Family with young children camping at folk festival - first timers --

[samcohen]

Hi all.  We had two girls, 7 and 9, and we will be camping (on grounds) at the folk festival next week.  We've never camped at a festival, well not with our kids, so we were hoping to get some advice from other families.

Some questions we have:

1.  Is there any place better than others for setting up camp -- with young kids

2.  Anything not obvious we should bring -- I think I read somewhere about bringing inner tubes for the river.  Anything else you're bringing with your kids that we may not think about.   

3. What about availability of showers and bathrooms, any suggestions for making that easier.

4.  not related to having kids with us, but we have 4 beach chairs.  Are those ok for setting up near the main stage.  It says low back chairs, but I'm not sure what that means.

Finally, I'm really confused about this whole lining up your car early on Thursday thing.   If I understand right people line their cars up early Thursday so they can be in line for Thursday evening when they open the gates.  Is that right?  What do people do all day when their cars are in line?  How necessary is that?

Any answers or advice would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks in advance.

Sam

[rubysue300]

I can give you a few answers.

You may not have much choice as to your camping spot.  It depends on where you are in line.  It's a mad dash for spots and you WILL be shoulder to shoulder (or tent to tent) with your neighbors.

Bring clothing for hot days and cold nights.  Shorts and swimwear for day and long pants and hoodies for evening.  Bring raingear.
There is sometimes music and noise at all hours of the night, so if your kids are light sleepers, maybe bring some ear plugs.

There is a line of porta potties in the campground by the entrance.  There is a bathhouse with real toilets and showers.  The showers are free.  There isn't much privacy, so if your girls are shy be aware of that.  My grandsons always showered in their swim trunks.

Lowback chairs - beach chairs should be fine as long as they sit low to the ground.  Do you know about the tarp run?  (See Tarp Line Policy under Info - Guidelines)

Cars will start lining up in Bohn Park this coming Sunday.  We put our least used car in line, pay the fee, get our number, and leave the car in line until Thursday.  Most people arrive and line up Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.  The line moves over to Planet Bluegrass on-site camping at 6:00pm.  See guidelines here:  www.bluegrass.com/folks/rules.html

There are two on-site campgrounds. 
>If you turn left as soon as you enter the PB driveway, you will go down a path to the backstage campground.  This campground is for tents only, NO vehicles.  You can drive down, drop off your gear, then go back out to Bohn Park to park your vehicle for the weekend.
>If you go straight after you enter the PB driveway, you will be in the main campground.  Vehicles are allowed to stay if you have a vehicle pass.  Otherwise, drive in, drop off your gear, then go back out to Bohn Park to park your vehicle for the weekend.
There are PB folks to help direct you.

Hope this helps.