Midnight ticket line

[DrJeff]

Just want to  ask what the point is for making people wait till 3:30 in the morning to get tickets for early morning admission to the festival grounds.. Ok have a bit of fun make it somewhat uncertain as to when those slips of paper will be given out but why keep a few hundred people who have already demonstrated their desire to attend out in the dark chilly night. This Saturday morning people on line where getting testy at the long delay in getting those numbers. There is no point in keeping festival goers on line for 3 plus hours. Its not fun and its not supportive of the people who helpo make the festival the wonderful event it is.  I'm not blaming the organizers but someone did get hurt in the attempt to keep from getting bored while on what seemed and endless  and fruitless line. If there is a need to keep it unclear as to when tickets will be given I think that an hour -hour 15 would do . Next year  let those who want to get a good spot for the next day have the energy to enjoy the  music  and the experience they have come for .

[Matt and Becky]

Amen.  This was completely uncalled for and very disrespectful.  It seems like Planet Bluegrass does this to us at least one night every year and nothing ever changes.  People keep buying tickets, so why change, right?  I'm not counting  on them changing it in the future, but I might change the festivals I attend.  Practices like this are are very family-UNfriendly and are major reason why we are going to Grand Targhee Fesival this year instead of Telluride.  It's just too hard for people with young kids to wait in line all night.   

[Ron N Deb]

and the question goes on
Dustin ....
WHY WHY WHY ?
its seems with all "our" Festivals
we have this one little "Cluster F"
everyone wants a better plan ...
what cha think bro ?
 

[bluegrasslaura]

We can't always give them out at midnight because then everyone will show up at midnight for their number. Waiting in line is totally voluntary, and the rules state that it could be anytime between midnight and when the gates open.

I know everyone always wants a better system- the question is, what is it? We have found that the line seems to bring out the worst in people, even our wonderful customers.

We are, however, open to suggestions-

Laura
on Planet Bluegrass

[John R]

here we go again...
if you don't like a line, don't get in it.
the line in telluride works just fine.  never been to lyons, so, good luck.

[g-luv]

We can't always give them out at midnight because then everyone will show up at midnight for their number.

No offense Laura, but huh?  Everyone *does* show up at midnight to get their number.  All the chairs plop down immediately after the festival.  I watched it happen.  And then they sit and wait and get drunk and or sleep or get really annoyed until the numbers finally show up.

I think RG line is better than Telluride line, which is way ridiculous and out of hand.  But c'mon, I don't see the logic here.  Sometime between midnight and 2:00 is an acceptable, humane range, and I don't see the point in making everyone sit and wait.

[Matt and Becky]

Laura,
Respectfully, anything has to be better than having people get in their cars at 4:00 am and drive home exhausted after a full day of festvating and then waiting in line all night.  My friend had to drive back to Loveland after the fiasco this year.  I wouldn't do that if I were him, but he did, and many others do.  Statistics show that driving tired is just as dangerous as driving drunk.  Is someone going to have to die before your practices change?  Why not be more proactive?  Also, 3:30 is just plain riduculous.  Is this to benefit the people strung out on drugs?  Who else gladly stays up 'till 3:30 am?  It's certainly not for families!  Why not just hand out numers sometime between 11:30 and 1:30 and be done with it?  If everyone doesn't get nubers, too bad.  Anything has to be better.  Who wants to festivate with a bunch of tired grumpy zombies?

Matt

[bluegrasslaura]

I am certainly not saying it is a perfect system- but if we always gave out numbers around midnight or 1am, it would multiply the number of people waiting. I understand that there was a static number of people this year, but we have to think about next year...

Also, running out of numbers is a really bad situation as well. That has happened before and people were mad about that. If we don't have enough numbers for everyone, then the person handing them out gets mobbed.

I have a lengthy post in the RockyGrass page about how we came up with the number system and our thinking behind it. We are certainly open to change- but what?

Let's come up a solution.

The line isn't just frustrating for the people who are waiting in it- it's frustrating for us as well because everyone is mad and no one has a viable solution...

The idea that we as event producers are somehow responsible for an adult making a decision to drive in the middle of the night while they are tired or drunk or anything else is silly and beside the point. We offer camping and we don't force anyone to do anything.

[Hooch]

How about you slingshot random tarp-line numbers into the crowd the day before like they did with the socks?!?!

Yes, I know....I am just here to help.

[bluegrasslaura]

Love it! Perfect. We'll try it at Folks.

[Ron N Deb]

hmmm someone didnt like Laura reply
dont worry we got your back Laura !
 

[Hooch]

Love it! Perfect. We'll try it at Folks.

Cool!  I'll be there.  Just aim for the guy wearing the lampshade.  I would prefer you hit me with a prime number of two digits or less.

Meanwhile I will consult with several experts (voices in my head) on any better suggestions.

[landshark]

Love it! Perfect. We'll try it at Folks.

Cool!  I'll be there.  Just aim for the guy wearing the lampshade.  I would prefer you hit me with a prime number of two digits or less.

Meanwhile I will consult with several experts (voices in my head) on any better suggestions.