Hangout Music Festival 2014 grounds map.(Photo: Special to the News Journal)
TICKETS
• Can I get tickets? No. All tickets at all levels have been sold out for weeks.
• Can you get me tickets? No. We don’t have any to give.
• Come on, surely you know someone? No, we really don’t. Stop asking.
• But I just want to go on Sunday to see Outkast … Too bad. Single-day tickets have only been offered twice in Hangout’s history, and this year wasn’t one of those times. It’s a very popular festival. Next year, don’t wait around hoping for a bargain or a single-day offer — the bargains are the early offers before the line-up is announced. After five years, you know this festival’s going to be great, so don’t wait.
• My cousin knows a guy/I saw an ad on Craigslist … Well, you’re welcome to try, but you’re doing so at your own risk. Counterfeit tickets and wristbands aren’t exactly a rarity across Craigslist, eBay or ticket broker sites. Make sure this seller is someone you can trust, or you may find yourself out money and outside the gates.
• Someone offered to sell me their wristband … These could be counterfeit, too, so use care. Moreover, wristbands that show signs of removal or tampering are voided, so if your seller went on Friday, say, and offered you their wristband for Saturday and Sunday, it’s probably not going to work. Wristbands are checked for signs of tampering, and if you’re busted, you’re outta there.
• But I want to take my kids… If they’re 10 or younger, no prob — you can bring in two ticketless kids for free per supervising, ticketed adult. If they’re older than 10, well, go back to that first bullet point.
GETTING THERE
• Where’s the festival? On the public beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama, at the “T” of Beach Boulevard (Alabama Highway 182) and Alabama Highway 59. The festival takes its name from The Hangout restaurant, which is right there.
• Where am I parking? Uh, good luck. The festival has NO official on-site parking. You will find neighboring businesses and homes offering spots — at premium pricing — if you arrive early. Otherwise, assuming you’re not staying at a nearby condo, you probably should have considered the shuttles.
• Uh … “should have considered the shuttles,” you say? Yeah, “should have.” Because except for the West Route — that is, on the other side of the festival grounds from Pensacola — the shuttle passes are all sold out, too. That means if you didn’t already buy a shuttle pass on the Orange Beach/Perdido Key side to the east or the Foley side to the north, your only opportunity for a shuttle is to go west, young man (or woman). Shuttle passes are $50 and get you back and forth to your car all three days.
• Ha-ha! Who needs to park like the commoners? I’ll simply captain my schooner to the grounds! Well, that sounds lovely, but you’re still going to need to find a place to dock your dinghy, and it won’t be terribly nearby, as boating is banned within a 500-foot range of the festival site.
Hangout Music Fest 2014: Ten acts you don’t want to miss
SAFETY COMES FIRST
• Water … You’re gonna get thirsty. It’s hot, and you’re in the sun all day. Sure, you can grab a cold beer or a cocktail, but be smart and drink plenty of water, too. Free water fountains and filling stations will be available throughout the grounds. And you can bring in one empty water container, 2 liters or smaller.
• Wear sunscreen! It’s not just an admonition from a Baz Luhrmann novelty hit. Nothing will bum out your festival experience faster than being mistaken for a lobster and hauled to the Alabama Gulf Seafood tent for boiling.
• Is there a doctor in the house? Sort of. There will be plenty of security and medical staff working throughout the festival. If you are in need of assistance, If you’re experiencing any problems whatsoever, locate a festival staff member, security guard or police officer or seek out the medical tent.
Hangout Music Fest 2014 Daily Schedule
CAN I…
• Swim? YES! For the first time, limited swimming will be allowed in the Gulf at the new Chevrolet Beach. Lifeguards will be on duty for your dip in the Gulf, and the beach also features lounge chairs, hammocks and palm trees.
• Take a backpack? A small one, yes. Be prepared, though: Your wait in line will be longer, as every backpack gets searched (non-toters get an express lane). And then, you’re tied to a backpack all day. Which is no fun at all.
• Lock up my stuff somewhere? Yes! In another new addition this year, personal lockers will be available for rental on the grounds. Visit www.hangoutmusicfest.com/lockers for details.
• Grab some cash? Yes, ATMs are all over the grounds, but they can run out of dough, so maybe hit the bank before you hit the beach, just in case.
• Charge my phone/tablet/etc.? Yes. Recharge your devices and check out the latest Chevys at the Chevrolet Oasis, near the Ferris wheel. And if you’re still rockin’ a pager? Sorry, man, it’s not 1997.
• Catch a ride? Yes, the Catch a Chevy program is again in effect this year, with complimentary rides offered near the grounds from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily.
• Do anything else cool? Aside from the music, fun on the grounds includes a water slide, Ferris wheel, Mega Drop, beach volleyball, Foam Fashion, the aformentioned beach and even a wedding chapel, in case you meet that special someone. Some activities may come at an additional price — especially getting married.
• Get around if I have special needs? Yes, the festival provides ADA-accessible parking, entrances, restrooms, viewing and seating. Seating in ADA areas is limited to ADA patrons with one companion each. If you have questions, email access@hangoutmusicfest.com.
• Find my lost stuff? Maybe, if you’re lucky. Check with the Hangout Info Booth near the Highway 59 entrance. Otherwise, email lostandfound@hangoutmusicfest.com to inquire, and give them as much descriptive info as possible.
DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT
The following items are prohibited on the Hangout Music Fest grounds. So don’t even pack ‘em:
• Weapons of any kind (duh).
• Illegal substances (including narcotics) or drug paraphernalia (also duh).
• Framed or large backpacks (anything larger than a 20-by-15-by-13).
• Alcohol (you can buy it inside).
• Kites (Really? Why did you want to bring a kite, anyway?)
• Glow sticks (Let the stars be your glow stick, or just check out Pretty Lights’ set — he’ll make the whole beach glow).
• Glass containers.
• Outside food or beverages (there are plenty of vendors inside, and if you don’t want to pay festival prices, you can leave and hit a restaurant or your fridge in your condo).
• Skateboards (even Tony Hawk couldn’t find enough space to get rolling, anyway).
• Motorized carts or scooters, unless ADA verified.
• Bicycles (inside the festival grounds, but you can bike to the festival — racks will be available near the entrance).
• Large chains or spiked jewelry (It’s not 1982 and Judas Priest isn’t playing, so spikes longer than ¾-inch will be confiscated).
• Fireworks, sparklers and/or firecrackers (leave the explosive experiences to the bands that will blow your mind — and for the end of each night, which typically features an overhead fireworks show).
• Chinese lanterns (sorry, no “Tangled” re-enactments allowed).
• Umbrellas (sorry, Rhianna).
• Chairs of any kind. (You know what makes a comfy seat on a beach? Sand.)
• Coolers of any size. (You can’t being in food or drink, anyway, so what do you need to cool?)
• Tents or canopies of any kind (it’s not the Quidditch World Cup, Weasley).
• Pets (except service dogs).
• Video equipment. No video recording will be allowed. (Check out pnj.com, we’ll have plenty.)
• Professional still camera equipment (no detachable lenses, no tripods, big zooms, or commercial use rigs — again, check out pnj.com for literally thousands of pix).
• Any audio recording equipment (we’re looking at you, Rerun…).
• Flags and flagpoles (consider saluting your shorts, instead).
Hangout Music Fest 2014