Last weekend, I had the chance to volunteer at Nelsonville Music Festival, or NMF, arguably one of southeast Ohio’s biggest events of the year. Known for attracting musical acts from the indie, folk and alternative scenes, this year’s festival included headliners Big Thief, Alex G, Kurt Vile and The Violators and Alvvays.
When I first heard about the headliners, I instantly knew I wanted to be at the festival, knowing that volunteering would be the most affordable option to see these critically-acclaimed acts. Yet, I didn’t realize how rewarding the experience would be as well, making the weekend one of my favorites of the summer.
Here’s five things I learned from volunteering at Nelsonville Music Festival:
You meet like-minded people
During my two volunteer shifts with the admissions team, I was instantly paired with about 10 other volunteers around my age. I was nervous at first, as none of my friends were volunteering or attending the festival, and I wasn’t sure if I would like working with a bunch of new faces. Yet, I was mistaken, meeting people who actually shared the same interests as me. I should’ve suspected that I would meet fellow music-lovers at this event, but it made me feel a lot better and more confident as my shifts went on. It also proved to me that you can truly connect with others when music is involved, which may sound cheesy, but ultimately impacted my experience in a positive way.
Volunteers are crucial to NMF’s success every year
Going in as a first-time volunteer, I wasn’t sure how I’d be viewed by concert-goers and staff, but I was touched to receive a vast amount of thank-yous for even just helping out with tickets and the lost and found. It made me realize that a lot of Nelsonville Music Festival would not be possible without the help of volunteers, nor would it be as successful. Additionally, the staff leaders I worked with were incredibly insightful, patient and kind, and they really made me feel like I belonged right when I entered the festival grounds.
Volunteering makes you want to keep doing it in the future
In high school, I spent a lot of my summers volunteering, but this got put on the back burner once I got to college. Working a job and an internship at the same time, I didn’t have time last summer to volunteer, and I knew I wanted to help out somewhere that I knew I’d align with. When I saw NMF was coming back to its normal July slate of dates, I instantly went to see if I could volunteer, which allowed me to sign up on their website months in advance.
Now through the volunteer experience, I now want to keep doing this in the future, whether it be for NMF or another music festival nearby. Helping out only ignited my love for serving others and raising awareness about the importance of the arts and music, and I cannot wait to be more involved in the future.
Opt-in for the camping experience
This year, I chose not to camp on-site at NMF since I wasn’t volunteering with anyone I knew, but I highly suggest you do so while helping out there. It’s way more convenient as it’s closer to the festival grounds. It’s also less dangerous, as I had to drive home in the dark both nights on roads that should’ve only been used as one-way streets. Likewise, you can also save money by parking your car for a few days and staying on-site, and you can spend on other things such as food and merchandise.
Take advantage of the musical acts
Even if you are volunteering during the festival’s biggest acts, you can still take advantage of hearing them live. For me, I was pretty close to the main stage, which allowed me to hear acts such as Kurt Vile and The Violators and Alex G without having to pay for a ticket. It was nice to be in my own space as they were playing, and I preferred that much more than being squeezed into a grassy pit. Basically, don’t look at your volunteer shifts as a setback, but as the perfect opportunity to take in your surroundings, and of course the music, for free.
