Thank you for your interest in volunteering to work trade at the Whippoorwill Festival! Work traders are an integral part of the gathering, and YOU are contributing to help the continued success and community of the gathering!
 
 This year we are trying something new for instructor, organizer, and worktrader tickets.  We are offering an economically accessible sliding scale pricing of $0-$50 based on the circumstances of the individual.  As a reminder, this is a mostly run volunteer event and we want to make it accessible to people across classes from different levels of income to attend and contribute to the festival.  We hope our community to be honest with themselves and select the amount they see fair and sustainable for their life.  Know that when you contribute a larger amount you are supporting someone who might need some assistance, at the halfway point you help cover the direct costs of the festival, and if you are unable to contribute anything financially, you can lean on your community to hold you up during this hardship.  

*Please select one main job intrest and a second backup job intrest on your application*
 
General Information about Work Trade:
  • Work trade is valued at $10/hour, and we ask for 12 hours of work trade to cover the cost of your attendance. Partial work trade can be negotiated on a case-by-case basis but is not preferred.  
  • Shifts are typically 4 hours each day of the gathering, and can be early morning, mid-afternoon or late evening, depending on the needs of your specific area. Expect to forego at least a few workshop hours each day of the festival!  
  • The festival happens rain or shine, as do work trade shifts. Expect to work in any weather condition, especially rain and/or heat! Prepare adequately for exposure to the elements.

 We need work traders for the following areas:

  • Set Up/Break Down:
    • Critical part of the festival! Without Set Up/Break Down crew, the festival doesn’t have tent structures, composting toilets, information signs, etc. This is a more difficult job, but with the potential to fulfill a chunk of work trade hours in one or two days!
    • Willing to work longer shifts in any weather condition;
    • Physically able to lift minimum of 25 lbs, bend repeatedly, stand for long periods, carry items across fields repeatedly;
    • Potential use of power tools to build composting toilets;
    • Works well on a team (tents and composting toilets require a team to assemble/take down);
    • Set Up crew is required to arrive Wednesday night or by early afternoon Thursday, and Break Down crew may be required to stay as long as Monday afternoon, depending on the number of team members.
  • Parking:
    • Navigating cars to designated camping and parking areas;
    • Watching for parking or walking hazards in the big camping field;
    • One person at each station but will communicate between each other about incoming cars;
    • Great job for a person who loves to be alone or has a hobby with their hands (knitting, instruments, reading, etc)! Stations have a chair and umbrella to protect against sun/rain.
  • Registration:
    • Greeting attendees as they arrive;
    • Locating attendees on a ticket list or checking tickets they bring with them;
    • Selling tickets at the gate;
    • Keeping ACCURATE track of cash received at the gate;
    • Knowledgeable about areas of the festival site and where to direct attendees;
    • 2-3 person teams for each shift, under a tent.
  • Kitchen:
    • Dependable! Cooking/Kitchen experience not explicitly necessary, but helpful;
    • Available for very early morning breakfast shifts and evening dinner shifts;
    • Follows food preparation/serving sanitation requirements as mandated by Health Dept.;
    • Works well on a team, in a small kitchen space;
    • Under a tent when serving outside, inside a structure or on a covered porch when preparing food.
  • Sanitation:
    • Willing to get a little dirty! Checks trash areas around festival site;
    • Prepares water buckets ahead of meal times for dish washing station;
    • Wipes down and checks for supplies in Port-A-Potties;
    • Switches out sawdust buckets in composting toilets.
    • All weather job with exposure to the elements
    • Self-motivated individuals who can work well with little direction
  • Participation Station:
    • Former festival attendance/knowledge preferred.
    • Answer questions pertaining to festival events/workshops;
    • Direct attendees to workshop/activity locations;
    • Encourage participation in festival activities and events;
    • Pass messages along between organizers or to/from workshop teachers and organizers;
    • Convey site issues to organizers; Oversee sales of festival merchandise.
    • Typically, 1-2 people per shift, under a tent.
  • Instructor Gift Bags: Limited availability, necessity of offer determined by organizers. If you are a person who makes something and would like to create items for our instructor gift bags, please indicate what items you make, your price for the items, and how many you can make for the festival. In the past, we have needed 40-70 items. Past items include sewn fabric bags (to hold the other items!), salves, essential oils, bookmarks, hot sauces, honey, etc. Non-perishable items preferred.​
If this sounds good to you, please click here to fill out the work trade application!

 If you have a skill/interest beyond those listed, or any further questions, please email us at [email protected], and THANK YOU for your interest in work trade! We’re looking forward to having you on the team!
The Whippoorwill Festival - Skills for Earth Friendly Living
July 17-19, 2020
Lago Linda Hideaway, Beattyville, KY (location and weather)