Even on the best of days I am not a morning person. That tarp run looks like fun and all, but as you reach middle age you figure out certain things about yourself. Best intentions aside, I will not be in the tarp run, nor is it likely that anyone in my party will be. On fest days, I wander in sometime in the afternoon with my small party and we take advantage of the free tarp rule, that any tarp that is not currently occupied can be occupied until the rightfull occupants return.
We felt kind of funny at first, free tarpin’, because it feels like you’re in someone else’s space, but inevitably when the tarp owners return we make new friends and it’s all good. :cheers All good! I’d say the vibe as a free tarper is totally in the Fest spirit. In fact it enhances the spirit of Fest, both the art of free tarpin’ and the act of sharing your tarp. I love fest!
Of course there are free tarpers, there are people that get up in the morning(sit in a chair all night) make the run and go back to bed. They come out to see the show at 3 or 4 and they are done, but the tarp has feet on it all day long.
I’m fortunate enough to know so many people that I can tarp hop all day long and visit with old friends and make new ones at the same time. :flower
I’m definitely too old to stay up all night and the “run” in the tarp line.
I used to be a free tarper, but my group of close friends has gotten far too large to free tarp it any more. Once our average crew of 5 or so grew to about 15, it was time to start claiming our own piece of festi-earth. And, I really do like having a “home-base” throughout the day anymore. As for the free tarpers, I do enjoy the neighborly feel of having strangers rest their sunburnt bones next to mine and share a piece of our blue plastic.
Gosh, the way you put it JoeDunlap, makes it sound sooo romantic :flower :lol :lol :lol
I can’t wait to share some blue plastic with some festistrangers :cheers
I am really grateful for the ‘free tarpin’ ’ at TBF. We’ve had the opportunity to meet great folks and even make some new friends. The first year, I did feel a bit apprehensive about encroaching on one’s tarpage real-estate, however, once they showed up that afternoon and told us that ‘its fine, stay put’, any concerns were relieved :). Since then, its been great folks and good times and kinda special (geez … sounds like a Michelob commercial! :lol )
My two brothers and I tarp hopped all four days last year, and my oldest brother, his girlfriend and myself plan on doing it again. It really is a great way to meet people, and when we only have a group of three, we don’t need or want to take up a lot of space for a whole day :cheers
… Speaking of ‘free tarpin’ ', and tarpage in general, IS there a size limit for the tarps this year? I recall a few 20 x 20 and even possibly larger tarps last year. Granted, they were usually occupied by plenty of folks, but, as far as claiming real-estate at the tarp runs, I think I’d find it a bit unfair/inconsiderate if some folks have a tarp twice the size of the ‘norm’. Just my 1/50th of a dollars worth.
/r
Free tarpers are always welcome in the republic if Utarpia (now 9 tarps in size and growing). We are located at approximately 37 degrees 56’ 00.17" N by 107 degrees 48’ 25.18" W at an elevation of 8797 feet above sea level (according to Google Earth).
I think The Planet allows each festival-goer to bring in a 6x6 or 8x8 tarp. This policy is not enforced. What most groups do is figure-out how many people can fit on the official tarp size and then bring in a tarp proportional in size to the number of people they need to accomodate… that’s what we do… and we’ve got a big tarp! I’ve seen monsterous tarps rolled-out during the TBF tarp-run. There’s a video of the TBF tarp-run somewhere on The Planet’s website. You should check it out. Remember… at PB festivals, goers can sit anywhere there is an open spot or chair and then give back the spot or chair to it’s rightful owner. In most cases, the folks who lay down the big tarps are willing to share any extra space with others… unless they stink or are vocally obnoxious. Tarp size is still a grey area that we festival goers have to deal with on our own. That’s part of the Planet Bluegrass festival experience… and it encourages us to be flexible, accomodating, and considerate people… at least while we’re at the festival. That’s my 2 cents worth… hope it helps.
Ron, if you come to my tent you’d better be carrying bacon! Or home brew. Or any type of drink really. I may be easy but I’m not cheap! Or maybe the reverse.
Keep in mind that as the sun goes down, the crowd packs in, and if you’re not at your tarp, you just may not make it back to it. It’s best to get anything you don’t want to lose outta there while the sun’s still shinin’, unless you have to keep it with you cuz you’re camped somewhere else or just there for the day and had to carry all your stuff in. We usually get our chairs and packs and coolers either out of there or at least piled up so we can find them after the show. Not a lot of room for sitting in front of the sound booth once the sun goes down.
