Mary E - late to the party?

[SAK]

1st timer coming from NC - so, let's say one was to arrive (or four in this case - me, wife and two daughters) Thursday eve/Friday morning to camp at Mary E. - will it be a total cluster (i.e., - tough to navigate/find some real estate) that late?  We have a vehicle camping pass (VW campervan) - so nothing too big.

For what it's worth - totally get the benefits of getting there as early as we can. Sounds like a lot of pre-fest fun, but plans may end up dictating a later arrival.  Thoughts/experiences?  Anybody still rolling in Friday a.m. typically?


Thanks and sorry if the post is redundant.

Cheers,
Scott

[ToddG]

I'm going to tellyou what most the experienced TBF folks will echo. You really want to get there the very earliest you possibly can. Not solely to get a better spot, but music starts wednesday evening. If you show up Friday you'll miss Friday mornings shows, all day of Thursday and the Firstgrass shows Wednesday night.

Mary E opens the Saturday before, and though you'll have no big issues finding a place to park your VW on Friday, it won't be a "sweet" spot, and likely you may be sandwiched between others, but Mary E is pretty spread out, so I don't think it ever really gets tent to tent.

One of the best reasons to get there early, besides all the fun activities that group camps in TP organize, is the seemingly endless amounts of hiking, biking, climbing, fishing etc... that can be explored right from your campsite, or from town. Getting there early allows time for exploring the mountains, acclimating to elevation, and taking advantage of the 9 possible nights of camping your Illium or TP pass allows.

No matter what you and your family will have a blast, just no you'll have less pressure, and have more time to enjoy everything including music if you come early.

 Listening to: Violent Femmes

[SAK]

Thanks Todd - about what I was expecting.  Prior to heading over to Telluride we're going to spend some time in the Moab area which also seems to have lots to offer. Shooting for Thursday a.m. arrival, but wouldn't be too tore up over missing Thursday's lineup (Fri-Sun have more appeal to our fam.) if we felt we needed more time in Moab. 

We hit plenty of the fests in the NC/VA area. Merlefest, Floydfest and Roosterwak are our three must-hits every year with a few others thrown in each year.  Of those that I've been to there are some that I know you gotta get there by a certain time or it's going to be a rough go while others it's more like - meh, it'll work out if you roll in late - not ideal, but no big. 

Just trying to gauge where the Mary E camping experience falls.  Really just want to make sure we wouldn't be totally munsoned (kingpin reference anyone?) if we rolled in late at all.



 Listening to: wncw.org - check it out!

[ToddG]

We camped at Mary E our first year and arrived Saturday pre-fest in the afternoon. There were about a dozen camps set up or setting up. By Tuesday what might be considered the primo spots were gone, and by Wednesday evening the camp is getting closer to "full" (Like I said its pretty spread out, so even at max capacity there's always spots). Those who straggle in on Thursday and Friday might be in spots that aren't "bad" but maybe closer to Porta-johns than you'd like, or no shade etc...
Moab is super cool. Me personally I don't like to feel rushed, and even getting there on Saturday seems like there's just never enough time to do all the things we want. Guess thats part of what keeps us coming back.

Also keep in mind there is another small stage in Town where there'll be daytime sets from noonish till around 6pm. These sets won't be announced till around a week or so before the festival. Most these sets are side projects or collaborations with different artists, and always a few sets a day from main stage headliners. So that Thursday main stage sets your not interested in may mean intimate sets by artists you do like. Also the Wednesday First Grass shows that happen up in Mountain Village haven't been announced either. And that is always a fun time and good excuse to ride the Gondola.

Being that you'll be needing a spot for your VW, and not just a tent site, this would also be a good reason to come early. You can always come early get your spot set up and come and go from Mary E till Wednesday. Probably only about 3-4 hours tops to Moab, and Mesa Verde is just a bit over an hour. Our neighbors at Mary E set up on Saturday then left Sunday and Monday to go to Utah for two days, and came back on Wednesday.

[culasthewiz]

Moab is always there.  TBF is only 10 days per year 

[alexbarbosa42]

Moab is always there.  TBF is only 10 days per year 

yep!