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Summer Camp Counselor Carmel's Advice for Festival Newbs

As a Summer Camp Counselor, I feel obligated to provide my fellow Scampers with some tips that could possibly make or break your Summer Camp experience.  So let’s start with what to expect when you first get to Three Sisters Park.  Summer Camp is a park then camp type of fest, which means you have to haul all of your gear from the parking lot to your campsite.  I highly recommend bringing a wagon to streamline this process.

 move in
Everything will be searched before you enter the park and outside alcohol is not allowed on festival grounds.  Security tends to search HARD, especially on the first day. The good news is they usually let you take your handle of whisky back to your car.  The bad news is sometimes your car is parked real far away and it’s just not worth the trip. 
Once you clear security, your first priority should be to claim some prime real estate to call home for the next few days.  Luckily, there are many camping options depending on your festival lifestyle.  If you fancy sunshine and space to hoop, the field is your best option. If you prefer shade, trees, and closeness with your neighbors, then the woods might be more your scene.  The wookie woods tend to fill up right after the park opens at noon on Thursday, so if you have a large crew, it might be easier to set up shop in the field.  Also, keep in mind your location to the nearest porta potties because these will become an unavoidable necessity at some point in the weekend.  If you really want to be a baller at Summer Camp, VIP and RV camping is also available for an extra charge. pinwheelsAnother major consideration when choosing your campsite location should be convenience.  If you arrange your concert schedule ahead of time, you can pick a campsite that is in the neighborhood of your most frequented stage.  As a general rule, moe. will hold down the Moonshine Stage, Umph will be rocking the Sunshine Stage, and the middle of the road acts like will be showcased on the
Starshine Stage.  The Redbarn is where the late night shows take place but if you were not able to score a late night ticket, the 312 VIBE tent will be throwing down some EDM until the wee hours of the morning.  If that isn’t really your scene, the Campfire Stage and Soulshine Tent will also have music (with a little less whomp) going all night.  If you require peace and quiet after midnight, it would be wise to camp far away from these areas as possible.
 
Pay attention to landmarks and where you are in relation to large structures.  Tents and canopies tend to all look the same in the middle of the night, so stick with real obvious markers like stages.  You can also choose to bring a flag or something to hang from the trees in the woods, which can be used to mark your campsite and help you find your way after a long night of raging.
  
So once you decide on the perfect spot to call home, claim your land by setting up your tent and canopy right away.  This will avoid any neighbors from incroaching on your space as they fill in the campsites around you.  Summer Camp is a Midwest festival, meaning your fellow campers will be some of the friendliest people on the planet.  tentsThe minute you arrive at Three Sisters Park you will feel a sense of community with everyone there.  I would advise you to take advantage of it and make friends with your neighbors!  Last year, all of our neighbors happen to be vendors at the fest.  For the rest of the weekend I was constantly being hooked up with free food and discounts on merch.  Furthermore, it is inevitable that you will forget to pack something like scissors, which you may have to barrow from a neighbor.
 
So once you are all set up and have met the neighbors, you can finally kick back and enjoy your new home away from home. 

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