Ask Away

For first-timers to Heron, your festival ticket is on us! We hope this helps offset the costs of travel and lodging. We will email you with a code to use at checkout after you’ve sent in your RSVP. You’ll still need to get your tickets on the Heron site.

If you’ve been to Heron before, we really appreciate that you continue to support the festival as usual by buying your ticket. And thanks for letting us focus our budget on giving newbies their first Heron experience!

Kids are welcome! There is a kids tent, teen tent, and plenty of activities. The Heron is an extremely family-friendly festival! Get’em started young!

That being said, the weekend will be full of late nights, loud music, and adult beverages. We hope you’ll stay up late with us, so leaving the kiddos with a sitter is also perfectly reasonable.

Read more about the vibe here

We know staying the whole 4+ days doesn’t work for everyone. We’re grateful for any time we get with you, and feel free to come and go as you please. Irish goodbyes are the norm on big farms.

The festival is on, rain or shine. You can seek shelter in the Dance Tent if it rains but, otherwise, we recommend following the forecast:

• If rain: raincoat, mud boots, umbrellas

• If hot: sunscreen, hats, fans, swimsuit, towel

It’s generally hot in the day (80°F) and cold at night (50°F). So bring jackets and layers!

We’ll send you a detailed packing list.

Yes!

This is an on-foot endeavor. Bring comfy shoes! There are some golf cart shuttles (especially for those that need a little extra support). Wear good dancin’ shoes, stay hydrated, and pace yourselves!

For the Thursday night Barnapalooza, all guests will have a wristband for food and drinks provided by Nick and Teagan.

For the Festival (Fri-Sun), there’s a wide variety of vendors serving all types of hot, yummy food. It’s ‘fend for yourself’. Experienced campers tend to bring their own supplemental food.

We’ll have a ‘base camp’ near the main stage with additional snacks and beverages.

Whatever you want! Certainly nothing formal. Flair is always appreciated, but don’t feel any pressure. Focus on being comfy.

This includes the Barnapalooza Reception (Thursday) and Friday marriage ceremony.

This is an outdoor endeavor, so prepare accordingly: layers for different times of day and comfy shoes. If rain is in the forecast, boots and ponchos!

We’ll be sending around a detailed packing list ahead of time.

Your packing list will highly depend on the lodging you choose.

For those camping on-site, we have a detailed packing list.

Here are some essentials everybody should consider for festival days:

• Comfy shoes

• Mud boots

• Poncho/raincoat

• Swimsuit/towel (lake on site)

• Sunscreen/hat

• Snacks

• Water bottle (potable water available)

• Headlamp

• Flair, costumes, fun outfits

• Instruments for jams

• Ear plugs!

The Heron is not like many other concert venues. You’re allowed to bring your own snacks, coolers, and all beverages wherever you go.

We will provide some communal coolers, camp chairs, and blankets, but if you’re driving, plan to bring those as well.

These things are NOT allowed at the festival: Glass, Fireworks, Floating Lanterns, outside Firewood, Weapons, and Glow Sticks. 

Firewood and ice are available onsite.

Don't worry about trying to stuff a camp chair into your carry-on!

We’ll have a Gear Swap Spreadsheet to connect you with local friends who have extra equipment to lend. Let us know on your RSVP if you need to borrow some things.

Pro-Tip: If you’re considering flying in, food shopping, driving to Heron, and setting up camp all in time for the Barnapalooza on Thursday, that sounds positively exhausting. Consider flying on Wednesday and booking a hotel near the airport for a night, then using Thursday to get all set up.

If for some reason you want to set up camp before Thursday, just let us know.

See the bottom of our camping page for more details for out-of-towners.

Follow your nose. Outside of our Thursday Reception and Friday Ceremony (see schedule), the whole weekend is ‘choose your own adventure’.

There will be 40+ bands across 4 stages, workshops, swimming, yoga, craft vendors, food vendors, kids activities, and more. There’s also hundreds of acres to explore.

It’s the heartbeat of The Heron. Born in the French-speaking prairies of Southwest Louisiana, Zydeco is a high-energy blend of blues, R&B, and indigenous Creole music.

Why is it here in Western New York? Credit the Acadian connection (the same French-heritage roots shared by folks in the Northeast and the Bayou) and local legends Donna the Buffalo, who made the Heron a "home away from home" for Louisiana’s Zydeco style!

The Rule: You don't just watch Zydeco; you dance to it. If you hear a steady, chugging beat that sounds like a steam engine, head to the dance floor. We'll show you the two-step!