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Rothbury Festival

GRDadof3

By GRDadof3
in Grand Rapids Coffee House

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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No kidding. These sustainability platitudes coming from some people are really annoying. This is by far the greatest effort towards sustainability at a festival that I have seen. Not to mention what an absolute good deal this thing is. It basically comes to $60 a day, or $50 if you buy early, and that includes camping. I still cannot believe the acts that they are getting to come to West Michigan. For the past two days I have had friends from all over the country telling me that they are going to go to this. This is the real deal(pun intended), especially considering that they have AEG behind it. I am in shock at our good fortune!
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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Someone needs to seek out a different type of fun!

Looking through my bookmarks and other special interest forums, I unearthed the Great Blue Heron Music Festival in upstate NY the same weekend. $70, camping, 24 bands, swimming, hiking, biking, music workshops, dance instruction, etc. (Food extra)

Evart Non-Electrified Funfest (mid-July): "Admission fee for the weekend is $3. That includes 220 workshops and 3 evening stage shows featuring big name dulcimer talent. Camping is $15 per night. Shower use is included and unlimited. Food is not included. Total cost for 3 days would be $48."

Blissfest, another folk music event "held near Harbor Springs MI July 11-13. Gate price for the weekend is $85. Member price is $59. Ticket prices don't include camping fees, which range from $16 (members) to $25 per night." (Food extra)

Wheatland runs two weekend folk events. The one over Memorial weekend is $75 adults, $20 ages 11-15, $5 ages 5-10, under 5 free. (Many kids activities and age-specific programming.) Camping, workshops, dance instruction and dances. Food extra ($1.50 for individual items to $5.00 and up for complete meals). Last year's newsletter and program description: http://www.wheatlandmusic.org/files/Winter...uarternotes.pdf

I am not finding pricing on their big weekend-after-Labor Day event, for which one must be a member and purchase advance tickets (and I have a long-standing cross-scheduled gig).

On the same weekend, in Maine, my national bicycle assn (I'm a life member, surprise!) holds its national rally. "Camping, food (including big breakfasts, picnic lunches and all-you-can-eat dinner), all rides (and maps), entertainment, and a bike rally T-shirt are included in the affordable, weekend price" of $70.

A week-long bicycle event in Iowa, "RAGBRAI cost covers a camping site each night (no extra charge for rain) and luggage transfer along the route. If you hunt for free music, there's usually some along the way. This is a week, not a weekend... $125." Food extra.

GOBA (Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure week-long ride) is $170. Camping, luggage transfer, paramedics, ride maps, loads of small-town activities, car parking fee. Food and T-shirts are extra.

PALM (Pedal Across Lower Michigan, week-long ride), $110. Includes overnight camping Saturday to Thursday, baggage transport, limited SAG service (bike repair or engine failure), T-shirt, commemorative patch, route map booklet with cue sheets, booklet describing each day's route and site. Meals extra.

Admittedly, these are not passive, spectator-type events spent watching someone else perform. (If I were spending $250 on a single weekend's worth of fun for myself, it had better include a plane ride.)

HTH

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GRGridGirl Hamlet

GRGridGirl

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Well 1/2 of those are great, if you like to bicycle. Plus, those folk fests like Blissfest (at least the one time we were near Blissfest while it was going on), didn't seem to have any big names on the docket. Personally I can only handle about an hour of folk music before I'm all folked out.

Still don't understand all the angst and hand-wringing about this though. It's a big event for a relatively small market like ours. Even if you don't like it or won't go, you could still say "wow, that's great". :dontknow:

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fotoman311 Burg

fotoman311

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Well 1/2 of those are great, if you like to bicycle. Plus, those folk fests like Blissfest (at least the one time we were near Blissfest while it was going on), didn't seem to have any big names on the docket. Personally I can only handle about an hour of folk music before I'm all folked out.

Still don't understand all the angst and hand-wringing about this though. It's a big event for a relatively small market like ours. Even if you don't like it or won't go, you could still say "wow, that's great". :dontknow:

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Montague Unincorporated Area

Montague

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What a difference a year makes...

http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2007/03/dn...r_dou.html#more

"State officials claim a portion of the grant, part of a Double JJ expansion project that created 107 jobs, was used to illegally fill two acres of wetlands..."

I'm not sure how this was resolved, but at the time it appeared that the owners were clearly in violation and trying to cut a deal with the state rather than reverse the damage they created.

From what I'm seeing on the festival website, either the owners have changed their attitude toward the environment considerably or they just see the green aspect as another way to make a buck. I won't speculate until I know more.

Why do I care? Well, I actually live about 7 miles west of the Double JJ. The area could really use the economic boost that this will provide. Oceana is a very poor county. If nothing else, there will be a few local jobs created and a lot of people will visit local businesses before and after the event. There is a good local grocery store in downtown Montague, a decent health food store just north of the grocery. And a great smokehouse/country store at the Fruitvale Rd exit. PM me for a list if you're going.

Can't understand the rules forbidding bicycles though. It's a great area for exploring by bike. And the Hart-Montague bike trail runs within a mile of the site.

Maybe for their own safety?

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  • 3 weeks later...
tnd_landscape_architect Crossroads

tnd_landscape_architect

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Does any realize what is going to descend (or ascend) depending on where they're coming from, to the Grand Rapids area the weekend of the 4th of July?...

I'm not sure even the promoters can imagine it and I'm positive that the local people arent going to know what has hit them but there are going to be 50,000 plus people coming from around the entire country, straight up 131 into downtown and beyond to the Double J Ranch for this Rothbury Festival...

http://www.rothburyfestival.com/

This is going to be an incredible opportunity to showcase all that Grand Rapids has to offer and West Michigan as a whole...

Done properly, people will recognize the amazing transformation of GR, see it's potential and potentially see it as a place to be reckoned with. Not just people but the national press is coming too...

If you've never heard of Bonnaroo, then trust me when I say that everyones world who is planning to go up north for the 4th of July will be ROCKED when they experience 8-10 hours of traffic just to get from Grand Rapids to Muskegon. As positive as this experience will be for businesses in west michigan it has the potential to be a traffic nightmare.

That doesnt phase me though, I'm definitely coming...all the way from NC. Trust me there WILL be representatives from ALL lower 48 states!...

The bands represent a scene called the JAM Band scene. They have a reputation as being hippies, but take my word when I say they will bring enormous buying power. In other words, they will be WELL funded and ready to spend it.

I for one cant wait to come back and see GR in its glorious summer beauty and take in GRAM, and all the other stuff going on...

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GR_Urbanist Burg

GR_Urbanist

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Will this honestly mean a thing for Grand Rapids?

Muskegon isnt exactly next door to us, and I cant imaging all of those people who are paying tons for these tickets, and the gas(ironic) to get here, are going to want to drop even more money in GR just because we happen to be on the way.

I doubt they will even honestly care about what is going on here anyway.

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tnd_landscape_architect Crossroads

tnd_landscape_architect

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Will this honestly mean a thing for Grand Rapids?

Muskegon isnt exactly next door to us, and I cant imaging all of those people who are paying tons for these tickets, and the gas(ironic) to get here, are going to want to drop even more money in GR just because we happen to be on the way.

I doubt they will even honestly care about what is going on here anyway.

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Sailor Whistle-Stop

Sailor

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As far as what this will mean for GR, I could see some people who were travelling a long ways possibly staying in GR on Wednesday night in preparation for going to the festival on Thursday. And some of the people who want to fly in for the weekend will probably fly into GRR. Otherwise, there will probably be a fair amount of extra traffic as well.

I think we'll just have to wait and see exactly what effect it has. It certainly is a lot of people.

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Montague Unincorporated Area

Montague

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OK, an insiders guide for you UP campers headed

to Rothbury in July.

Provisions:

Doug Born's Smokehouse is at the Fruitvale Rd, first

exit past Whitehall, then 1 block west of the exit. Great

microbrew selection, ice, the best homemade beef

jerky in West Mich and chicken/feta brats to die for.

Grill up a dozen of these up on the hibachi back at

the campground and you could trade them for any

substances you might require.

The only local health food store is about a mile south

of Doug Born's (on Oceana Drive) across from the

Wesco.

Just a block south of that is a LOCAL grocery store,

Montague Foods (with a great in-house butcher), that

deserves your business. And the only traditional Dog 'n

Suds drive-in I know of is a block to the left, just before

the bridge over White Lake.

Across the bridge and left is a 1940's style drugstore/

pharmacy called Pitkins. Beware of speed traps

everywhere.

To get to the Double JJ, go back across the bridge,

right on Old 31 to the stop sign at Doug Born's, then

straight north.

Old 31 becomes Oceana Drive and will take you to

the Rothbury traffic light (and a great old-style

hardware store). Left at the light and then a right

turn on Water St. is the locals way up to the Double JJ.

It should avoid all the backed up US31 traffic (unless

they close it off for the day).

Map here:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=43....p;z=12&pw=2

I'd even suggest a June trip to get to know the

area. It's all about 50 minutes from downtown GR.

A good Saturday morning farmers market across

from Montague Foods one block down Water St.

Lake Michigan beach access in Montague and

Stony Lake.

And that's how you can help our local economy

without any small town disappointments.

John (Montague local boy all summer long)

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  • 2 months later...
Veloise City

Veloise

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Saw this in today's classifieds. Hey, if you were balking at paying the admission fee, here's your chance to have them pay you for attending. (I'm sure that this would be an easy job with no pressure whatsoever.)

SPECIAL EVENT STAFF - for the Rothbury Festival to be held at the Double JJ Ranch & Golf Resort, Rothbury, Michigan. Day and Overnight positions available (July 2, 2008 - July 7, 2008). Download an application www.dksecurity. com; forward or fax to: Mary DeHerrera, DK Security & Investigations 5160 Falconview SE, Kentwood, MI 49512 616-656-4200 fax, 1-800-535-0646 telephone.

Published in The Grand Rapids Press.

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  • 2 weeks later...
GRGridGirl Hamlet

GRGridGirl

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Rothbury Festival: Free tickets for volunteers!

If you know someone that's willing to committ to volunteering for 4-6 shifts at the show, please let me know. I need contact information (name, phone number, email) to send to the coordinator for Global Inheritance. Volunteers get a free ticket to the entire show and free camping.

Thanks again,

Rachel Lee

616-901-2562

[email protected]

Here is info on the store:

"Born in 2004, the TRASHed :: Recycling Store is an interactive recycling center powered by motivated people who recycle their empty plastic bottles/cans collected on-site in exchange for cool merchandise.

Items are available to all event goers who recycle their bottles at the TRASHed :: Recycling Store. Based on the value of the merchandise, people will be able to purchase items that range in cost (number of bottles/cans). In the past, the TRASHed :: Recycling Store has given away everything from autographed Beastie Boys skateboard decks and Smith Sunglasses to import CDs and DJ kits.

TRASHed looks to partner with large events (Concerts, Sporting Events, Festivals, Fairs and Conventions) and develop Recycling Store experiences unique to the event's audience. The key to our success is outfitting the TRASHed :: Recycling Store is to offer merchandise that fits within the asthetic of the audience.

By offering an enjoyable recycling experience, these people will begin to understand the simplicity of recycling and how to play a part in solving the problem of excess waste."

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  • 3 weeks later...
Montague Unincorporated Area

Montague

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Posted

Time for a head count.

Is anyone on the board going to the show?

Anyone working at the show?

I've heard mixed things about how tickets

have been selling. Maybe they'll release

some 1 day passes at the last minute?

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