We went to RockyGrass for the first time last year and had an incredible experience. We brought our kids and stayed at the LaVern Johnson campground, which worked out great. What an amazing experience.
This year, we’re curious if anyone has explored local options for babysitting in town. What do most folks do with kids in the evenings? Do you just grin and bear it, or have you found a local high schooler or sitter willing to hang at the campsite for an hour or two while the kids are asleep?
We practically raised our kids at Rockygrass, and when they were really small, we’d set up sun shelters either by the old silo, or around the perimeter where they’re permitted, so we could have a good base of operations. If you set up a shelter, you’ll soon notice other families with small kids but no shelter, and if you offer to share your shelter with them, you can take turns where there’s always a parent at the shelter looking after the kids. I wouldn’t do this at a college football game, but at Rockygrass it’s a pretty awesome group of good people, so we always felt safe and made new friends in the process! In the later evenings, the kids would either sleep in a bassinet under the canopy, or one of us would take them back to wherever we were staying, so the other could hear their favorite act, and vice versa. Sometimes, we’d both be beat by 8 PM and despite our best intentions, sticking around to the last act wasn’t gonna happen.
As the kids got older, they’d keep themselves pretty busy. Between the river and the food trucks, and meeting other kids, they found plenty to do. We’d work out regular times for them to come back to the shelter, or arrange to meet them in the food truck area for lunch, dinner, etc. In the late evenings, there was seldom a complaint to stay through the last act because it was a rare time when they’d get to stay up past their normal bedtimes.
Now, at 14 and 17, they beg us to go back to Rockygrass each year. It’s become a family tradition that we all look forward to!
Long story short, we never needed nor sought childcare during the festival. Hope these experiences are helpful! Enjoy the show!