Tarps, Trouble and Tantrums

We made it! This is our last blog about the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. We have covered most of the do's and dont's and the Q's and A's, but for our last post I wanted to make sure to included a small but potentially vital detail about the Falcon Ridge seating system.

Visitors are allowed to place tarps or blankets in front of any of the stages at Falcon Ridge including the main stage. Falcon ridge asks, however, that you limit the size of your tarps. Also, there is no rule about claiming your spot for the day, and leaving the spot whenever you feel like it. The non-regulation of the tarps encourages a few really disappointing problems:

• People line up at 5 a.m. and reserve there spots for 7 p.m. shows leaving everyone else to sit behind their sacred spots and the performers playing for empty rows the entire day.


• People have large tarps so they save spots for not only themselves, all of their friends, coolers, vision-blocking umbrellas, lawn chairs, and much more as well.


• People argue all weekend about the who is on whose tarp, and who wasn't at their tarp all day, and who moved whose tarp. It's really silly and immature.

Now we were one of the many people who didn't understand the system the first day, but for Saturday, we decided that we would have to rise early and compete for a spot. I awoke at 5:30 a.m. because a sign said "no tarps until 7 a.m." I came running down the hill to see a line had already formed. However, I figured that because I could only see about 15 people, that I would be able to reserve a small 2x2 spot for Chris and I.

When I got the line, I was greeted with dirty looks, whispers, and finally a man who felt compelled to be the spokesman for his entire block of friends. He approached me and told me that "we have all been doing this for years, and we really have priority over these whole front section." He continued to explain to me that he and his friends tie their regulation-sized tarps together, to create one big tarp that takes up the entire first few rows. They then tie one end of that larger tarp to the ground. When the Falcon Ridge volunteer gives the signal that people can begin placing their tarps, all they do is roll out their tarp and take up the entire front section (see images of the starting line above). However, everone else with just one tarp runs around in madness and hopes they can find a pot in between the tarp-tiers. Seriously, it's a frenzy. I literally lost a flip flop in the altercation.

Now, in the end we got good seats for the day, however, I think considering all of the positive, familial action throughout the weekend that we have blogged about, this kind of scenario is just appalling. I think it is unbelievable that people would rather stake claim for their umbrellas and coolers then to let people share a good view of the concert. And worst of all, a good 90% of these people leave their tarps for the entire day, and only return around 7 p.m. for the evening shows. I think shame on them for being such selfish and immature adults, but shame on Falcon Ridge as well for not putting an end to this system. I think it sends a really poor message to first time visitors, and is bad for recidivism. Throughout the weekend we spoke with many people who said the arguments and drama over the seating had turned them off from the Falcon Ridge experience. This is a sad, but fixable reality.

With that being said, you should prepare for this if seeing the show from a good spot is important to you when attending Falcon Ridge. You should either be up at 4:30 or 5 a.m. on the day of the show, or make a point to mention to the organizers of the show that you are not happy with the system. Unfortunately I think this has gone on for so long that people have gotten used to this strange group of people who feel some sort of entitlement to the entire front section because they are return visitors. I have news for them, there are a lot of return visitors who also invest a lot of time and money in Falcon Ridge, but don't have the guts to act like children.

Well, I know that is a bit of a sour note, but I want to say that aside from the tarps, the entire Falcon Ridge experience was somewhat magical. We great music, eat great food, experienced some nature, got away from cell phone reception for a weekend, and met some great people. I would recommend the festival to anyone who loves music, and does not fear a little mud between the toes.

I hoped you enjoy our 2008 Falcon Ridge Journey. See you again next year, bring your tarps.