Last year, I was the guest of Summer Camp Music Festival and had a wonderful three days of good times camping in the woods, dodging thunder storms, and seeing great live music. Music festivals are a wonderful time and a great adventure as long as you don’t get busted.
I am fairly certain the guy in the yellow being dragged by his neck by security is not having as much fun as the other 12,000 people at the festival – No fun to get busted
Do not get busted on the way to Summer Camp Music Festival
In a nearby river town along the Illinois River, I stopped for groceries for the three day festival. I got a lot of beer, some Gatorade, and some bread and turkey for sandwiches. I did not forget the mustard. A few other people obviously from the festival where in line with me intermixed with the locals. You could tell the music festival goers as their cart was filled with similar items as mine.
The shopping clerk was like 70 years old and turned to her co-worker and said “Mildred, a lot of these people are going up to Cothe for the music fest.” Beatrice turned to her friend and said “I hear it is all about drugs.”
Actually, the festival is more about music and good times, but oddly enough, drugs do have a habit of making appearances at such outings. The conversation was a reminder: although the festival itself was a haven for liberalness, good times, and being carefree the surrounding area and locals were not of the same ilk.
No fun to get busted at Summer Camp Music Festival
To get busted at a music festival like this sure is a buzz kill. Another reminder that everyone is not so forgiving about the activities that occur in the park happened right as I was entering. A young man for some reason was running full speed from the entrance followed by security. The young man and the security guard went crashing through a make shift gate just as the guard tackled the unfortunate festival attendee.
Another group of locals not so liberal and free are the police officers in the nearby towns and the state patrol on the interstate. Every year, too many people on their way to Summer Camp get busted either on the road or entering the festival.
Be safe and make sure the music is the focus and not a ticket or worse. Here are a few tips on how to avoid these unfortunate circumstances on the way to Summer Camp. They could also be utilized for any music festival or for any type of road trip.
1. Do not decorate your car-
You are excited to be going to Summer Camp Music Festival and you want the world to know you are going. You are also letting the police know and making yourself a target for an arrest that could help the tax reserves of the particular town or county you get busted in.
Here is a quote from an article on the 27 arrests that occurred last year:
“They pulled over vehicles for beads hanging from rear view mirrors obstructing views, for crossing solid yellow lines, for speeding or improper lane usage. As one officer spoke to the driver, a K-9 unit would pull up to walk a dog around the vehicle.”
The number one reason people were pulled over last year was for beads hanging from rear view windows. This is apparently against the law. Police can pull you over for this and issue you a ticket. Worse, they might pull a dog and have him sniff around your car leading to worse problems.
Don’t get busted – Make sure your car is clear from obstructions so you can make it safely to the Summer Camp parking lot
2. Do not stop at rest stops and if you do, do not loiter
This is another place where a lot of people get busted. If you have to stop at a rest stop, go to the bathroom and then keep moving. A bunch of young people hanging around the rest stop around Summer Camp time is another great opportunity to bring the drug dog in.
3. Take the back roads and avoid Route 29 south of Chillicothe
I took back roads from the north of Chillicothe and I did not see one police car on the way. I heard that they really patrol Route 29 from Peoria to Chillicothe very hard. Consider an alternate route if you are coming from Peoria. Maybe take Route 40 and flank Chillicothe and enter from either the west or the north. Memorial Day is the perfect opportunity to execute this classic military strategy. A few extra miles added to the trip might be worth it.
You may be reading this thinking I am spreading a get busted paranoia. Read this article then. Police officers in one nearby county placed one car up front with flashing lights. If people drove past it and did not slow down or move over, another car swept in and pulled them over for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle even though there was no emergency. If you avoid the main route, you will not have to worry about these police shenanigans.
4. Buy all of your party gear in Chillicothe and do not bring any home
Buy all your party gear, beer and whatever else, in Chillicothe. If the cops pull you over on the way and only find Gatorade and cigarettes, they can only issue speeding tickets and other citations at the worst.
Do not get busted at Summer Camp – Keep you fun inside the festival
5. Drive like a grandma on the way
Do not give any reason for authorities to pull you over and get busted. Drive like Beatrice and Mildred would if they were coming to the festival.
Bonus tip:
Here is a bonus tip for you readers, do not party on the way there. I entered this because it should be common sense not to drink and drive. You have three nights and days to live it up at the festival. Why start early and threaten the whole trip before you even get there. Suppress the temptation for that road soda. It is not worth the risk.
Last tip:
Have a great time. I will not be in attendance, but I will be there in spirit. Have fun Summer Camp people!
Update 2015 –
This was posted in 2012, a year after I attended in 2011. I am excited to say that I will be returning to Summer Camp Music Festival this year. If you see a guy with a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses, say hello to Traveling Ted. It will be another great festival.
Adventure on!
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Sounds like the police really use this as a way to crack down and pull people for almost anything. Almost makes the festival not worth the hassle for some.
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There is also quite a bit of looking the other way, especially once you are inside.
If you don’t have drugs or open containers in the car, you can have all the beads you want hanging from the mirror-lol.
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Actually, I think they can still give you a citation for the beads. Better to just wear the beads instead of adorning your car with them.
They will pull you over for anything hanging from your mirror. Just gives them the right to. They did this last year. Also, my parents work for the Police department and there are going to me many more undercovers at the actual festival this year, than ever before. FYI everyone,
Thanks for the comment Stella. That is unfortunate that they are doing more undercover inside the festival. Most places usually just let concert goers alone unless they are causing trouble.
No love for the love beads… Good to know! Reading this reminded me of the start of Keith Richard’s autobiography, Life. Though hopefully the kids you saw didn’t quite have the same car load that he did back in the day…
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Go ahead and wear the beads, just don’t put it on your car. I imagine Keith Richards could out party all of Summer Camp in his prime.
Nice to have tips for avoiding tickets / jail…I always appreciate those..
Cheers…
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Hey Ted…..’preciate the blog. I’ll be a first time ‘Scamper this year (2016). I’m hoping to get a little more familiar with the VIP deal. Hopefully you’re still blogging.
I’ve been to several music festivals, but I’ve never been to one where they don’t allow you to bring your own beer to your campsite. Usually they just don’t let you bring it from your campsite to the festival area. I’m not too happy about that. Just buying a ticket is expensive enough.
If I upgrade my ticket to VIP, I see that I get VIP Parking. Am I still going to be subjected to a search for beer? And where do they search me? Between my parking spot and my camping area? Or before I even park?
Hello Tennessee Eric,
I have sometimes been called Tennessee Ted. I am not from Tennessee, but I went to college in Knoxville. Go Vols!
This festival is not like Bonnaroo unfortunately in regards to alcohol and camping. All the camping is inside the grounds and they check you as you enter. I have never camped in the VIP area, so I do not know if VIP access allows you the privilege to bring in your own beer.
Looking at the FAQ section, I am thinking it does not because they have a VIP bar in the VIP section that serves discounted drinks. Usually where there is a bar that serves drinks, they will not allow you to bring in your own alcohol. I would call or email the festival to make sure on this policy.
In the regular entrance they check your belongings as you come in. I imagine it is the same with VIP. There is probably a gate between where you park and where you enter.
I just found a Yelp review that says you cannot bring your own beer into VIP camping area http://www.yelp.com/biz/summer-camp-music-festival-chillicothe It does say they sell $2.00 beers there in the discounted area.
We did ViP for the first time last year. There are literally two Workers at the gate there to scan your bracelets. Unlike general admission, they don’t make you open up all of your belongings and search every nook and cranny in your gear. We brought in a couple cases of beer last year in our cooler without issue. Also there is no hour plus wait in the VIP! Hope to see ya there
I appreciate ya’lls responses. I’m headed up there tomorrow. Can’t wait!
Enjoy Tennessee Eric!
Sounds like a muddy mess,A bunch of kids
and insecure security officers playing games about
beads,why would anyone want to roast in a hot tent in the hot sun.
When there are pigs watching you and ruining your fun,
Waste of money for not much funny!
ROCKET CADOTT,WI
WAY MORE FUN LESS HASSLES
Rockfest Cadott Wi
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