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Roxxy's Experience at Blue Ridge Rockfest 2023, A story of disappointment and survival:
I'm not sure where to even start.. but here we go.
It's about an hour and a half drive from my place to the raceway the event was being held at. We load up the car and head out Wednesday afternoon. Everything
I'm not sure where to even start.. but here we go.
It's about an hour and a half drive from my place to the raceway the event was being held at. We load up the car and head out Wednesday afternoon. Everything
02:31 PM - Sep 12, 2023
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Is going fine. Until we hit the camping line.
9 miles from the venue.
Oh wow.. I said. Not fully grasping the reality of the situation. It's about 3:30PM
We crawled along, a car length every 10 minutes or so.
We wait..
And wait....
9 miles from the venue.
Oh wow.. I said. Not fully grasping the reality of the situation. It's about 3:30PM
We crawled along, a car length every 10 minutes or so.
We wait..
And wait....
02:35 PM - Sep 12, 2023
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Night falls as we are in the main street of some one stop light town. The locals at the bar selling soda and food to the people in their cars.. near death of boredom.
We make it through the town and finally get into the security line.
It's now 12:30AM
After more waiting....
We make it through the town and finally get into the security line.
It's now 12:30AM
After more waiting....
02:39 PM - Sep 12, 2023
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We finally reach one of the poor people running security for the event who has been standing outside for who knows how long.
Any guns, knives? He says wearily
No. I answer.
OK, cool. He replies and sends us on our way without even a look into our carful of camping gear..
Any guns, knives? He says wearily
No. I answer.
OK, cool. He replies and sends us on our way without even a look into our carful of camping gear..
02:41 PM - Sep 12, 2023
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It's now 2:00AM as we pull up to our camping spot. I look at my phone to see that the screen is busted, it had been cracked before but now the display was fading to black.
No time to mourn, we began setting up camp in the pitch black..
Having left my house nearly 13 hours earlier that day...
No time to mourn, we began setting up camp in the pitch black..
Having left my house nearly 13 hours earlier that day...
02:44 PM - Sep 12, 2023
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We sleep.
Thursday morning comes with a vicious 97 degrees.
Very little shade at the venue and 12 water faucets to hydrate the 50k people expected to attend.
A brutal day, but we see a few bands and endure the heat.
6PM, the sun finally starts to descend and the clouds roll in...
Thursday morning comes with a vicious 97 degrees.
Very little shade at the venue and 12 water faucets to hydrate the 50k people expected to attend.
A brutal day, but we see a few bands and endure the heat.
6PM, the sun finally starts to descend and the clouds roll in...
02:47 PM - Sep 12, 2023
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A cooling light rain at first.. quickly becomes a full on downpour.
A loud thunder crack as everyone is weighing their options and finding what little shelter there is. The wind and rain pick up even more as brave souls run to the Porta potties for shelter..
They tell us to evacuate
A loud thunder crack as everyone is weighing their options and finding what little shelter there is. The wind and rain pick up even more as brave souls run to the Porta potties for shelter..
They tell us to evacuate
02:50 PM - Sep 12, 2023
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All remaining shows have been canceled for the day and they tell everyone to leave.
Me and my gf, already thoroughly drenched, start walking back to camp.
Then the hail started.
We start running back to camp as we see tents being taken away by the wind.. pelted by hail and 60mph gusts of wind
Me and my gf, already thoroughly drenched, start walking back to camp.
Then the hail started.
We start running back to camp as we see tents being taken away by the wind.. pelted by hail and 60mph gusts of wind
02:52 PM - Sep 12, 2023
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We make it back.
Our canopy ripped out of the ground and laying across my car, luckily not breaking any windows.
Our tent half collapsed in on itself, my gf sees to getting the tent covered as i try to get the canopy off my car so we can take shelter inside.
The storm passes..
Our canopy ripped out of the ground and laying across my car, luckily not breaking any windows.
Our tent half collapsed in on itself, my gf sees to getting the tent covered as i try to get the canopy off my car so we can take shelter inside.
The storm passes..
02:55 PM - Sep 12, 2023
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We take stock of the situation. Everything in the tent stayed dry ish, luckily we had a spare sleeping bag in the car. And get through the night, uncomfortable.. but saying that was gonna be the worst of the weekend.
We were wrong.
Friday goes off with out much of a hitch..
We were wrong.
Friday goes off with out much of a hitch..
02:58 PM - Sep 12, 2023
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Saturday starts with some more rain and winds but nothing too terrible, the venue says they're going to open late, no big deal.
Hours pass, clear weather.
We go down to the gate to see what's up, after waiting in line for about 30 minutes we hear the news..
Whole day is canceled for "weather"
Hours pass, clear weather.
We go down to the gate to see what's up, after waiting in line for about 30 minutes we hear the news..
Whole day is canceled for "weather"
02:59 PM - Sep 12, 2023
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With the possibility of Sunday being canceled as well.
We head back to camp and decide it would be easier to just go ahead and leave.. and make the drive back incase Sunday didn't get canceled.
Sunday got canceled.
So we paid for 4 days of concerts and got 1 and a half.
We head back to camp and decide it would be easier to just go ahead and leave.. and make the drive back incase Sunday didn't get canceled.
Sunday got canceled.
So we paid for 4 days of concerts and got 1 and a half.
03:02 PM - Sep 12, 2023
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They said they are looking into refunds.. but we'll see.
However!
While looking into the whole shit show on various places, turns out they had to cancel because all the staff went on strike and walked out because they weren't getting paid, barely fed, no showers and many had passed out from heat
However!
While looking into the whole shit show on various places, turns out they had to cancel because all the staff went on strike and walked out because they weren't getting paid, barely fed, no showers and many had passed out from heat
03:04 PM - Sep 12, 2023
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Long Story Short.... probably not going back next year. It was an absolute disaster. And that's just my experience, I know other people had it worse.
And as far as we know, at least 3 people died.
So that was my weekend.
And as far as we know, at least 3 people died.
So that was my weekend.
03:06 PM - Sep 12, 2023
Wow, that's pretty horrific. I kept expecting you to say you ran out of gas, too. Glad you made it out.
In response to Roxxy Riot.
03:20 PM - Sep 12, 2023
In response to Tom Jolly.
We were pretty close. Luckily I drive a pretty fuel efficient car.. but a lot of people did run out. And they were selling gas for 10 dollars a gallon inside the festival...
03:24 PM - Sep 12, 2023
