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Blue Ridge Rock Festival in ‘Chaos’ Over Traffic and Camping Issues
September 12, 2021

Blue Ridge Rock Festival in ‘Chaos’ Over Traffic and Camping Issues

Festival goers have slammed the "chaos" unfolding at Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Virginia via social media.

The event –– which is hosting the likes of Five Finger Death Punch, Shinedown and Rob Zombie in its inaugural event in Virginia –– has reportedly been beset with logistical challenges, with hours-long traffic queues and insufficient camping facilities among the chief concerns of attendees and locals alike.

A Facebook group –– 'Screwed by Blue Ridge Rock Festival' –– has been launched in response to the festival's issues, attracting thousands of members.

"This event has been wrought with ineptitude and failure," the group's description reads. "Ticketing was a nightmare. Camping was oversold, leaving prospective attendees without the accommodations that they paid for. Parking was disorganized and inefficient, leaving attendees in long lines for unacceptable durations."

In this local news report, one festival goer describes the "chaos" of getting in to Blue Ridge Rock Festival, while another interviewee who works in the area claims local businesses are "losing money" as a result of the issues.

“It was just cars piled on cars,” J.T. Turner told 10 News in Roanoke, Virginia. “A lot of wait hours. You heard people saying they waited for six hours, four hours. But overall, as the day kept going by it got better.”

See below for some online reaction to Blue Ridge Rock Festival's problems:

As well as problems with traffic and camping, social media posts are pointing to issues with the festival's security, access for those with disabilities and VIP packages, with some drawing comparisons to the infamous Fyre Festival.

See below for some drone footage of the queues into BRRF:

There are several attendees, however, who have been more positive about the experience, pointing to the strong line-up and production quality on display.

 

BRRF did acknowledge the issues and provided the following update to fans via Facebook on Friday (Sept. 10):

"Rockers,
We have heard you and understand that getting to the festival grounds has been confusing.
We hope this post will clear some things up.
GETTING HERE: Please see the map (bit.ly/BRRFParkingMap) for parking locations and addresses. Each parking lot has a dedicated shuttle that will bring you to the festival grounds. Police and parking attendants will be directing you into these lots.
Offsite camping: Shuttle pick up to the festival grounds are at the campground entrance gate at SR 864
ADA: There is ADA parking at all of the 3 day lots closer to the shuttle locations. Shuttles then transport to the festival grounds.
Once on grounds, ADA patrons can call for Catch a Rydes dispatch for free shuttles 608-472-9016. Shuttles start at 8 AM and go until the headliner takes the stage. We have additional ADA-only golf cart shuttles on the grounds.
END OF THE ROCK DAY:
Returning to car or campsite: When you’re done for the day, please look for signs at the exit that will direct you to the shuttles back to lots and off-site parking.
If you are attending the after-party, please follow the “After Party” signs. These shuttles will drop you off so you can continue your fun.
We apologize that this has been so confusing the past couple days, we hear you and are working to make your Fan Driven experience the best it could be."

Blue Ridge Rock Festival wraps today (Sept. 12). Loudwire has approached the festival for comment, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.

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