As promised: Your guide to all things All Good.

For one weekend of every summer, a little mountaintop in West Virginia becomes a big family campground. Marvin’s Mountaintop, twelve miles outside of Morgantown, is host to Walther Productions’ annual All Good Festival. Featuring a combination of well-known and emerging artists, All Good was described by Jambase as “an annual exploration of who we are and a much needed soul cleansing”.

A small festival with only two stages, a main stage and a smaller side stage, All Good has a family vibe that keeps going right through the weekend. Navigating the festival can be confusing, though, so let me help you get started with some tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way.

Paying for your ticket
At press time, GA tickets for All Good were priced at $139, Early Arrival passes (for Thursday  night) were priced at $20, and Even Better VIP passes were $379.

Going to festivals can get expensive, especially if you want to go to more than one in a summer. What I did last summer, and thoroughly enjoyed, was the Work Exchange Program. Headed by Shimon Presents, WET (Work Exchange Team) is a way to pay for your ticket by doing odd jobs around the site. Jobs included doing artist check-in at a nearby hotel, helping other WET attendees check in, guiding traffic, and fulfilling artist’s needs (MORE BEER!). All that’s demanded is twelve hours over the weekend, and most jobs still allow you to see and hear the music, sometimes even from backstage. You can request off for the artists you really want to see, though nothing is guaranteed.

Another option is leading a playshop. Throughout the weekend, All Good has relaxed “playshops”, or workshops about doing yoga, painting kites, playing the bongos, or anything else you could imagine. Teach one or two of these, and admission is free!

More about this on the All Good website.

Getting to the festival
Twelve miles outside of Morgantown, WV, All Good isn’t near much. While driving is probably the best way, there are a few other options for getting to the fest.

Flying: If you’re going to fly, fly into Pittsburgh International Airport. It’s the closest to the fest, 93 miles away, and from there you can catch a ride with a friend or rent a car.

Carpool: The Internet is the greatest social networking tool. Hit Jambase, Craigslist, and Phantasy Tour, and gear up to make some new friends.

Once you’ve figured out how you’re getting to West Virginia, start planning when you’re going to leave. The $20 Early Arrival pass is well worth it, because it allows you not only to beat the hours of traffic up the mountain, but also to set up camp early at a prime spot. There’s also the whole Thursday night music scene, but – whatever. This is about logistics. Be warned: If you have to come on Friday, the line to get into the festival can be hours long. Be ready to miss all of early Friday’s music, and to camp pretty far away from the stages.

If you’re driving, beware of I-68 through southern Maryland. This is a notorious cop hotspot. I cannot stress this enough. Cops will pull over anyone who looks like they’re headed to All Good and search thoroughly. If you’re riding dirty, even slightly, do not drive through Maryland, or have someone ready with bail money. A better choice is taking 66 through Tera Alta, WV; it takes a little bit more time, but a lot less hassle and worry.

Necessities
Just like any other festival, there are certain things you’ll need at All Good. Then, there are things you’ll want, and there are things you definitely don’t need. The rundown:

Need
-Reusable water bottle (There’s clean, cold water available, but feel free to bring your own if you don’t want to get muddy by the bus. The water comes out of a bus; it’s awesome.)
-Tent, tent stakes, mallet
-Sleeping bag, pillow
-Food (there are vendors, but three days of Shakedown food can wreak havoc on your wallet – and your stomach lining.)
-Toilet paper (you never know where you’ll have to go!)
-Sunscreen
-Lots of clothing. It gets wicked cold at night, so be ready to layer.
-Plenty of socks. Cannot be stressed enough.
-Trash bags (Put one inside your tent; you want to leave the mountaintop like you found it!)
-Umbrella
-Positive attitude! Heady vibezzzzz.
-Lighter
-Backpack, with enough room for your:
-Cell phone
-Camera
-Flashlight
-Cash (There’s an ATM, but lines tend to be long and fees can be rough. Also, the ATM doesn’t open until Friday, so if you’re coming Thursday, it’s good to be prepared.)
-Baby wipes
-Baby powder (No chafing, no problems.)

Want
-Fan
-Batteries
-Tapestry (Wonderful to sit on!)
-Notebook
-Sunglasses
-Hat/bandana
-Festival map/program

Leave at home
-Glass bottles
-Makeup
-High heels
-Fireworks (Seriously. They’re dangerous, and they’ll get you kicked out of the fest.)

Miscellaneous
The vibes: The greatest thing about All Good is that there are only two stages, and the sets never overlap. There’s none of the worry or stress that you find at other festivals, when your three favorites are all playing at the same time and the stages are all on opposite sides of the campgrounds. At All Good, the main stage and the secondary stage are right next to each other, so you never have to move far in between sets. The crowd is fairly laid-back, also, so there isn’t much pushing and shoving to get to the front. Wait your turn, and you’ll get there.
Security: Don’t cause trouble, don’t bring nitrous tanks, and you’ll be fine. Be discreet, but remember: This is a music festival in the middle-of-nowhere, WV. Break out your bowl, and the comments you’ll be getting will probably be along the lines of, “Sweet, brah! Did you blow that yourself?”
Your car will get searched, but the chances of it being thorough are slim. It’s always good to be on the safe side, though, and since you’ll probably be able to find everything you’re looking for inside, it might not be worth the risk.
The campsites tend to be safe, but as a general rule: Don’t leave anything you’re interested in keeping lying around. There’s always that one asshole who ruins the fun, and you don’t want him ruining the fun with your car. Your best bet is to carry a backpack or fanny pack (they’re coming back in style!) with your keys, wallet, and other valuables, just in case.
Money: Bring a lot of it. Food, ice, souvenirs, goodies, and other trinkets add up. It’s easy to go through the fest without spending, though, if you come prepared – so if you’re strapped for cash, pack your cooler up with plenty of food and ice.
Alcohol, drugs, etc: Cans aren’t allowed by the stages; glass bottles aren’t allowed into the grounds. Pack accordingly.
Drugs are available. Drugs are everywhere. If you’re coming with kids, camp in the family grounds, where drugs are less common. If you’re looking for some good times, walk around Shakedown Street (the vendor area) and it shouldn’t take you long to find what you’re seeking. Remember, though, that lots of powders are white and lots of things can be printer on paper. Buyers, beware.

VIP, Family camping, ADA camping
What’s the deal?
VIP/”Even Better”: At $379 for the weekend, VIP camping doesn’t come cheap. However, it does come with free private showers, campgrounds overlooking the stages, Thursday admission, one car permit (not RVs), an exclusive viewing area, private bathrooms, discounted beer, snacks, festie gear, and shuttles to take you around the mountain. Also, VIPs have a private check-in and separate entrance, so there’s no (or less) Friday backup.
Family camping: Kids 0-3 enter free, 4-12 pay $60, and 13+ pay full price. Any family with a child under 12 is eligible to park in the “Family with child under 12” area, which is typically quieter, cleaner, and less crowded. It’s near the stages, and has a kids play area with scheduled activities throughout the weekend. RVs are not allowed. Across the way, there is a “Family Camp/Quiet Camp” area, which is for families with slightly older children. Anyone looking to camp in the family area can register online.
ADA camping: Accommodations are available, but advanced registration and a state-issued handicap permit are required. The campsite is close to the stages and wheelchair-accessible. RVs are not permitted. All port-a-johns on the festival grounds are handicapped-accessible, but roads are not paved; assistance is available at the gate.

Lineup:
Assembly of Dust, Bassnectar, Ben Harper and Relentless 7, BK3 (feat. Bill Kreutzmann, Oteil Burbridge, & Scott Murawski), Bob Weir & Ratdog, Boombox, The Bridge, Buckethead, Cornmeal, Dark Star Orchestra, Donna the Buffalo, Fear Nuttin’ Band, Galactic, Hill Country Revue, Jackie Greene, Jeff Austin & Brendan Bayliss, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Keller Williams, Lake Trout, Les Claypool, Lotus, moe., The New Mastersounds, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, SOJA, Steve Kimock Crazy Engine, STS9, Tea Leaf Green, That 1 Guy, Todd Snider, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave., Umphrey’s McGee, Yonder Mountain String Band

In summary, show up on Marvin’s Mountaintop with a tent and a smile, and you’ll be in for a great weekend!

Tomorrow morning, a contest is opening up on the All Good website! Test your festival knowledge by downloading the All Good crossword puzzle; clues will be going up on the fest’s Twitter and Facebook pages. Once you have all the answers, email them to intern@allgoodfestival.com for a chance to win tickets!