Rules/Guidelines

RULES & GUIDELINES


  • All attendees must sign a liability waiver at the registration desk.
  • All attendees will be issued a wristband which must be worn visibly on the wrist at all times.
  • Evolvefest occurs rain or shine
  • All-weather ski lodge on site with indoor stage.
  • All tix are non-refundable
  • Anyone who attempts to enter into the event illegally will be ejected immediately.
  • Evolvefest and Hidden Valley Club are not held responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged belongings during the course of the event.
  • This is a LEAVE NO TRACE event (read below). Please take your trash with you.
  • Cars must be parked at the main parking lot.
  • Camp as lightly as possible upon the land.
  • Be a good neighbor and respect others.
  • No glass bottles.
  • Please use recycling containers
  • Cigarette butts must be pocketed or placed in proper receptacles.
  • No Dogs Allowed.
  • Independent sound systems are not permitted.
  • No fireworks, firearms, or weapons of any kind permitted on the festival grounds.
  • No open fires are permitted. Grills and hibachis for cooking are allowed.
  • The use of illegal drugs is strictly prohibited. All laws pertaining to drug use should be respected.
  • We encourage you to participate in the festival in a lawful and healthy manner.
  • The legal drinking age in NJ is 21. We have ZERO tolerance for intoxication of any kind.
  • Public intoxication will be cause for expulsion.
  • Don't just come out for the entertainment- BE the entertainment!
  • Please be respectful, peaceful, helpful and courteous to each other- c'mon humanity- we can do this thing!

LEAVE NO TRACE

Leave No Trace (LNT) is the practice of "pack it in pack it out" that requires a complete sensitivity to the earth. It is a technique based on personal responsibility of one's actions relating to and resulting in generating refuse and impacting the land. It is a conscious approach to realizing the impact man has on our planet and adjusting his/her actions accordingly. If you are not aware of the details of this concept, PLEASE take the time to educate yourself and respect our earth.

Principles.

  • Understanding what is "refuse"
  • Taking responsibility for your own trash
  • Taking responsibility for other's trash
  • Leave the land as you found it - low impact and no removal
  • Enforcing and spreading LNT awareness

Understanding what is refuse.
The concept of Leave No Trace means just that; leave the land in such a way so that no impact is identifiable. This means, not only minimizing the alterations of land during one's use, but leaving absolutely NO refuse whatsoever. Refuse then should be understood as ANY material, not naturally occurring, discarded by man. This includes (some items not always perceived as trash):

  • Gum
  • Gum wrappers
  • Cigarette butts
  • String
  • Cloth
  • Fruit peels
  • Toilet paper
  • Microtrash (small loose items like confetti, feathers, staples, nails, etc.)
  • ANYTHING man-made

Timeline of Biodegradation (examples):

  • Banana peel = 2-10 days
  • Cotton rags = 1-5 months
  • Paper = 2-5 months
  • Rope = 3-14 months
  • Orange peel = 6 months!
  • Cigarette filters = 1-12 years!!!

Taking responsibility for your own trash.
Taking reponsibility means making sure ALL unnatural items leave with you. This means carefully collecting all of your refuse into proper disposal/recycling bags and visually combing the land of any smaller items that may potentially be overlooked and left behind. Furthermore, one should take steps to reduce the amount of refuse generated prior to visiting nature by eliminating extra, unnecessary packaging, and combining items when possible.

Taking responsibility for other's trash.
This practice is crucial in the Leave No Trace ethic. We must get past the idea that someone else's trash is thier responsibility only. In a place where communities gather, the responsibility should be seen as that of the collective. One must realize that cleaning up someone else's trash along with their own DOES make a difference. Not only does it eliminate the trash of unresponsible individuals, but it promotes the collective awareness among and beyond those working to make a difference.

Leave the land as you found it - low impact and no removal.
This is the idea of minimizing the impact on the land you are using. Take care when using a vehicle on sensitive land and be aware of the heightened sensitivity when the earth is soft and muddy. When building campfires, make sure to properly contain the fire itself and return the site to the state it was in when you arrived (returning rocks and wood when using a primitive campsite). If the land contains fragile vegetation, take extra care to avoid disturbing the ecosystem and use pre-existing trails--ALWAYS--when available.

Enforcing and spreading LNT awareness.
Aside from actually following the LNT ethic, this is the most important aspect of practice. Educating others about these concepts spreads the awareness of what is refuse, and reinforces the idea that everyone working together does make a difference. Along with educating others, is it extremely important to enforce these practices to those who fail to take reponsibility. When one is confronted on thier actions, or lack of, they will be forced to face the reality of their carelessness. They will then, hopefully, realize that the accepted 'norm' is, in fact, to be responsible and ecologically aware. One person can make a difference and many can change the world. Spread the word and protect our mother.


WHAT TO BRING

A suggested list of items and accessories to bring to make your weekend more comfortable.

  • Your paypal receipt for the festival and ID.
  • Food and beverages for a weekend of camping.
  • Tent and camping accessories.
  • Warm clothes for the evening.
  • Swimsuit and towel.
  • Rain gear (to ensure we will have no rain!).
  • Flashlight and extra batteries.
  • Suncreen and insect repellent.
  • Biodegradeable soap.
  • Earplugs.
  • Garbage bags.
  • First-aid kit.
  • Re-usable cups, plates, and eating utensils. A dishwashing station is available.
  • Blankets, chairs, and mats.
  • Re-usable water bottle. Potable water is free and available throughout the camp.
  • Small container for cigarette butts disposal, if you smoke.
  • Acoustic instruments of all kinds - drums, diudgeridoos, singing bowls, etc. We will have daily drum circles and singing bowl circles.
  • Costumes for yourself. Decorations for your camp.
  • Altar items to decorate the community altar.
  • Cash. There is an ATM on location.