August Bluegrass News

Topic #1 - FESTIVAL CAMPING

For Hard Core Jamming (or people that like to watch the jamming)

For many years, folks have been telling us they want a campground where people can jam all day and all night. WELL, WE'VE FINALLY GOT THAT!! If your priority is jamming, then come on over to the Washoe Lake State Park, where we've reserved the Group Area. Here's the info on it:

• We have the Group Area reserved from Thursday thru Sunday.

• Like most campgrounds, when you arrive, you drive around and decide where you want to camp, then go back and pay your fees and put a little camping ticket on your dashboard.

• NNBA can't take your money or reserve spaces, but we can put your name on our list, and then give our list to the Ranger.

• Then, when you get there, just tell them you're on our list, and they'll point you towards the Group Area (we'll also have signs posted at the Campground Entrance).

• The Group Area is open 24 hours a day, and there is room for (no kidding) over a HUNDRED rigs! Cars, tents, trailers, giant RVs---all are welcome.

• The Group Area is all dry camping (water is available), but you can drive (or walk) over to the regular campground to use their (free) showers.

• Very little shade, so bring canopies if you have them.

• There's a nice Pavilion (shade!) in the Group Area where there's electricity (charge your devices!), lights, grills, lots of tables and restrooms. This Pavilion is also the place where we hold the Thursday events -- the Bluegrass Jam Camp and the Chuckwagon Supper.

• BEST OF ALL we'll be running a van shuttle from the campgrounds to the Festival Grounds. We'll run the shuttle during performance times only, 3 to 7pm on Friday and 9am to 7pm on Saturday.

  People that aren't camping can still drive (or walk) into the Group Area. There's LOTS of paved parking at the Pavilion in the Group Area. If there's a Ranger in the kiosk when you drive in, they'll probably ask you to pay a Day Use fee ($5, I think).

For Non-Jamming Campers

There are several options:

Davis Creek Campground

• They DO take reservations -- click here.

• They have NO hookups

• Bathrooms have showers (you need quarters)

• Only a few sites can accommodate "big rigs" (30ft+)

• Jamming is allowed only in individual campsites until 10pm

• It's 1.5 miles from the Festival Grounds (a little too far to walk, so we'll have a shuttle service during performance times, 3 to 7pm on Friday and 9 to 7pm on Saturday).

Washoe Lake State Park Regular Campground

• There are two loops in the Regular Campground

• ALL the sites in Loop A have hookups

• NONE of the sites in Loop B have hookups

• Bathrooms have showers

• Some sites have shade structures

• Easy walk from the Regular Campground to the Group Area

Last but not least -- CAMPING FEES

As mentioned, NNBA cannot take any money or reserve any camping sites. Davis Creek Campground takes reservations. All of the Washoe Lake Campground sites are first come-first serve.

Davis Creek Campground - All sites are $30

Washoe Lake State Park:

• In State Vehicles:

  • Dry Camping - $15

  • With hookups (Loop A) - $20

• Out of State Vehicles:

  • Dry Camping - $25

  • With hookups (Loop A) - $30

Map of Washoe Lake State Park

One More Map....

Yes, we have events happening at THREE different venues in the BEAUTIFUL Washoe Valley. There are so many things to do here -- wild horse watching, sand dunes, horseback riding (on tame horses :-), hiking, swimming...just to name a few.

The distances between the campgrounds and the Festival Main Stage aren't large, but we want your experience to be amazing, so we will have a van shuttle between the campgrounds and the Main Stage during the Performance times. The shuttle will have 3 stops -- Washoe Lake Group Campground, Bowers Main Stage and Davis Creek Campground. It will just run back and forth on this route during the Performance times, - Friday, 3 to 8pm and Saturday, 9am to 7pm. And we'll print a phone number in the program that you can call if you need the shuttle at a different time.

For those driving over from California, we have a couple optional events on Thursday, starting late afternoon. As you can see on the map, Thursday events take place at the Festival Camping Area at Washoe Lake State Park, including the Bluegrass Jam Camp - 1 to 4pm (details here) and the Chuckwagon Supper (details here if you're an NNBA member, or here if you're not a member). After you set up your campsite, relax, jam and get to know new people while enjoying some home cookin'!

And on Friday, in order to accommodate our Reno "homies" that have day jobs, the music performances start at 4pm. So that leaves more time for exploring ....and jamming!

Saturday, of course, is a full day -- starting at 9am -- at the Bowers Mansion Regionla Park, where our Main Stage is. Catch a shuttle if you're camping!

Finally, on Sunday, it's a tradition at this festival to have a Bluegrass Gospel Show at the Davis Creek Amphitheater at 10am. This show is free if you have a Festival Pass wristband. Others, we ask for a donation at the entry. Seating is limited to 75 folks at this intimate little campfire circle in the pines.

That's all for now! Send us any comments or questions that we haven't answered yet!