One thing that makes Hemlockfest unique is that it is a total volunteer effort. Literally, zero paid staff. The organizing team works for many months to plan the event – band lineup, logistics, sound production, promotion, permits, insurance, craft vendors, food and drink vendors, security, and on and on. Somehow, this group of amazing volunteers has made it happen for 17 years! (Want to get involved?) Many of our key planners have been involved for the entire run.
When festival time arrives, a second volunteer effort kicks in. During the week before, we roll into the venue with tents, tables and chairs, festival merchandise, and about a million signs. Did I mention trash and recycling stations, porta-johns, tiki torches, electricity, fire barrels and firewood? To get this done, we rely on a cast of over a hundred event volunteers.
When the festival was outside Dahlonega, we had a ready supply of college students from the University of North Georgia Dahlonega campus. Several UNG biology department faculty “incentivized” (coerced?) their students with carrots – points on the final exam, etc. Whatever works!
As we prepare for our first event at Cherokee Farms in LaFayette, we are hoping to draw volunteers from universities and colleges in the area, such as Berry College and Shorter College in Rome, Dalton State College, and the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. Because we will offer car camping and RV camping this year, we also hope to draw more volunteers from the festival-going community.
What do volunteers do? Well, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes to make the festival a great experience – setting up the venue, ticketing at the gate, helping at kid village, directing traffic, keeping the fire barrels going, trash and recycling collection, and many others. Afterwards, we pack everything up for next year. We work hard to make the volunteer experience enjoyable – you will be working for a great cause and will meet some great people. Also, the music is incredible!
Event volunteers will be eligible for a discounted ticket for the weekend. For more details, see the volunteer signup page. Please join us for a great cause – saving the Hemlocks!
