faqs
What do I do if I lost something?
For lost and found items during the festival, please stop by Security Headquarters on the right side of the large Blue Barn up the hill from the food vendors. If you are looking for something after the festival, all lost and found items will be relocated to the GrassRoots office that you can call at 607-387-5098.
MY TICKET DIDN'T COME IN THE MAIL. WHAT DO I DO?
NO TICKETS ARE BEING MAILED. When you ordered your ticket, a confirmation email was sent to the email address you entered. This confirms your order. You can either print your ticket to be scanned at the gate, or better yet, if you have one of them fancy smart phones, we can scan it from there. This is a great way to save paper, and you don't have to keep track of your paper ticket. We also are able to look up your order if you were unable to print it and can't access it from your phone.
what is the refund policy?
All ticket sales are final. We apologize for any inconvenience, but we are unable to provide refunds.
Can I sell my ticket?
Stuff happens. The resale of GrassRoots Festival tickets is allowed if you are unable to attend.
what are the box office hours?
Our Front Gate Box Office is located on Rt. 96 at the entrance to the festival and is here to ensure your smooth arrival to GrassRoots, however, it is not open 24/7 all weekend so please be sure to plan your first arrival within the times listed below to check in and receive your wristband, which will give you access to the festival all weekend. Once you are wearing your wristband you may come and go at any time throughout the weekend.
Thursday: 9 AM – Midnight
Friday: 9 AM – Midnight
Saturday: 9 AM – Midnight
Sunday: 9 AM – 7 PM
At our Across The Way Campgrounds our Box Office is open during the following times:
Wednesday: 9 AM - 8 PM
Thursday: 9 AM - 8 PM
Friday: 9 AM - 8 PM
Saturday: 9 AM - 8 PM
WHAT TIME DO THE GATES OPEN?
The Front Gate (main gate) is located on Rt. 96 at the entrance of the festival, and opens at 12 PM on Thursday. The Back Gate (vehicle camper gate) opens at 12 PM to Onsite Vehicle Campers only, and pedestrians may not enter the back gate until after 3 PM on Thursday.
Our Across The Way Campground opens to campers only beginning on Wednesday, July 16 at 9 AM.
Is there re-entry to the festival? Do gates close?
Of course! The Gates are open from the beginning of the festival through the end. You may come and go as you like, but please do not remove your wristband during the weekend as you must have it on to get back into the festival.
Which gate do I go to?
If you are camping, please visit the Camping page on our website to find out what gate to enter in through upon arrival. If you are not camping, please enter through the main Front Gate located on Rt 96.
is there handicap parking?
Yes, however, please note that handicap parking spaces on the festival site are extremely limited, and though we actively follow and exceed New York State guidelines for the number of handicapped spaces to provide for a festival of our size, we cannot guarantee an on-site handicapped parking space for anyone. These spaces are first-come, first-serve.
We strongly encourage you to park your car at our Across the Way parking area located at 8669 Falls Rd, Trumansburg, NY (there will be spaces reserved at the front of the lot), and ride our complimentary shuttle to and from the Front Gate. There is an accessible shuttle during peak hours on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday when on-site handicap parking is likely to be full.
If you need to have your car near you, are planning to stay for the whole weekend, and sleeping over: you must purchase vehicle camping.
If you need to have your car close to you for medical reasons, please come to the Front Gate and explain to the volunteer who greets your car that you need to be near your car and they will show you where to park inside the front gate. However, there is extremely limited space here and can fill up.
If you are not able to park at Across The Way because it is outside of shuttle hours, but don't necessarily need your car near you, come to the Back Gate and you will be shown to a parking space near the back gate. You are more likely to find an available handicapped parking space entering the Back Gate than the Front.
GADABOUT Transportation Services will be providing a FREE shuttle service from Across the Way on Falls Road to the Festival Site during peak hours Thursday, Friday, and Saturday hours for those with accessibility needs.
Can I bring A POP UP TENT, SUNSHADE OR LAWN CHAIR?
Yes - sunshades and lawn chairs are welcome to provide respite from the hot summer sun, however, they must be in accordance with our policies below. In consideration of our collective health and safety and site constraints, the Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival allows the use of sunshades and lawn chairs in accordance with the following rules:
SUNSHADES / POP UP TENTS
Sunshades may not be larger than 10 feet x 10 feet.
Sunshades must be securely staked down.
Sunshades may only be set up in the following areas:
Infield Stage lawn - only within the designated Sunshade Areas, located behind the sound booth.
Front Gate triangle lawn - between the Information Booth and the Bar and Merch Tents.
Dance Tent southwest lawn - sloping downhill towards the vendors, must be more than 10’ beyond the edge of the Dance Tent.
Sunshades may not be set up in any other public areas.
Sunshades must be taken down each day by 8 PM, and stored elsewhere. After 8 PM they may be removed from the festival, stored at a campsite, or they may be stored at your own risk and discretion in the Sunshade Corral, a designated area located to the right of the Infield Stage when looking at the stage from the audience.
We recommend affixing a sticker with your name and phone number to your sunshade so that we may contact you in the event your shade needs to be moved.
Sunshades left up after 8 PM or put up in undesignated areas will be removed by festival staff.
As always, please leave any area as clean, or cleaner than when you arrived.
LAWN CHAIRS
Lawn Chairs at the Infield Stage may only be set up within the designated Lawn Chair Areas on either side of the sound booths.
Lawn Chairs under the Dance Tent may only be set up on the grass (no chairs on the wooden floor), and not in any of the marked walkway egress areas.
Please do not tie your lawn chairs together, or to anything else, as this can create a tripping hazard.
ARE there medical personnel at the festival?
Yes, we have a great, longstanding medical team situated near the Front Gate at the EMS Tent with a full time, professional staff of trained medical personnel to provide first response On Site. In addition there is an EMS tent at the Across the Way Campground located in the Community Circle area. The EMS staff does NOT dispense medication of any kind, so please be sure to bring those items with you. If you have insulin or any other medication that needs refrigeration or storage, bring it to them as soon as you arrive, and they will happily store it for you. They can also provide power for things like nebulizer treatments; again, check in upon arrival and introduce yourself.
What do I do if I get separated from my child?
Lost and found children are taken to the Emergency Medical Services tent located near the Front Gate (if you're walking in the front gate, turn left, and you'll find it there). We provide younger children with a paper arm band and ask parents to write their cell phone number on this band, so if we find your little one, we can easily get in touch with you. It's also a good idea to show your kids where the EMS tent is located, and perhaps point out the fact that the paramedics and EMTs are wearing a special color shirt as are the security guards, so if they get lost, finding one of those people will be safe and easy.
is there an atm at the festival?
There are, indeed! Multiple ATMs are located near the Front Gate and Blue Barn.
Are food and beverages sold at the festival?
Yes, there is a wonderfully diverse array of food vendors on-site with a variety of menu options to appease any dietary preferences or restrictions. There are also two beer & wine gardens throughout the festival. If you're 21 or over, it's a great place to relax and have a drink!
Can i take public transportation to the festival?
Yes! Our award winning local bus service TCAT drops off at the Fairgrounds where the festival is held via their Route 21, and their full Bus Schedule can be found here. On top of their regularly scheduled service, additional rides are available on Saturday & Sunday of the festival so check the schedule close to the event for updated rides.
Are there grocery stores near the festival?
Yes! There is a general grocery store (Shur Save) directly across the street from the festival, as well as a small natural foods grocery & deli (Main Street Market) a mile down the road in beautiful downtown Trumansburg. There is also a pharmacy (Kinney Drugs) next to the fairgrounds which carries convenience items as well as a service station (Byrne Dairy) right beside the festival site.
Can I bring my own cooler with food & drink?
Yes! You can bring your cooler onto either the Festival Site or the Across the Way areas. Coolers are checked at festival gates, and please, remember we ask that you do not bring anything in a glass bottle.
Can I bring my own ALCOHOL?
Yes - those 21 years of age and older may bring in your own beer, wine or cider into the festival, but please nothing in glass bottles. That being said, however, we do have two great Bar Areas On Site (Infield & Dance Tent) where beer, wine, cider & more are available for purchase from local celebrated breweries, wineries and cideries including Liquid State Brewing, Summerhill Brewing, Lake Drum Brewing, Damiani Vineyards and South Hill Cider.
Please note that personal alcohol may not be brought into GrassRoots Bar Areas.
Can I have glass bottles at the festival?
GLASS BOTTLES ARE NOT ALLOWED ANYWHERE INSIDE THE FESTIVAL GROUNDS, and coolers will be searched at the Front Gate. Barefoot children are often the victims of broken glass cuts, so let's all work together to keep the festival clean and safe for all.
what is the pet policy?
PETS ARE NOT ALLOWED AT GRASSROOTS FESTIVAL. Dogs, cats, ferrets, parrots, snakes or pets of any kind are not allowed anywhere On-site or at Across the Way. Only registered service dogs may be allowed, and a service animal is defined as a dog trained to perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including physical, sensory, psychiatric, or other mental disabilities. Thank you for respecting this policy.
Will camping sell out?
All camping is sold in advance of the festival, and usually sells out. So if you know you’re coming we highly recommend purchasing your camping as soon as possible. Check the Camping page on our website to see the status of available camping.
Are there hotels in Trumansburg?
While Trumansburg is home to many beautiful Bed and Breakfasts, there are no hotels. The closest hotels are in Ithaca (10 miles South of Trumansburg) - make reservations early!
What sort of facilities does the festival have?
All camping is primitive. There are no electric or water hookups, however there are rustic showers both On-site and Across the Way. There are also portable toilets both On-site and Across the Way as well as drinking water spigots throughout both areas as well.
How is cell service? will i be able to CHARGE MY PHONE?
Your cell phone should work just fine at the festival, and yes, thanks to the support of Renovus Solar, we offer a solar-powered charging station for cell phones and other gadgetry. You can find it on the track between the Grandstand Stage and the Infield Stage.
Can I take photographs or video at the festival?
Amateur photography is always welcome, and if you happen to get any great snapshots, we'd love to have you send us a copy! Videotaping your family and friends is also okay, however, any videotaping of bands must be strictly for home or personal use and may NOT be sold or broadcast for any reason without the explicit permission of both the festival and the artist. Audio-taping is allowed by the festival, but permission needs to be maintained by each individual band. Sound board patches may not be made available at all shows. A soundboard patch is available at the discretion of the GrassRoots staff and the performing artist. Plan on providing your own power. Come prepared.
I have an urgent question or concern. Who do I call?
Before the festival begins, you may call the main office at (607) 387-5098 Monday through Friday 9 AM to 5 PM, however, during the festival, the office is closed. There is no phone number to call on the festival site. All issues must be dealt with at the front gate (box office window) when you arrive, or they must wait until after the festival. If you have a ticket issue, most likely it can be dealt with at the gate. If you have an emergency, please dial 911.