKER:

Online Videos by Veoh.com

... and there are many more. And now it's your turn! What is your favorite memory of GrassRoots 2008? Leave a comment and let us know!