Old Settler's Music Festival : Volunteering

Volunteering

Join Our Volunteer Family.

We owe it all to our volunteers. Every year, we bring in over 500 volunteers to manage everything from ticket sales to security to stages. Our volunteer corps is a tightly-knit group that comes back year after year.

There are perks to being part of the team. Volunteer for 16 hours, and you get a free four-day festival ticket with a camping pass. Volunteer for 12 hours, and you get a free three-day festival ticket without camping. You also get a free festival t-shirt.

We will accept volunteer applications when we ascertain that we need volunteers. We’ll have an application form up then. Please watch this space. We have many volunteers who return year after year and we don’t think we will need many people this year. Also, we do receive many more applications than we have volunteer spots-so we cannot, unfortunately, guarantee you a place.

Team Rules

Our volunteers are often the only festival employees our attendees see-and they’re instrumental in setting the Texas-friendly vibe that keeps fans coming back. As such, we do ask that volunteers maintain a friendly, civil, and welcoming demeanor at all times.

We also ask that all volunteers report for work on time, dressed appropriately, and free of the influence of alcohol or other substances. For a complete list of volunteer rules and expectations, click here .

Ways to Volunteer

Some of our volunteering teams require special expertise-we’re always looking for registered nurses, for example. But you don’t need a special skill to volunteer-and as you’ll see below, there’s something for everyone. Check out our list of volunteer teams:

Artist Relations & Transportation. Be the first line of contact for tour managers and artists. Make sure our artists are provided for, with a roof over their heads and transportation. Coordinate with tour managers on artist hospitality requests.

Artist Hospitality & Green Room. Make sure our artists get everything they need. Set up and tear down green rooms where artists relax between performances-and make sure their hospitality requests are fulfilled.

Backstage Beverages. Take care of the backstage crew-providing beverages for artists, VIP’s, staff, and stage crewmembers.

Backstage Catering. Help provide tasty meals to artists and crew on Friday and Saturday at the Hill Country Stage-breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Make sure special food requests are taken care of, and solicit food donations.

Stage Management. Make sure everything runs smoothly at the Bluebonnet or Hill Country stages. Manage performance schedules, coordinate artists and crew, and generally be in charge.

Box Office. Help with ticket sales at Camp Ben McCulloch or the Salt Lick Pavilion. Sell tickets, check attendees in, and secure wristbands.

Camping Crew. Help run the campground. Manage the gates, help campers set up electrical connections and hoses, answer questions, and make sure rules are followed. Sell ice to campers.

Communications. Serve as a dispatcher to various teams throughout the festival. Alert different groups to move to areas of the festival where there’s a need. Be the Puppet Master.

Electrical Crew. Make sure we’re wired up, repair and troubleshoot as needed, and ensure electrical safety-both on the stages and throughout the festival. Only for licensed electricians.

First Aid. Be on standby to help festival guests with any health emergencies at our stations at the Salt Lick Pavilion and Camp Ben McCulloch. Only for registered nurses and first responders.

Information and Volunteer Check-In. Be the first stop for all arriving volunteers. Check in new volunteers, provide credentials and packets, and tell them where to go. Provide information to both volunteers and festival attendees.

MC Crew. All the artists need to be announced before performances. Coordinate the announcers-make sure artists get the right intro at the right time.

Merchandise Crew. Order, distribute, and sell merchandise-both for the festival and for the artists.

Production Crew. Keep the show going! Manage all aspects of the festival’s production needs. Be the communication link between sound, lights, and stage management to keep everything on time and running smoothly. Coordinate stage managers at the Campground and Discovery stages.

Security Crew. Protect the safety of patrons, volunteers, and artists throughout the festival. Prevent unauthorized entry onto festival grounds.

Set-Up and Tear-Down: Structures. Help set up our tents, fences, stages, and other infrastructure before the festival-and tear it down at the end.

Set-Up and Tear-Down: Tables and Chairs. Make sure everyone has a place to sit. Set up and break down tables and chairs for specific performances and activities, as well as at the beginning and end of the festival.

Signs and Banners. Order, inventory, and hang our festival signage.

Trash Collection. Keep the festival clean and hygienic. Help collect and haul trash and recycling; keep bins from overflowing; and pick up litter as needed.

Watering Hole. Sell beer and wine to thirsty concert attendees.

Youth Activities. Plan and provide special activities for our kids’ program. Run an arts and crafts class, give performances, provide face painting, and more. If you have a unique idea, get in touch —we’re always open to suggestions.