volunteer
SUPPORTING GRASSROOTS WHILE BUILDING YOUR FESTIVAL FAMILY!
HERE’S WHAT VOLUNTEERS HAVE TO SAY…
“GrassRoots always provides me with the gift of sheer bliss and perpetual hope that I take with me and share after I leave. I volunteer simply because I want others to have those same experiences that I have had over the years and that cannot happen without the volunteers.” - Becky
“When you volunteer at GrassRoots you not only enrich your life but you also get to form a new family. Volunteering makes you see the bigger picture on what it really takes to put on a music festival. So please volunteer and leave your worries at the road!” - Todd
“Volunteering for GrassRoots was one of the best things I ever did for myself and my music community. Helping to create a big, good thing rewards us with a feeling of accomplishment that lets us know we are each a part of a community that can do HUGE things. Anyone who contributes to that is a hero in my book.” - Chris
GrassRoots operations rely on the effort of over 1,300 volunteers. We are volunteer run, and we have been since the beginning. There are many crews to choose from! Throughout the days leading up to, during, and following a festival, dedicated volunteers contribute their time and energy to bring the beauty that is Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival to life, and safely pack it way for the next time. In return for their time and service, volunteers earn their tickets to the festival itself. Earn a weekend pass or a day pass!
Want to earn some extras? Ask us about being a Super Volunteer!
New in 2023 - Group Volunteering! Groups of 3 or more who volunteer for the Green Team work 2 shifts instead of 3 to earn a weekend pass! Email volunteers@grassrootsfest.org to get signed up as a team!
Join our Finger Lakes GrassRoots Volunteer Family today and get involved simply by clicking the link below to sign up. Once submitted, our volunteer coordinator will review and follow up. Sign up is on a first come first serve basis and early signups receive first choice of preferred shifts.
Have questions about volunteering? Please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing volunteers@grassrootsfest.org.
While Festival is Happening
Scheduled Volunteers
When you get to the festival you DO have to pay for parking and camping, if you plan to camp.
Volunteer check-in is at the main gate.
Be sure to find out where to meet your crew if you don’t know, and double-check your shift times.
Please read the information below about volunteering:
There will be very limited at-festival volunteer sign-ups – sign up ahead of time and get your choice of crew and shift.
If you are 17 or under you must check in with a parent or guardian, who will need to sign a parental consent form.
During the festival: you may not alter your assigned shift.
If at any point you are told you are not needed for your shift, report to the volunteer check-in to get another assignment.
Parents volunteering, please find someone to watch your young children while on shift; it’s difficult to volunteer and look after kids at the same time.
No pets allowed.
Quick Facts
12 hours of volunteering during the festival = 4 Day Pass.
14 hours of volunteering before or after the festival = 4 Day Pass.
4 hours of volunteering during the festival = 1 Day Pass (you must work on the day you plan to attend the festival!)
If you have completed the Volunteer Application but have not heard from the Volunteer Coordinator, please go to the volunteer check in to get your assignment.
Consumption, or being under the influence of alcohol is prohibited during volunteer shifts. Violation of this policy will result in immediate removal from volunteering for the weekend and render one ineligible to volunteer at future Festivals or events.
Parental Consent Forms
Anyone under the age of 18 wishing to volunteer must have their parent or legal guardian complete the parental consent form below:
Please contact us with questions.
The GrassRoots Festival is a non-profit organization, which raises money for arts, education, and other area non-profits. It is the intent of the organization to create a free, relaxed and open community during the event. It does this by operating almost completely through the effort of over 500 volunteers! However, if even one volunteer does not show up to one of their shifts, it effects the efficiency of the entire festival operations and, in order to compensate for that vacancy, a great deal of extra work by others is necessary, which the deposit does not actually cover. A deposit communicates the festival’s need for you to keep your commitment, and if necessary, allows a volunteer to take some responsibility for not having done so. Please, fulfill your obligation, not to get your deposit back, but to contribute to the amazing, self-run city that we all create each year! In the spirit of the GrassRoots Festival community – fulfill your shifts.
Thank you for Volunteering! We couldn’t do it without you!
