Frequently Asked Questions
What are the festival dates for this year?
This year’s festival will be September 16, 17, & 18, 2011. Our festival is held the second weekend after Labor Day each year.
Where is the festival held? The festival takes place at various venues in Fort Tuthill County Park, located off exit 337
(the same exit that you take for the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport) on Interstate
17 south of Flagstaff. The main stage is in the Pepsi Amphitheater at Fort Tuthil.
Where is the Pepsi Amphitheater at Ft. Tuthill County Park located? The Amphitheater (formerly called Pine Mountain Amphitheater) is located off exit 337
(the same exit that you take for the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport) on Interstate
17 south of Flagstaff. The Amphitheater is inside of Fort Tuthill County Park. The park entrance is on Route
89A, just west and north of the interstate overpass. Look for signs that say
"Bluegrass Festival This Weekend" to direct you. Once you reach the
fairgrounds, there is additional signage.
Is there a map of the area where the festival is held? Yes, we have a map of the fairgrounds that locates the campgrounds, the venues, roads, foot trails, restrooms, parking, first aid and more on the Venue Information page of our website.
Can I enter and leave the festival throughout the day? When you arrive at the festival, we’ll exchange your ticket for a wristband which allows you to enter and exit the festival grounds throughout the weekend.
How can I find out which bands are playing? Bands are listed on our lineup page.
What time is my favorite band playing? The schedule is posted on the schedule page.
What are the festival hours? Friday schedule runs 10:30 am to 7 pm. Saturday hours are 10 am to 9 pm, and Sunday hours are 10 am to 5 pm. Times are subject to change, so check back before the festival for the exact times. Visit the schedule page for exact times.
How can I receive information about Pickin’ in the Pines by e-mail? On our home page there is a form for signing up to receive e-mails from Pickin' in the Pines. We send out messages occasionally, when we have important announcements to make, but we don't share our list! You can also follow Pickin' in the Pines on Facebook and Twitter.
How can I be a vendor at the festival? Please visit our vendor page.
How can I volunteer at the festival? Pickin' in the Pines runs on volunteer energy! Please visit our volunteer page to get information about how to volunteer at our 2011 festival.
How can my business become a sponsor of the festival? Visit our Sponsorship page for information about how to become a sponsor of the festival.
How far is the amphitheater from the camping area? The camping area is approximately 1/4 mile from the camping areas. A shuttle runs regularly between camping and the amphitheater during the festival weekend.
Is there transportation around the festival grounds? A shuttle usually runs regularly between the camping area and amphitheater during the festival weekend. Information will be confirmed and posted here when it's available.
What’s available for kids to do at the festival? There's so much for kids to do during the festival weekend! Aarts and crafts, bubbles, dancing, snacks and so much more. Kids are admitted free with their grownups!
What’s the schedule for workshops? The workshop schedule will be posted shortly before the festival on the schedule page.
Tickets
Where can I get tickets for the festival? Tickets can be purchased online through Paypal. Other ticket outlets will be announced as they become available.
What can I do about a problem with my ticket order? Please e-mail us at PIPINFO@pickininthepines.org if you have trouble with your ticket order, or phone our message line: 928-525-1695. Someone will get in touch with you right away.
The address on my Paypal account is wrong. How can I get my tickets, if they were sent to the wrong address? All Paypal ticket purchased through our website will be held at Will Call. Please bring your Paypal receipt and proper identification to the Will Call table located at the entrance of the Pepsi Amphitheater.
Why haven’t I received my tickets for the festival? All Paypal ticket purchased through our website will be held at Will Call. Please bring your Paypal receipt and proper identification to the Will Call table located at the entrance of the Pepsi Amphitheater. Mail order tickets will be sent prior to August 30, 2011. Please contact us if you haven't received your tickets purchased with a mail order form.
How long will the "early bird" tickets be on sale? Early bird weekend passes are on sale now and will be available until June 30, 2011.
Venue
May I bring my own food into the Pepsi Amphitheater at Ft. Tuthill County Park? Vendors will offer a wide range of foods from barbecue tri-tip beef sandwiches to vegetarian selections, plus kettle popcorn and roasted nuts. You may bring food for your own consumption into the amphitheater area. The amphitheater restricts the amount of food to a one-gallon bag per person. Only soft-sided coolers up to 10" x 10" x 12" may be brought into the venue.
May I bring my own drinks into the Pepsi Amphitheater at Ft. Tuthill County Park? You may bring your own water in factory-sealed containers only There are drinking fountains inside the amphitheater, so to cut down on waste, we encourage you to bring an empty water bottle with you to the venue, and fill it from the drinking fountain. If you bring liquids in re-useable containers, you will be asked to empty them before entering the festival grounds. A variety of beer, soda and wine will also be for sale.
May I bring my pet to the festival? No pets are allowed inside the Amphitheater at Ft. Tuthill County Park.
May I bring my own chair to the festival? You may bring your own lawn chair to the festival. There is also a large area in front of the stage where you may use the provided folding chairs, or set up your own lawn chair, or you may place your own low-profile chair on the lawn. Please be considerate and not block others’ views of the stage. If you leave your seats unattended, they are available for others to sit in until you return.
Booking and Band Contest
How can I get my band booked to play at the festival? The festival is fully booked for 2011, but you can still enter the Band Contest.
How can I play a “tweener” set at the festival? Please visit our booking page to learn how to get your band considered for a tweener set at the festival.
How can we enter the band contest? Visit the band contest page for information about how to enter the band contest.
Camping
What are my camping options? Camping options have changed from previous years. For up to the minute information, please visit our camping page.
Are vehicles allowed in the tent campground? Yes.
Are there shower facilities at the campground? There are no onsite showers, but there are several places in Flagstaff where you can shower for a small fee. Follow this link to a map that locates these businesses.
Is there RV camping? Please visit our camping page to learn more about RV camping options.
Are fires allowed at the campground? Campfires are okay, barring any fire restrictions. If there are fire restrictions, you will be notified upon check-in. Campfire rings are available and you may choose to bring your own above-ground fireplace. Campfires must NOT be left unattended. Make sure yours is out before leaving the campground or retiring for the evening.
Contra Dance Events
Why are there no contra dances this year? While this was a difficult decision to make, the venue used in 2010 for the evening dances, Ashurst Hall on the NAU campus, was not available to us this year. We searched for other acceptable venues around town, but could not find one that would be suitable for a quality dance for a large crowd.
Will there be contra dance events in future years? Before 2010, we held held Pickin' in the Pines dance events on a makeshift floor in the Commercial Building, with difficult acoustics and a less-than aesthetically pleasing space. After the huge improvements that we made last year, the dance organizers felt it would be better not to have a dance at all this year, instead of taking a major step back by trying to host the dance in the Commercial Building. This is not to say that dancing will not be a part of Pickin' in the Pines in future years. We already have reserved Ashurst Hall for next year and will, once again, have a major dance presence in 2012.
If you didn't get your question answered, please e-mail us at PIPINFO@Pickininthepines.org or call our message line: 928-525-1695.
Presented by Flagstaff Friends of
Traditional Music Contact us at
(928) 525-1695
or PIPinfo@pickininthepines.org