Last Updated 3/23/10

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VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS FOR ATHFEST WEEKEND

General Information

• For now we are taking general interest sign up at the above Hands On Northeast Georgia Link, but signing up for specific areas/shifts will be available starting closer to the event at:
  • The above Hands On Northeast Georgia link
  • By calling the volunteer coordinator (see end of page for contact details)
  • At our AthFest Sampler and Volunteer Party to be generally a week before the festival.
• Volunteers are encouraged to sign up for 4-5 hour time slots, except for Kidsfest volunteers which will have shorter shifts as working with kids can get exhausting!
• Working different areas is fine, and actually a lot of fun! Some people choose to work Kidsfest in the afternoon, then Venues at night, for a really diverse and fun experience!
• Please only formally sign up for a shift for times that you know you are going to be able to work. However, in the event of an emergency, it will be possible to reschedule you.
• Do you have any friends or family members that are interested in volunteering? Have them visit the Web site or contact us. We can generally accommodate placing friends together and volunteering with a friend doubles the fun!

Job Descriptions

Flagpole Magazine Athens Music Awards 
There are two opportunities to help out here.

• Merchandise
  3 – 4 volunteers 6 pm till 10:30ish to work Merchandise sales, Volunteer, Band and Press packet handouts. We'll have everything by then and it gets hectic until the Awards Show starts.
• Hospitality
  This position involves taking tickets when people come in the door, as well as selling tickets to people as they come in. Giving out programs as the patrons enter the building, and may also possibly involve picking up some of the food from restaurants.

Production 
This is the general term we call the set-up and pack-up team. These people are responsible for unloading trucks, putting up tents, moving tables, hauling stuff around the place. This area will need volunteers that need to be ready to work hard, but many hands make light work so we encourage as many people to sign up as we can get. This is always the toughest shift to fill as most of it happens during the day on Fri, and Sunday night after the festival finishes. All I will say is there is extra incentives for those who stick around to help us out.

KidsFest 
KidsFest volunteers will help on Saturday & Sunday with all "kid friendly" activities. Volunteers will work 3-hour shifts because it can get very tiring playing with the kids. Duties will generally include working at the tables, which in the past have included:

• Bubbles
• Finger-painting
• Face painting
• Selling the KidsFest t-shirts near the KidsFest event.
• Some arts and crafts tables.

Everyone that has signed up for KidsFest has had a ball, and the shifts finish by 6pm so you can still enjoy the music in the evening, or perhaps volunteer to sell wristbands at a Venue?

Merchandise 

• The volunteer opportunities for Merchandise fall to two different areas, Merchandise and Venues. During the day and into the early evening there are opportunities at the Main Merchandise Booth or the refreshment stands. In the early evening and into the night (actually the wee hours of the morning) there are opportunities at one of the various music venues. There may be other areas and opportunities to help out with merchandise throughout the weekend and/or before the festival.
• Merchandise volunteers must be at least 18 and venue volunteers must be at least 21. Younger volunteers will be welcome if they are volunteering with their parent.
• Keep in mind that AthFest is an outdoor festival, and we are subject to the weather on the street. Dress accordingly in comfortable clothing and shoes.
  Specific opportunities include:
• Thursday – Flagpole Music Awards @ the Morton
  The hours at the Morton would be from 6pm till 10 pm. We need at least 3 people to help sell wristbands, CD’s and tee shirts; hand out packets to the bands, press and volunteers; and hand out promotional materials about the festival.
• Friday, Saturday and Sunday
  The main merchandise booth and refreshment stands will be set up the entire weekend, so we will need volunteers all three days. Please sign up for as many hours as you would like to help, but a minimum of a four hour segment would be appreciated. The heavier crowds build during the day and into the early evening, so more help is needed from mid afternoon through the evening hours on Saturday and Sunday.
• Friday – FESTIVAL SALES
  We need at least two folks that can show up Friday at noon to help set-up the merchandise booth, lay out merchandise, prep the drinks, etc to get things ready for the festival.
• Saturday & Sunday – FESTIVAL SALES
  We would like at least two folks that can show up in the mornings, 10 am (yes, it was a late night, we were there too) to help set-up the merchandise booth, lay out merchandise, prep the drinks, etc to get things ready for the day.
• Friday & Saturday nights - VENUES
  There are a variety of venues that will be official AthFest venues. Besides the great music, we will be selling wristbands at each participating venue. The wristbands allow access to the venues without having to pay a cover at each venue, so generally wristband sales are brisk, especially on Friday night.
• Volunteers for the venues are expected to work the entire shift (9 pm till at least 1 am Friday night, not as late on Saturday night).
• We will be selling wristbands at each participating venue and need a minimum of 2 people at each venue. Venue volunteers must be 21 or older (or get their parent to volunteer with them) and have their own cell phone. Volunteers for the venues are expected to work the entire shift (9 pm till at least 1 am).
• We will set a time (probably 9 pm) and location to meet as a group to go over the information and supply you with what you need. We will have a staff person checking in on you throughout the evening, and we’re just a phone call away.
• As the venue list and set times develops we may need volunteers earlier in the day for venues that may start earlier, and we’ll let you know if that’s the case. 

Outdoor Stage 
One of our more popular volunteer opportunities, we need people to help with stage setup and maintenance during shows. Volunteers do not necessarily need to have to stage work experience, just a willingness to learn. Types of work may include helping the musicians load and unload their gear from their cars and then having them move their car away from the stage, moving equipment on and off the stage, showing the musicians where they need to be and when, and much more. 

Venues (see Merchandise above)

In the meantime, for any questions please use the Contact Us form on the menu.