Mary illium lowdown

[magnawat]

Hello....rookie festivarians here....we are camping at Mary illium and have a few questions...
We have a small rv ( less than 22 ft)....Do we need to arrive on Monday?  What kind spots will be left if we show on Wednesday?   Can we leave the campground in our vehicle before or during the festival?  Will we lose our camp spot if we leave to get supplies?
Getting excited....thanks, Jeff & Roxanne, and Loki too,  but he will be in a kennel in Durango or Gunnison unless we find an in town foster family 


 Listening to: The devil makes three....

[skyrunner]

  Hello, You have picked a great place to camp. I get there on Tues afternoon and there are plenty of spots open then.  There should still be some good spots on Wed afternoon. You can leave in you own vehicle, but buses are provided to go into town, and you will loose your parking spot on the road though. Unless you have 2 vehicle passes you will park your car on the side of the road by the camp ground. Once you get a spot figured out, and set up, that is home for the weekend. Then yes by all means you can go anywhere you want and your campsite is safe.   

 Listening to: New Grass Revival

[magnawat]

Thanks for the info.  Sounds like once we get there, even early in the week, once we park our RV, it will probably need to stay put....are good spots to park a RV hard to come by or pretty plentiful?   Are there other camper vans and small RVs ......do people get to camp near their cars?
Thanks,
Jeff...

[oddfired]

Yes you can camp next to your car if you have a vehicle pass.   Otherwise about a quarter mile away.   Illium is only a campground during TBF.   Otherwise its a park so its big and open.  There will be other people with small rvs and pop ups.  There are lots of good spots, but no rv hookups.

[flyfishindave]

For those of you who have camped at Mary Ilium in the past, do you remember if it sells out prior to the festival?  If so, how soon to the festival?  Thanks

 Listening to: ER moans and groans

[hooterroll]

FF Dave, I can't pinpoint a date for sellout but it will certainly happen. My guess is before end of May with the vehicle passes gone before then. I enjoyed having my vehicle at my site as it afforded great dry storage and charging capabilities for not only me but many new friends. Actually I'm quite surprised that there's still availability at all 3 campgrounds not named TP or WF. Good luck... We've been whacking the redfish and big seatrout down here in east Cent. Fl this spring. If your ever down this way, I'd be glad to get you on the water! Peace

[cruc1al]

So I'm sure this question's been answered somewhere on the forum before but maybe someone will let me know again! If I camp at illium, is the only form of transport going to be the shuttle? And what time does the last bus come through Telluride? Will I have to leave the latenights early to make sure I can reach my site? And are there ever private taxis or townies makin a few bucks by giving rides?

 Listening to: Leftover Salmon

[flyfishindave]

thanks hooterroll for your input as well offer, i have done quite a bit of redfishing in North and South Carolina over the years, some in Florida as well.  It's great fun!  And i have the exact same question as cruc1al.  Would love some information pertaining to her question as we're camped in Ilium this year for the first time and have a couple of Nightgrass shows to attend.  Thanks!

[Hot Sugar]

Dave, you're not going to be in Town Park?

[erndog]

If you're not going to be in Town Park or Warner - consider the High School - hear me out:

Yes, you are in a 'family/no drinking zone" - but seriously, unless you are getting and fixing a Bloody Mary first thing - and I know some are - the high school is a good place - location wide - to camp.
* if you are going to Nightgrass at the Palm, well, it's in your backyard
* the high school has great showers with plenty of hot water
* there are no shuttle worries - come and go as you please without worrying about a ride
* if you have a bike, you are golden - try biking to Illium . . .
* I mentioned the showers, right?
* it's flat, quiet, a good place throw down a tent, a good place to sleep in without worrying to catch a shutte back into town, and an easy place to get to late at night after a nightgrass show
* of all the non-Towm Park options, a High School pass will probably be easier to resell if you score a Town Park or Warner pass

Just my$.02, feel free to disagree

[The Goat]

erndog,

Thanks for the post, this is my first time @ the high school and your arguments are all pretty compelling, access to The Palm being an awesome point. I hope to see you there.

.e

 Listening to: Chris Thile & Michael Daves: 20/20 Vision

[FaceOnMars]

If you're not going to be in Town Park or Warner - consider the High School - hear me out:

Yes, you are in a 'family/no drinking zone" - but seriously, unless you are getting and fixing a Bloody Mary first thing - and I know some are - the high school is a good place - location wide - to camp.
* if you are going to Nightgrass at the Palm, well, it's in your backyard
* the high school has great showers with plenty of hot water
* there are no shuttle worries - come and go as you please without worrying about a ride
* if you have a bike, you are golden - try biking to Illium . . .
* I mentioned the showers, right?
* it's flat, quiet, a good place throw down a tent, a good place to sleep in without worrying to catch a shutte back into town, and an easy place to get to late at night after a nightgrass show
* of all the non-Towm Park options, a High School pass will probably be easier to resell if you score a Town Park or Warner pass

Just my$.02, feel free to disagree

I think you make a great case for the convenience factor erndog!  I think the big flip side (case for Illium) is for those who are looking to "escape" for a bit and get a more natural reprieve.

Just want to raise another point - in hopes it's dealt with preemptively this year - is there were complaints of noise by roadies from load-out @ Palm after the nightgrass shows.   Hopefully, this issue has been dealt with if it was in fact the case.

[flyfishindave]

HotSugar ive got 4 day passes and Ilium camping for 2 but still holding out hope i can secure TPark or WF tix by festival, and sell my 4 day passes.  ai have alot of peeps lookng for me regarding this.  And I hear you Erndog, but since ive already purchasred the Ilium camping (HS seems so restrictive) HS isnt an option at this point.  Who has my WF or TP tix?  13 years this June, im in TBF no matter the circumstances.  Still needan answer to my question about nightgrass and getting back to Ilium. Anybody know the answer?

[skyrunner]

 As Far as getting a ride back after Night Grass, it is usually not a problem. The buses run until about 2:30-3:00am. But you will need to make sure of this with the driver when you get there. Planet Bluegrass really does try to accommodate people going back at night from one of their own events.  As far as advantages or disadvantages, I think just about every place is pretty equal. I guess it's all in how you look at it.  With ticket sales this year I'm happy I'm going in the first place.

 Listening to: Steep Canyon Rangers

[Matt]

You just have to make sure to leave quickly after the last song.