What to Expect
**NOTICE: Everything on this page was written by Linda Kerr, and as such, is copyrighted. If you'd like to use any part of this page for your own festival or event, please request permission first, AND give credit and a link back.**
© 2020 Linda Kerr
Because there is limited parking space at Roxanna, we have an overflow parking two miles away. Extra vehicles and trailers must be parked there.
REMEMBER: PLEASE PRE-REGISTER!! Directions will only be sent to those who pre-register. You may pay at the gate, but please let us know you'll be there. Also, we need to know how many to plan for, so we can have enough portapotties.
Note: The info below is what I email or mail to people who have registered for Moondance. It will tell you more about what to expect when you arrive, what to bring for potluck, and give you some guidelines. Please read the entire thing very carefully. Be sure to also read the info in the Event Policies!
Work Days
Festival Schedule
Arrival & Check-In Procedures
Parking, Camping, RV Info
Trash/Leave No Trace
Meals, Water, Showers, Pot-Luck Info
Fires, Fire Safety, Firewood
Policy on Animals
Info About the Site
Safety, Security
Volunteering
Other Stuff
Moondance Early-Set Up Rules for Last Work Day: You may NOT set up or rope off a camp for Moondance at any time prior to this date. Helpers: If you are able to help out at any of the work days, you can set up your camp early on the last work day for Moondance, free of charge, and you get first dibs on spots.
Non-Helpers: If you have not been able to help at a work day, you may still set up on the last work day, but only after helpers have set up, and will be charged $35 per camp area/group, payable by or on the last work day. "Help" is defined as having spent AT LEAST two hours working at requested site- wide tasks, including raking, mowing, picking up trash, doing repairs, chopping trees, etc. It does NOT include cleaning up your own personal camp space that will only benefit you. Camping Fee: If you'd like to camp at Roxanna between the last work day and the first day of Moondance, the charge is $10/person/night, in addition to any early set-up fee. All camp areas must be approved by Linda before setting up/roping off!
Thursday: The site opens Thursday at noon Central Daylight Time. Come in, register, set up your camp, and meet folks. All cars must be moved to the parking area after unloading. Be sure to read the Schedule & Info Booklet you will be given at check-in! This will have the schedule, last-minute changes to site rules, and important emergency information. We'll have a Trade Blanket Thursday evening, so bring something to trade!
Friday: Again, for all Friday arrivals, all cars must be moved to the parking area after unloading. Classes will begin Friday afternoon; there will be an opening ritual that evening, followed by a drum circle.
Saturday:Classes and workshops continue. If you are staying off-site, plan to arrive by 9:00 a.m. each day to avoid missing classes. There is a POT-LUCK feast Saturday evening; see "meals" below for info. That evening we'll have the main ritual. We'll top off the day with music, drumming, and general revelry.
Sunday:Classes and workshops continue. If you are staying off-site, plan to arrive by 9:00 a.m. each day to avoid missing classes. We'll close the festival on Sunday late afternoon with a Giveaway. Bring an offering for this; it should be something inexpensive, but relatively nice: something you wouldn't mind receiving. No one will go away empty-handed.
Monday: The festival ends Monday at 12:00 noon CDT. All people must be off-site by 3:00 pm on Monday!!! We'll need people to help clean up, starting early that morning.
Registration Hours: Check-in will be in front of the building. Hours will be Thursday noon till 11 pm, and Friday and Saturday 9 am till 11 pm, and on Sunday 9 am till 6 pm. Please try to time your arrival during these times.
No Early Arrivals: Please plan to arrive no earlier than *Thursday* at noon or later. The gate will be locked prior to noon on Thursday; no one will be on-site to let you in if you arrive before then (SEE ABOVE FOR EARLY SET-UP).
Parking Areas: When you arrive, please drive to the camping area, unload, then park your car. The camping areas are not big enough to hold more than two cars at a time; please don't inconvenience our other guests. If you are camping IN your vehicle, talk to us first about where to park and set up. Please park only in the designated areas. Parking at Roxanna is to the left of the roadway, as you come up the hill and before you get to the top of the hill. Lock your valuables in your car; we cannot be responsible for losses.
OVERFLOW PARKING: With potentially 100 people, parking will be tight. PLEASE CARPOOL! If you are with a group with more than one vehicle, or don't mind being shuttled, please plan to park at Kerr Farms (2.5 miles away) after unloading. Also, all towed trailers, unless they are your sleeping quarters, should be parked at Kerr Farms.
Due to safety concerns, NO CARS ARE ALLOWED AT THE TOP OF THE HILL AFTER DARK, especially Saturday night. This doesn't just mean no cars are allowed to stay at the top of the hill very long after dark - it means NO CARS ARE ALLOWED TO DRIVE IN PAST THE PARKING AREAS AFTER DARK.
CAMPING: Most places at Roxanna are fair game for camping. Exceptions are the parking areas and the rocks, and the common areas at the top of the hill. If you have a large tent (bigger than 12x12), you should plan to arrive early on Thursday (or the weekend before for last Work Day) to find a suitable camp site, as most camp sites are fairly small. The central area at the top of the hill is RESERVED FOR VENDORS. I cannot reserve any spots for anyone other than vendors. If you want to reserve a prime spot, please make plans to attend one of our upcoming work days (SEE ABOVE).
Currently there really is no room for large campers or RVs at Roxanna. Unless you have a tiny camper or a pop-up, I'd suggest you not risk even trying to drive a large RV up the hill. Seriously, it won't even fit through the gate.
Take Home Your Own Trash: We follow a Leave-No-Trace (LNT) ethic for Moondance. This essentially means that YOU are responsible for removing any and all trash that you bring or generate while there (right, that means no trash trolls driving around in their truck to pick up your trash). There are no dumpsters nearby or on-site; you will need to take all your trash home with you when you leave. DO NOT LEAVE BAGS OF TRASH ANYWHERE WHEN YOU LEAVE!! If you are caught leaving trash behind when you leave the site to go home, you will NOT BE INVITED BACK! Also, please DO NOT toss cigarette butts OR bottle caps on the ground or in the main fire! Anyone caught doing so will be placed on cigarette butt/bottle cap duty, OR will not be invited back again. Take your pick.
LNT: If you'd like to read up on LNT, here are some good LNT principles & ideas as they apply to Burning Man specifically: http://www.burningman.co m/environment/resources/lnt.html. Prepare ahead of time; remove all excess packaging from things, bring things in large containers rather than several small ones, prepackage your food before you leave home, plan to recycle some of your trash (glass, cans) later, check your camp and surrounding areas for MOOP (Matter Out of Place) very carefully before you leave.
Potluck: We will have a potluck dinner on Saturday evening. Please bring a dish to share. If your last name starts with: A-D, bring desserts; E-M, bring meat dishes; N-T, bring veggie dishes; or U-Z, bring appetizers, salads, cheeses, or breads. This is a guideline; if you'd rather bring something else, just let me know. Please label your dish with all ingredients on an index card so allergies, etc. can be avoided! In addition to your food contribution, bring feast gear plate, bowl, cup, and utensils. You'll also need beverages. Bring a chair and/or blanket or cushion to sit on at feast. PLEASE PUT AWAY YOUR FOOD IMMEDIATELY IN YOUR CAMP AFTER THE POTLUCK!! If you could, please reply back to let me know what you plan to bring, so I can kind of keep a running tally.
Meals: All other meals are provide-your-own (we will have a food vendor!); you'll need to bring food and cookware, and grill or campstove. Bring a cooler for your food.
Water/Showers: Roxanna has amazing and *hot* showers. There is a spigot there so you can refill your water cans, and a sink for dishwashing, and a cold-water sink and spigot at the top of the hill. Please bring your own water cans. Use the water sparingly - the well WILL run dry!
Camp Fires: You can build campfires in several places at Roxanna (but not on the rocks!), but in grassy, mowable areas, all campfires must be contained and off the ground in some manner: rocks, charcoal, bottle caps, and other trash tends to get left behind; these items can damage the mower blades ($$$ to repair), and injure or even kill the mower operator!
Firewood: Any firewood stacked at the main fire is FOR the main fire. If you plan to have a fire at your campsite, PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN FIREWOOD! You may also pick up downed wood on-site, which will be mostly pine.
THERE IS A HARD LIMIT OF 10 DOGS ALLOWED AT MOONDANCE. In order to
be approved to attend, your dog must be pre-registered and
pre-paid. Please see the full Pet Policy.
Pets and service animals are allowed, but must have proof of all current vaccines (bring paper
from your vet). Animals (especially dogs, and including service animals) must be well-behaved,
quiet, and under physical control at all times (this means leashed or crated, not running loose or
under verbal command). You must clean up after your dog, so that "doggie bombs" are not left
behind for others to step in. The fee for dogs is $35; service animals are always free, but must
meet above guidelines. I reserve the right to refuse admission to any animal at any time for any
reason, and to ask any animal to be removed from the site without refund for any reason.
Moondance is held at Roxanna, which is PRIVATE PROPERTY. Please respect any and all rules put forth by the owners. Roxanna is NOT open to the public in any way, form or fashion. When you pay your registration fee for Moondance, that particular weekend is the ONLY time you are paying for. Payment for and attendance at this festival does NOT provide you access to Roxanna at any other time, or for any other reason.
While you are at Moondance, we ask that you help maintain the harmony and beauty of the land. Please don't litter or pollute the area in any way, and clean up after yourself, especially when you pack to go home. Check your campsite and the top of the hill for forgotten belongings. DO NOT drop cigarette butts on the ground!
The rocks here support a very fragile eco-system. Please respect this by not driving on them, and by stepping lightly, if at all, on the lichens and other plants on the rocks. Please don't carry glass onto the rocks; there's enough there already! Do not cross the barbed wire fences these are the property boundaries. Be careful walking barefoot - there's glass on the rocks, briars on the roads, and prickly pear everywhere.
Be Nice! These festivals are an attempt to build community; please treat the other festival-goers with respect. If you get drunk and turn into an asshat, we will ask you to leave the site without refund, in the care of a friendly police officer if need be. Also, remember that this is a clothing-optional festival - consider this if you are bringing kids or new friends, so they aren't shocked. And finally, women who choose to go topless are not automatically giving you permission to stare excessively, make lewd remarks, or (especially!) to touch them. Anything like this will get you removed immediately from the site.
Getting Help: Festival headquarters is at the pavilion. There are several people on-site who have cell phones in case of an emergency.
Other Legal Stuff: Please be careful about whom you choose to bring to the festival with you, as they may not appreciate the atmosphere, or potentially cause problems. Make sure you know the person well, and can vouch for their good behavior! Along those lines, rules about no illegal substances, theft, threat to or endangerment of others, and other infractions of mundane law will be strictly enforced. Underage drinking (have your ID!), gross drunken behavior, unwanted sexual attention (harrassment), and sexual escapades with someone underage will not be tolerated. Any infracture of these rules will result in expulsion from the festival with no refund, and possible arrest, if appropriate. Parents, watch your kids, especially teenagers, at all times. Finally, Moondance is a private function, and is off-limits to media personnel acting in a professional capacity. This is to ensure confidentiality for our participants.
Volunteers: Please sign up for at least one job when you arrive. This is considered community service, and is required by all (except vendors). Sign-up sheets will be at the Registration Booth. Jobs include: clean-up on Saturday and Sunday; organizing, setting up, and cleaning up after the potluck; heralds to announce things, trash pick-up, etc; and many other jobs. Please do your share by signing up, but also, if you see something that needs to be done, like pick up trash, or stock the portapotties with toilet paper, step up and DO IT!
The Site: Roxanna is a primitive camping site. Civilization (Auburn, Alabama) is 20 miles away, with a Walmart, restaurants, and hotels. If you don't want to camp, do a Google search for hotels in the Auburn/Opelika area, and you'll find plenty. The nearest gas station/quickie mart is about 8 miles away.
Radical Self-Reliance: This means taking responsibility for yourself and the people around you. Come prepared. This is not an event where all the home comforts are supplied, or even available. You are expected to bring everything you think you will need: clothing, food, water, shelter, toiletries, first aid, toilet paper, etc. You *must* take home your own trash. You must clean up after yourself *everywhere* on site, and be sure your camp and surroundings are free of MOOP. There is no one there to clean up behind you or do things for you.