The dynamics of the camping areas at the Boots and Hearts Music Festival are, in some ways, like those of almost any town or city.
There’s the RV camping area, where some of the older visitors are staying, looking for a quieter experience. There’s the VIP camping area, where everything seems a bit more orderly, though the campers still like to have a good time. Then there’s general camping area — the most populous this weekend at Burl’s Creek Event Grounds — and that’s where the party never stops. It’s where “you get more of a crazy vibe,” according to Jake Tomlinson.
The Barrie man was attending Boots and Hearts for the fourth year, but this was his first time camping on-site.
“Everyone in the trailers are more calm drunks,” he said. “You get idiots (in the general camping area), but we haven’t had any big problems.”
Dylan Wright, of Grand Valley, wandered from his VIP camping spot into the general area and determined he had made the right decision to upgrade.
“It’s way better than the normal camping,” he said, adding he was appalled by the amount of trash strewn on the grounds in the general area.
Only in the general camping area was there an obscene cut-out of country music star Luke Bryan making the rounds, its handlers urging passersby to drink beer from a suggestive but not-so-subtle protrusion. A surprising number of people obliged.
It isn’t for everyone, but the party atmosphere was exactly what Tomlinson was looking for. He and dozens of friends from Simcoe County were there for a good time. A typical day for them at Boots and Hearts starts with a “funnel for breakfast,” Tomlinson said, and he wasn’t talking about funnel cakes.
“Then you try to eat.”
That doesn’t always work out well, he admitted.
His suggestion to those who are considering camping next year at Boots and Hearts: “Know your neighbours, don’t stop the booze, and keep the music loud.”
Slip-and-slides help, too, and there were plenty of them, including a few in the VIP camping area. Brendon Flanagan, of Toronto, has been bringing what he calls a “slip-and-flip” to the festival for three years. It’s essentially a slip-and-slide drinking game. It drew a crowd, proving to be an effective way of meeting new people.
Brandon Richardson, of Grand Valley, decided to give it a go.
“It’s just a fun party,” he said.
So is the entire festival experience, he added.
“We go to concerts at night and party all day.”
The party continues Sunday with another lineup of performances, including Thomas Rhett in the headline slot on the main stage.
