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INFIELD ACCESS – 2023 POLICY

INFIELD ACCESS - 2023 POLICY

Dear Winthrop Family,

We want to share with you some changes we are making at the Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival for 2023.  In response to the modern festival and insurance practices, we are working with security consultants and upgrading our festival security to provide maximum safety and support for our audience, volunteers, staff and artists.

This security upgrade will be apparent to you mostly in a more controlled access to the mainstage audience area we refer to as “the infield.”  We are going to add more security staff, implement a security inspection of bags and coolers for entry and allow the vendors to load in exclusively in their areas on Thursday.

The camping and parking areas will open to our festival family at noon on Thursday, just like always.

Here is what the new procedures will look like:

  • Thursday the infield will be closed to audience members to allow the vendors to load in as well as the setup of our new stage. (That’s right, NEW stage! Sadly we are retiring our beloved 30-year old wood stage. We are really excited to showcase our performances on a Stageline SL260 stage that offers plenty of headroom for wind ratings.)
  • The food area located by the south entrance gate will be open from 4PM to 10PM.  Come by and try out the new food vendors for 2023!
  • Thursday, entry cards with numbers will be handed out at the south infield entrance for your place in line to enter the infield on Friday morning at 10AM.  We know many of us come early Thursday to place our chairs in our favorite locations so we will honor that by giving you a number on Thursday for a great place in line to bring your chairs and coolers into the infield Friday morning.  A reminder: all bags and coolers will be inspected — no glass or booze.  Check the FAQs HERE for complete guidelines.
  • Friday, 6AM to 10AM- the food vendor area located by the south entrance gate will be open for you to grab some coffee.
  • Friday, 10AM the south entrance to the infield will open to festival goers.  Those with numbered cards will be let in first in order of the numbers they are holding.  Don’t forget to bring that card!
  • Friday at noon the north entrance will open to festival goers.
  • Each night from 2AM the infield entrances will be closed.  The following morning, the south entrance will be open at 6AM and the north entrance will open at 10AM.
  • Bag and Cooler inspection will be in place at all times when each infield entrance is open.
  • Low-profile chairs no taller than 26” measured to the top of the backrest are preferred and will have a designated seating area. Higher chairs for those that can’t sit in a lower chair will have a separate, marked off spot near the back of the infield so as to not interfere with viewing of other patrons.

Yes, it is a bunch to remember.  We will have signs up to remind us all how it works.  We look forward to sharing with you the best music and safest festival ever!  Thanks for being our kin in rhythm and blues and so much more.

See you there!

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2020 Best Festival
Washington Blues Society

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2015 Keeping The Blues Alive Recipient
The Blues Foundation

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2022 Grand Summit Award
Washington Festival & Events Association

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Proud Member
Washington Festival & Events Association

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