Thank you soo much, that is super helpful!! 3 pounds overnight is impressive hahah!
Needless to say, they were not very happy to disvover that in the morning. And it was early too, before the first Saturday landrush. No festy cashews for the humans!
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You sure it was chipmunks, and not some Run-a-Muck folks looking for a late night snack?
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Not really
Uh huh
Regarding ToddG’s comments on weather and clothing: It can get cold at night and sometimes, like last year, in the daytime, too. I live in Wisconsin and I bring my 0-32 degree parka with a down sweater/jacket underneath. Long underwear is always a good choice. And keep in mind that you might be sitting or standing still for a few hours — not generating a lot of body heat. Full disclosure: I’m old (71) and get cold easily. But I come back to TBF every year and have a great time. And you will, too 
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Newbie here as well - with Mary E Ilium camping/VP. Cannot wait to get there and meet the folks in the “neighborhood!” Cheers! - Kim
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Same here!!
I appreciate it😊 I get cold easily as well so we will definitely make sure we’re prepared!
This video is a bit shaky, but gives you a pretty good idea what to expect at Mary E. https://youtu.be/CTjNPgNPd0E?si=XWzcwr0HcNBS-NbL
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Last year I was in rain gear for 3 days straight with lots of layers. In 2021, I barely needed a jacket at night. Hence, pack for all 4 seasons. Welcome!
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So far, I’ve not seen a clear answer to whether or not one is allowed to bring a wagon on the shuttle. Please forgive me if it’s been answered and I’ve missed it.
I can’t vouch for this myself but ToddG said it’s doable in a thread a few years back: Mary Illium Camping Tips? - #9 by ToddG
You can bring wagons, shade shelters, bags, ice chests and whatever you can haul. But, at peak times like 8am-10am when there’s most likely lines of folks waiting, it can be frowned upon taking up extra space, but everyones going to be hauling a large amount of stuff. The largest amount of walking with your gear will be from your campsite to the shuttle, the shuttles drop off right outside the main entrance to the festival.
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Thank you, I really appreciate the information.
Hey all, this thread has been super helpful! We’re planning our first festival this year with our 11 and 8 year old boys and camping at Mary E w/o a vehicle pass.
I wanted to share our tentative plan to see if this is doable, as the Mary E camping instructions email we received seems to contradict some of it. It says “If you don’t have a vehicle pass, your vehicle will be parked (for free!) outside of the campground and can not move for the duration of your stay.”
I was under the impression we parked along the road and would be able to come and go as needed. Maybe the shuttle isn’t working for us we could drive to and park at Mountain Village, or worst case the whole experience is too overwhelming for the kids and we had to bail early. Are we able to come and go w/o a vehicle pass, or are we truly “stuck” for the festival duration?
We also talked about arriving Monday afternoon to set up and camp, but then heading down to Mesa Verde to spend Tuesday and Wednesday evenings in order to check off another National Park before parking our car outside Mary E on Thursday when the festival begins, hoping to utilize the shuttle all weekend. Would this be possible? I worry arriving Wed or Thu without first setting up camp might prevent us from getting a spot.
Thanks for any input!!
They normally don’t mind you coming and going with your car before the shuttle starts on Wednesday. But, you will be parked further down the line every time you leave. You won’t be able to drive into town, after shuttle starts, and parking at MTN Village will be sparse after Wednesday. Much easier to get back and forth on the shuttle. Personally I’d save Mesa Verde for another trip, as there is so much to see and do in and around Telluride! This will be my 8th year and we still haven’t hiked all the trails, and experienced everything in town, and we always arrive the Saturday before festival! If you can swing it, I’d arrive on Saturday when Illium opens, if you want to have a day or two at Mesa Verde. Your kids will likely love every second of it all!
ToddG - thank you for your insight and time to respond!