SH’BANG SH’URVIVAL GUIDE
Welcome to Sh’Bang! Below you’ll find sh’urvival tips and need-to-knows as you get geared up for our Festival of Ideas
WHAT TO BRING
- Clothing: all your fancy colors, styles, and, most critically for the evening, warm layers! It will dip below 60ºF overnight. Be prepared with rain gear.
- Headlamp or flashlight: main areas will be lit, but many spots are very dark.
- Camping gear: tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, etc.
- Water bottle: a metal or plastic (no glass!) bottle. Filtered drinking water is available on site.
- Swimming items: the Quarry lake is a refreshing dip! Note, swimsuits are optional! Floating toys, SUPs, inflatables and more are welcome.
- Food: we offer a FULL MEAL DEAL, check ticket page for details! Additionally, there are vendors—but bring some of your own snacks, too! Bring camping style dishes and silverware.
- Ear plugs: amplified sound may play until 2am.
- Musical instruments, costumes, mermaid tails, bubbles! Bring bubbles!
Remember, this event is rain or shine, come prepared to enjoy the festival in any weather. Aim for self-sufficiency, and support each other. Be the spectacle, wear your craziest. Swing a hammock.
ALL AGES. NO DOGS. Visit us on facebook for more Sh’Bang planning and community!
WHEN TO ARRIVE
You can arrive any time during these Front Gate Hours:
- Friday 12pm-11:30pm
- Saturday 9am-11:30pm
- Sunday 9am-4pm
Final Check Out time: Monday 11am! Get outta here!
BRING SOME COLOR
It’s a festival of ideas! Sh’Bang is a participatory, cooperative event, and we encourage everyone to share their art and creativity. Bring costumes, camp decorations, water toys, crafts to make and share, circus props, ideas… play! The mesmeric mermaids would love you to bring your mermaid tail if you may. Splash!
KIDS are VERY WELCOME
We love having the little ones around and have numerous kid friendly activities in the schedule, from puppet shows, to giant puppet parades, a tea party with a real fairy, face-painting, mermaids, a cardboard crafting zone to make costumes, a special kids piñata, a shallow beach, not to mention the various circus shows, the Saturday soap box derby, and so much great music to dance and boogie too! Please know, we are a festival of ideas and with so many wild beautiful artists in the mix we can’t guarantee any of the content, use your discretion. We promote free choice when it comes to the swimming area, some people choose to wear a bathing suit, others go naked; so, if this offends you stay clear of the swimming area and rest assured that people will be clothed in the rest of the festival grounds. Lastly, there are some dangers to the site including sharp rocks, cliffs, prickles, and deep water so please keep your little one in site at all times, especially near the water.
SAFETY
We will have a conflict resolution team onsite to help diffuse any situations that arise and to keep people feeling safe. If there is a problem, or you are needing help, stop by the Headquarters station.
TOILETRIES
Sunscreen, bug spray, and oils muck up the quarry—so if you plan on enjoying the water, get them off your skin before you jump in. We’ll have some sunscreen on site that’s better for the water. We are surrounded by wetlands, so only use biodegradable soap if you get around to bathing during the weekend. NO GLASS People will be walking around barefoot, which means glass is not welcome, especially near the water hole.
RESTROOMS
Don’t pee in the quarry! The NoPee monster will surely get you. Use the numerous and oft-cleaned porta potties OR find a tree and discreetly water it. Splash.
ALCOHOL
Be respectful, care for each other, take care.
NO DOGS
We love the furry friends, and the Quarry during festival time is not a safe environment for them. There are no dogs allowed at the Quarry, so please leave pups and other animal friends behind (service dogs may be approved). Ducks, chickens, and a cat already roam the area and are best left to themselves.
PARKING
We don’t WANT to charge you for parking! Read below for ways to save on parking. When you arrive, park temporarily in the front lot to check-in at the BOX OFFICE. Parking space is very limited. Please carpool, bike, take a bus, or apparate if you’re not a muggle. Each car on site requires a parking pass and RVs require an oversize parking pass.
Carpool to Sh’Bang and you get FREE PARKING! Scoop some people up (find rideshare folks in the community group): we will reimburse your parking pass in FULL if you meet Clown Car Criteria. The deal: 4 or more people in a vehicle, you get your parking pass refunded (an oversize vehicle will get $40 off of the Oversize Parking Pass). Bikes, Scooters, Motorcycles, Unicycles all park for FREE.
FOOD ~ FESTIVAL FEAST
Allow our kitchen to nourish you all weekend with mindfully sourced meat & garden-to-table produce. We prioritize local, in season, & organic options. We take care of our vegan/vegetarian friends just the same! With the Festival Meal Deal you get 7 meal vouchers. You may split these or share with friends and family as you wish. Team up!
- Meals will be plated on compostable service-ware. Please bring your own plates & cutlery to help reduce waste!
- Coffee & Tea will be available for purchase separately at the Info Booth.
- Meal times are 8:30-9:30am \ 1:30-2:30pm \ 6:30-7:30pm (Starting with Friday Dinner).
There will also be food vendors on site, so there will be no empty bellies!
CAMPING
Your Full Weekend Pass includes access to the designated fields and forests available for pitching your tent (you may also camp in your vehicle). Come prepared, but keep it simple! There may or may not be shade available, be ready for sun and rain. Say hello to your neighbors… love each other. There is only very limited electricity, ditch the electronics. Earplugs might be nice. For the safety of staff and attendees, you can only drive in and out from the back half of the festival grounds during limited times.
DRINKING WATER
There is filtered water available on site, but please bring some drinking water for your stay. We strive to be a low waste festival, help us out by coming prepared with reusable dishes, silverware, and water bottles.
NOISE LEVELS
Amplified music will be playing until about 2 or 3 am. If you need quiet in order to sleep, bring along some earplugs. There is forest camping all along our loop road for those seeking quieter camping spots.
SHARP ROCKS
It’s a rock quarry in the wetlands! There are sharp rocks and thorny bushes, be careful where you’re walking, especially around the water in your bare feet.
LEAVE AT HOME
- Dogs (and other animal friends)
- Sunscreen and Oils (biodegradable soaps only)
- Bug Spray
- Glass bottles or containers
- Illegal Substances
COVID SAFETY
There are currently no vaccine or Covid testing requirements for festival entry, performing or volunteering. We expect everyone who is in attendance to take into account the safety of the community, especially those who are vulnerable. If you have had any recent exposures to Covid we ask that you follow the current CDC guidelines.
Please click here for more details about Covid policy and keeping the community safe and healthy.