Folklore: Festival Stewarding:Best/ Worst Jobs?

Subject: Folklore: Festival Stewarding:Best/ Worst Jobs?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 09:09 AM

I've done Stewarding duties at many festivals over the years, some good experiences, some quite arduous.

Anyone with tales to tell?

Subject: RE: Folklore: Festival Stewarding:Best/ Worst Jobs
From: Mooh
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 09:20 AM

The garbage detail folks always seem to get the worst at our local festival, though the longest hours go to set-up, maintenance, and tear-down folks. The ADs may think they've got the worst job, I don't know. For years, I spent more than the average volunteer hours happily toiling away in the instrument lock-up. It was the coolest job, shelter from the elements, contact with performers, control freak status. Also volunteered as a musician since "locals" aren't paid. (There's a new thread if I ever smelled one.)

(Sour grapes alert) Increasingly however, it seems to me that unacknowledged contributions as a volunteer may be more an issue than which job is worst. Utterly thankless work.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Festival Stewarding:Best/ Worst Jobs?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 09:26 AM

'The garbage detail folks always seem to get the worst at our local festival,'

I'm surprised at that - my experience of litter picking has been one've the most pleasureable duties I've had.

Sauntering about the whole site, keeping it all tidy, & having opportunities to meet & socialise with lots've fellow campers

Subject: RE: Folklore: Festival Stewarding:Best/ Worst Jobs?
From: bubblyrat
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 09:54 AM

I don't really mind what I do,as I like to feel "part" of things !!Being on car-park duty in the wind and rain is not so much fun,but it beats being in the "Heavy Gang" ( putting things up and taking things down------I admire those guys/gals loads, but have no desire to join them ! ).I like selling tickets in the box-office,as at Sidmouth,as you can get all your required hours in before the festival even starts ( IF you do two shifts a day !! ).I am currently looking forward to doing (hopefully) campsite duties at Banbury,and will certainly volunteer for Alcester and others next year----it's kind of addictive !

Subject: RE: Folklore: Festival Stewarding:Best/ Worst Jobs?
From: GUEST,sarahnash
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 10:00 AM

For me, the worst experience would be doing exactly the same thing every shift - especially if it's either raining or there's very little to do.

My best stewarding experience has been on the Festival Dance House at Towersey last year - great venue, great team and busy enough that you're always occupied.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Festival Stewarding:Best/ Worst Jobs?
From: melodeonboy
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 10:08 AM

Best: Looking afer the artists' instrument store (Oxford 2006) and "guarding" the stage at the Bellowhead concert (Oxford 2008). I haven't had any bad ones.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Festival Stewarding:Best/ Worst Jobs
From: GUEST,towersey punter
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 02:53 PM

I always have a lot of respect for the 'Bog Squad'

Subject: RE: Folklore: Festival Stewarding:Best/ Worst Jobs?
From: Fran
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 03:14 PM

Best: Artists Reception at Banbury:-)

Worst, Stewards reception and ticket selling at Bed'uth, never ever again.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Festival Stewarding:Best/ Worst Jobs
From: Fidjit
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 03:24 PM

Ah! Just how are the jobs handed out?

Who gets the nice pickings and why ?

Because Andy let me sleep on his floor I helped set up Miskin and take it down afterwards because I volunteered for just that.
I enjoyed helping and being a part of it all. Sadly it was the last one.

Chas

Subject: RE: Folklore: Festival Stewarding:Best/ Worst Jobs?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 04:09 PM

Security can't be much fun unless you are a Wookey.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Festival Stewarding:Best/ Worst Jobs?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 05:13 PM

Best ever - Artist Liason at Saffron Walden - great job, meeting the guests, pandering to their every (and weirdest) whim including supplying cold tea, attempting to find another piano to replace the Steinway Grand considered 'unplayable' by one artist (he was right, he couldn't play it), loaning an occasional table, supplying pens, paper, asprin and sticky plasters....

Worst - standing on empty carpark duty without a walkie talkie radio, in blazing midday sunshine, for 4 hours without the opportunity for a break and no means to call up a stand-in so I could at least get myself a hat or a bottle of water. The migraine I got from that lasted for hours and I forgot how to walk.

LTS

Subject: RE: Folklore: Festival Stewarding:Best/ Worst Jobs
From: Mooh
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 12:05 AM

Mr. Happy...You make it sound wonderful. All I see our garbage detail doing (besides litter picking) is collecting full trash cans (we have on site food vendors), cleaning the johns, and the like. God bless them.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Festival Stewarding:Best/ Worst Jobs
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 02:44 AM

Worse job ever apparently happened during a garbage shift at one of our festivals. Hopefully it only happened once, but ...

Most bins at Oz are marked Recycling, Compost & Other, & most folks recycle, but some bins in camping areas are general bins, & some folks just leave stuff around, so the garbage volunteers have to sort things out.

One year a sentence appeared in a festival leaflet saying that porta-potties must be emptied in the loos, not in the bins.

sandra

Subject: RE: Folklore: Festival Stewarding:Best/ Worst Jobs?
From: mandotim
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 04:55 AM

Telling Van Morrison he can't come backstage at Glastonbury 'cos he doesn't have a pass...
Tim

Subject: RE: Folklore: Festival Stewarding:Best/ Worst Jobs?
From: folk1e
Date: 12 Sep 08 - 06:42 PM

I'm NOT telling you the best (at Fylde) It's MINE! ;-D
I can't think of any really bad ones but my mate Tony hated being in charge of camping at Clecky when we were ill one year!
Different strokes ....