First Fest! Need Some CampGround Advice

[blake_r]

Hey Everybody!!
Just bought tickets for my first TBF a couple days ago and already cannot wait until June! Seeing that the Town Park and Warner Field campgrounds are already sold out, I was wondering which campground would be the next most ideal, Lawson Hill or Mary E. It will be my girlfriend and myself going, possibly another couple all in our early twenties. Looking at the bluegrass website it seems that Lawson Hill is closer but Mary E. is more of a camping experience. We've had some bad experience with concert shuttles so I'm  hesitant about being too far away, but also would like to arrive a few days early to hike, bike, and explore.

Anyway any advice, stories, or experice with these campsites would most appreciated for making our decsion. Either way I'm sure it will be an amazing week!

[Hot Sugar]

I've never stayed at Lawson, but I did stay at Mary E twice.

From what I've heard about Lawson, it's not too bad a bike ride into town, but you're still going to be pretty reliant on the shuttles. No campfires and no shade.

Mary E would be a bit more extreme of a bike ride into town, but you'll find plenty of shade and you're allowed to have campfires in designated fire pits.

AS far as the shuttles go, as long as you plan ahead, you should be fine. I never missed an act I wanted to see when I was staying at Illium. My brothers did once and I've heard several people say the same thing. My advice is to pack up everything you'll need for the day (food, warm clothes for the late sets, money, sunscrean . . .) and make the trip in the morning. That way, you won't need to be shuttling back and forth. As long as you get in line early enough (sometime before noon), you should be fine. The TBF Shuttle drivers do an excellent job and pack as many people as possible onto those shuttles.

 Listening to: Yonder