If you are a volunteer, please click here for the Master Volunteer Schedule and other information for volunteers.

We have filled our quota of Volunteers for 2009.
Please check back in August to submit a Volunteer Form
for SolarFest 2010.

SolarFest happens each year with the help of over 300 volunteers.

It would not and could not happen without you! Much of the warmth & richness of the event comes from our community of volunteers, veterans and new, who come together each summer to prepare the site, run the festival and break it down after it is over. Some folks donate time year-round to help with promotion, fundraising, office tasks and odd jobs of every kind. We are deeply grateful for all this support. It's easy to join us: you'll find everyone pretty welcoming. And thankful!

Wondering what it takes to be a SolarFest volunteer? Here are the basics:

Our Expectations

• 9 hours of your time. Another way to look at this is 3 hours given for each festival day received.
• We will prioritize volunteers who can give 9 hours/be present the entire weekend.
• We can flex to fit your availability, but the later you sign up, the less we will be able to flex. Procrastinator alert: If you want to be assured of volunteering for SolarFest 2009, register before June 1!
• First-time volunteers are expected to work their hours on the festival weekend, not prior
• We expect that you will show up to your designated shift on time and ready to work. Really. That's the deal.
• We expect that you volunteer because you want to help us put on a great, kind, festival.
• We hope that you will be able to join us for our volunteer orientation at 10:00 AM Friday, July 10 (it's fun and gets you knowing other folks and us).
• Questions? Email us here: volunteers@solarfest.org

What We Offer

• Free weekend admission to the event.
• Two truly great meals per day (one on Friday) at our volunteer food tent.
• A SolarFest volunteer T-shirt.
• The opportunity to experience this amazing event from the inside - give a gift of SolarFest to others through your work!
• A place to make new friends, be a part of the solution, networking opportunities.
• Free camping in the Volunteer Camping Area (see below).

Specialized jobs for which prior knowledge or skills are required:

• Security: We take pride in our fine record and atmosphere of mutual respect. If you have background in peacekeeping, please contact Melissa directly at volunteers@solarfest.org.
• First Aid: We seek people with medical/EMT training to help staff the First Aid tent.
• Volunteer Kitchen: Only the experienced, quick-thinking, and hard-working should apply! There is much to do in the kitchen with our set-up and schedule, and we cannot provide on-the-job training.
• Electronics/Tech: Anyone wishing to help with technological set-ups will need to speak directly with SolarFest staff for best placement.
• Traffic guide: Experience and authority are essential.

General Jobs

We need friendly people to start festival goers' weekend right in parking and camping, to host workshop tents, staff the sales area and silent auction, hospitality, and Kid's Corner. Here are more specific skill sets:

• Parking: Although it is often the young who help out here, it is extremely important that cars be parked intelligently, that people are greeted warmly, and that volunteers are knowledgeable about the festival.
• Workshop Tent hosts: With support staff, make sure technical needs are ready to go. Greeting and making the speaker comfortable. Introduce the speaker (know the bio). Being familiar with the entire workshop schedule to be able to answer questions and direct people.
• Sales Area: Competency with electronic cash register, excellent with people.
• Silent Auction: Can involve rounding up donations from various vendors on Friday; creating displays and monitoring bid sheets. Highly focused job on Sunday finalizing bids, connecting people with purchases, and packing up.
• Hospitality: Maintaining a comfortable and classy space for our major sponsors. Includes some food preparation and set-up.
• Green Room Hospitality: Working with our caterer to make sure performer food is properly maintained and served.
• Kid's Corner: Must be patient and energetic with children! Overseeing different craft and science activities, playing games, giving care. (It's not a child drop-off center; parents are expected to be with their children.)

Volunteer Camping Update:

Due to the large number of volunteers we expect to camp, we cannot guarantee that everyone will be able to park their vehicle in the Volunteer Camping Area. We will allow you to drive your vehicle to the Volunteer Camping area to unload, and you can park it in areas unsuitable for tents. Once those fill up, you will need to park in the general public parking. You may only park in volunteer camping if your car stays there the entire weekend, until Sunday at 6:00p.m. as the access is directly through the festival grounds. If you anticipate needing your vehicle during the festival, you must park in public parking after unloading your vehicle. You are of course free to purchase a Car Camping pass (first come, first served) for the public area.

VOLUNTEER CAMPING WILL BE STRICTLY QUIET CAMPING!!! We all have work to do over the weekend and need our sanity sleep. Loud talkers after 10:00 PM will be busted.

If you have questions about volunteering, send us an email at volunteers@solarfest.org

SolarFest Volunteer Intake Form

To make us more efficient, all volunteers must complete this form. Please answer all questions completely.

Red text indicates required field.