FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Festival Hours / Parking / Tickets

What time do the gates open?
Gates open on Friday at Noon, Saturday and Sunday at 8am.

What time does it end?
Gates close at 10pm on Friday and Saturday. The show ends at 10pm on Friday, 11pm on Saturday and 7pm on Sunday. After those times, people may leave, but no new cars will be permitted entrance.

What's the best time to arrive?
On Friday anytime after Noon and before dusk. For everyone's safety, no car/RV camping can be set-up after dusk on Friday (Approximately 8pm). For Saturday or Sunday our gates open at 8am. If you are hoping to attend a 9am workshop it's best to arrive as close to 8 am as possible. Workshops fill on a first-come first served basis and room in each tent is limited.

Which gate do I use to enter the festival? Where do I park?
All entrances are well-marked and there will be volunteers to guide you to parking, camping and the festival grounds. On arrival, all general attendees should drive directly up the hill, past the Vendor-Performer entrance, to the general admission entrance. Vendors , Sponsors, Presenters, Performers, and day-visitors with disabilities (plate or tag required) should use the Vendor-Performer entrance, from there you will be directed to the appropriate parking space.

What should I do if I need accessible parking or camping?
People with disabilities who need accessible day parking (plate or tag required) will use the first entrance marked Vendor-Performer Entrance. For accessible camping you will use the main festival entrance, and indicate your needs to the parking volunteer. If possible, please call at least a week in advance to let us know your support needs and we will be happy to do what we can do to meet them.

What about dogs or other pets? Can they be in the camping area?
For everyone's peace of mind and safety, pets are not allowed on the festival grounds, in the parking areas, or camping area, and they are definitely not allowed to wait in vehicles during the festival. The only exception is for certified Working Guide Dogs (and we may ask to see your dog's certification).

Are Workshops included in the ticket price?
Yes, all on-site festival workshops are included in the ticket price and are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

What if I did not pre-purchase a ticket? Will the festival sell out?
We anticipate having plenty of tickets available at the gate each day of the festival. Gate sell-outs are directly related to available parking spaces, and so we encourage carpooling. To avoid the lines at the box office, we recommend you purchase your tickets in advance on-line. As an added bonus, if you purchase by June 15 you can take advantage of our Early Bird specials.

Where can I buy tickets? I don't have a credit card to purchase online or by phone?
You can mail your check and detailed ticket request to us at 12 McNamara Road, Middletown Springs, VT 05757

I'm a photographer or writer. How do I arrange a press pass?
Please contact the festival manager at least a week in advance to arrange for a press pass.

How can I get information on having a booth at the festival?
Visit the vendor page of our website.

Are you hiring people to work or volunteer at the event?
We are run on pure volunteer power. Please visit our volunteers page to inquire about becoming a valued SolarFest volunteer.

Inside the Festival

What sort of facilities does the festival have?
There are numerous port-a-potties stationed at convenient spots throughout the festival grounds and camping area, as well as some strategically placed composting toilets, solar showers, and hand washings stations in various locations on site. There are no flush toilets on-site.

Will there be parking/bathrooms/camping for people with disabilities? Yes.

Will there be drinking fountains? Can we buy water on-site?
We do not have drinking fountains and, for environmental reasons, we do not allow vendors to sell bottled water during the festival. But we do have plenty of potable water on tap in various locations around the site. Please bring your own water bottle or support our cause with the purchase of a SolarFest souvenir bottle from our Sales Tent.

Why is bottle water not sold during SolarFest?
(Thanks to the Think Outside the Bottle campaign for the following information. )

SolarFest does not sell bottled water during the festival because:

1. water is a human right and not a commodity to be bought and sold for profit
2. bottled water travels many miles from the source, results in the burning of massive amounts of fossil fuels, and contributes to the billions of plastic bottles ending up in our landfills
3. bottled water corporations are changing the very way people think about water and undermining people's confidence in public water systems
4. up to 40% of bottled water in the U.S. and Canada is sourced from municipal tap water
5. some bottlers have run over communities' concerns and the environment when they extract water and build bottling plants to get local spring and ground water
6. worldwide there is a need for investments in public water systems to ensure equal access to water, a key ingredient for prosperity and health for all people
7. solutions to ensuring water as a fundamental human right require people acting together and standing up for public water systems

Can I bring glass bottles into the festival?
No. No Glass of any kind is allowed on the festival grounds. This includes the parking and camping areas.

Will there be a festival schedule and map available ahead of time?
Yes, by signing up for our mailing list prior to June 1, you will automatically receive a festival program in the mail. After June 1, look online for the downloadable schedule and map.

Can I bring an umbrella to block the sun or rain?
Yes. The festival is held on a working farm, with lots of open space. Some shade and rain cover is provided by person-made structures.

Can I bring my own chair?
Yes. To allow for maximum visibility of all festival attendees, we encourage low chairs and blankets be used in front of the main stage.

Can we bring walkie talkies? Yes.

Are strollers allowed into the venue? Yes.

Will there be lockers on site? No.

Will there be a Lost & Found?
Our lost and found is located at the Info Booth in the center of the festival grounds. Go there to report a loss, look for a lost item, or turn in a found item.

Will there be an Information booth/area? Yes.

Are there phones available?
There are no pay phones on-site and cell service is virtually non-existent. To use our on-site emergency phone you can inquire at our info booth, but please note this is for emergency use only.

Can I bring my cooler to the festival?
Yes. But please remember no glass of any kind is allowed on the grounds.

Can I take photographs or make video or audio tapes of the festival? Yes.

Is there an ATM at the festival?
No. The closest ATM's are in Poultney or West Rutland .

Can I pass out flyers inside? Outside?
No. Please contact the festival manager in advance to ask about reserving a space for relevant and appropriate flyers or handouts on our information table.

Are food and beverages sold at the festival?
Yes. We have wonderful food vendors who offer a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner foods and beverages. Please note: No bottled water will be sold at the festival. There will be a number of faucets and pumps on site to fill your own water containers, although we strongly encourage you to fill your reusable containers with water from your tap at home.

Will there be vegetarian/vegan food offered?
Yes. Our food vendors offer a wonderful assortment of food and beverages.

Will alcohol be sold at the festival?
No alcohol will be sold during the festival. Festival attendees are allowed to bring alcoholic beverages into the festival but we encourage everyone to be responsible and respectful at all times. People who are disorderly or disruptive will be escorted off the festival grounds. No glass is permitted on site (festival, camping or parking) so you must bring beverages in non-glass containers or transfer them into non-glass containers (coolers, plastic bottles, etc) before entering the festival gates.

Will there be medical personnel at the festival?
Yes, we have a First Aid / Medical tent on site, staffed during the published festival hours.

Will there be police on-site?
SolarFest has its own in-house security personnel on site at all times, 24 hours per day. If you need assistance, look for anyone in a red SolarFest shirt, inquire for security at our info booth or ask any volunteer (Yellow SolarFest shirts) with a radio to contact a security person for you.

How can I be reached at the festival in case of an emergency?
In the case of an emergency, a clear and complete message can be left on our office answering machine and we will make every attempt to reach you during the festival. But please understand that this is for emergencies only and there is no guarantee that we will be able to find you among the thousands of festival attendees.

If I lock my keys in my car or my car won't start, will there be a Tow truck or locksmith on site?
No. If you have trouble, go to the Info Booth and they will direct you to businesses to help you get back on the road again.

Accommodations / Camping / Area Information

Will camping sell out?
We do not anticipate selling out of camping space. We have two forms of camping: Walk-in wooded primitive camping, which is free and plentiful; and Car/RV camping for a fee of $20 per car/RV. Car/RV spaces are more limited; if you want to camp with your vehicle it's best to reserve a spot when you purchase your tickets. See our Camping page for camping guidelines and information.

What about dogs or other pets? Can they be in the camping area?
For everyone's peace of mind and safety, pets are not allowed on the festival grounds, in the parking areas, or camping area, and they are definitely not allowed to sit in vehicles during the festival. The only exception is for certified Working Guide Dogs (and we may ask to see your dog's certification).

Can I sleep in my car in the parking lot? No.

Are there hotels in Tinmouth?
There are no hotels in Tinmouth, but accommodations abound in nearby villages and the city of Rutland . Please see our accommodations page for more information.

Are there grocery stores near the festival?
There is a small general store in the center of Middletown Springs, 2 miles west, as well as two grocery stores in West Rutland , 9 miles to the north and Poultney, 11 miles to the west.

Where is the nearest Bus stop?
Rutland , VT , 15 miles northeast.

Where is the nearest Train stop and/or bus stop?
Rutland , VT , 15 miles northeast

Where is the nearest Gas Station?
Gas stations can be found to the north in West Rutland, to the west in Poultney and to the south in Wallingford .