Showing Up without a Ticket in Hand?

Hey Guys,

Long time bluegrass lover first time poster (and hopefully TBF attendee). I just decided to pull the trigger on a flight out to Colorado and am having a hard time coming to terms with doing the ticket transaction online, especially when all the tickets are ‘print-at-home.’

I’m definitely not afraid to go out there on a whim and just hope to find a ticket that Wednesday or Thursday in town (possibly post-up by the box office?). Hoping to just find a Yonder Conference Center ticket and then hit the strip on when I arrive to find my festival ticket.

So…veteran festivarians…Good idea? OK idea? Bad idea? Horrible idea?

Any and all advice would be much appreciated!

:cheers

Go with cash in hand ready to pay face and you’ll be fine.

:wave Finding a ticket in T’ride will probably be easier than lodging. Do you have a plan for that? Generally speaking, I would go for it! :cheers

What Swander said, do you have plans for somewhere to sleep? And just in case, I do have 1 illium campground ticket to sell. It’s 50.00 and everyone here will agree that you do not have to worry about any e-ticket that I would sell you…

Thanks for the responses guys!

Looks like I might be OK to wing it as far as finding a festival pass. Certainly I’ll keep an eye out here on the board as well. You folks seem more than trustworthy.

As for my accommodations, as of now I don’t have concrete plans for a place to stay but all my friends are divided up between one condo in Telluride and a Hotel Suite and another condo up in Mountain Village so I’m sure I’ll find somewhere to lay my head. I definitely wouldn’t mind getting a camping pass in Warner Field or Town park just to throw up a tent but that seems quite unlikely due to my last minute decision. As for the other campgrounds, as awesome as I’m sure they are, I’d prefer not to have to shuttle back and forth every night by myself…but thank you for the offer Debbie.

Still in shock that I’m finally making it out…finally!

well, you should be ok since you have friends around…

This sounds like a great way to meet new friends, have an adventure, and make good memories. Cash will help…and I’m sure you’ll hear plenty of good music along the way as well.

Stay positive…the good festivarians will come though!

The phrase “timing is everything” leaps to mind.

If your flight to Colorado gives you days to secure tickets, I would bet you’d be fine. If you cut it close, it gets trickier.

Give yourself as much advance time as you can, whether directly or through friends.

If you play it right, you’ll be fine. Please don’t support scalpers, remember their tickets turn to dust…throw yourself into it and you’ll land on your feet- we’ll see you there.

Good luck.

I just love your responses family, positive. “You can do it.” Have a great journey in service! Enjoy leaving your ass behind, as it were, (dancing your ass off.) :thumbsup

The Ilium campground looks very good to me (on paper). How often does the shuttle run from the campground to the festival, and back? Can you take your bicycle on this shuttle? Does the shuttle run into town on days other than the festival dates? PBG’s web site says you need a four-day festival pass in order to buy a campsite pass.

The tricky question for me is, “how” to arrive early without a festival ticket? Last year I remember seeing tons of tickets going on re-sale at the last minute, like never before. If I winged it there, it would be me, my bicycle (I think), and my backpack. I prefer camping and sleeping in my tent.

All I ever did was to wing it, but I don’t remember too much. My first TBF was 1980 or 1981 (maybe both), driving from Manitou Springs by myself, and I was camping. My last TBF was 1985, it was me and a friend driving from Denver to work there, and we stayed in a condo with the crew. I’m coming from northern Colorado if I ever go again. My vehicle has a topper and I can sleep inside it when I’m on the road.

My two options to wing it there are: a) I have room for a second person in my vehicle along with a second bicycle and a second backpack; b) I can go in someone else’s vehicle with my backpack and maybe my bicycle and we can carpool from anywhere on the Front Range. I could buy passes now, or I could buy them in Telluride. I would still be winging it, regardless of tickets or carpooling. Thanks for your comments about this stuff.