How to navigate BamaJam

Don’t miss this:
A large BamaJam mural painted at the entrance into the festival grounds is a great photo spot. Festivalgoers are encouraged to grab a Sharpie and sign their names as well. Markers will be available.

First-time BamaJam goers are green to the experience, and even second-season campers and patrons need to know there are a few changes at this year’s BamaJam Music & Arts Festival.
To help you along the way, Eagle staff sat down with Mark Sheldon, vice president of construction and retail for Ronnie Gilley properties. Sheldon, who has been one of the men behind the machine when it comes to all-things BamaJam, answered a series of questions festival-goers might have.

Stages: Four. Main or country stage; Alternative; Jagermeister; and Budweiser stage.

Entertainers: 45

Tickets: Tickets are available at a wide variety of locations in several states and can also be purchased at the gate. A 3-day pass is $150. A single-day ticket can be purchased for $90, also at the gate. Kids 6 and under get in free.
Hint: The Texaco station at the intersection of U.S. 84 and John D. Odom Road is selling $99 tickets for the whole weekend. The tickets were purchased earlier at a reduced price, which the store is passing along to patrons.

Tickets sold: 80,000
Porta-potties: There are 225 located throughout the campsites and festival grounds.

Parking: If you are driving in for the day, parking is $10 per day. If you leave in your car, you will be charged $10 to get back in, unless you have a special parking pass. Parking lot accommodates 15,000 cars.
Hint: This year, to reduce the number of drunk driving and other violations, visitors will be allowed to sleep in their cars, in an emergency.

Gates: The parking lot gates open at 8 a.m. The entrance into BamaJam does not open until noon each day.
Hint: There are lots of gates to come in. If you are coming from the south on County Road 27, try Gate 2 first. Gate 1 is for campers.

Camping: RV or camper space is $150 per 25-by-40-foot lot. Tent spaces are $75. Camping was sold out, but new sites have been opened. The numbers are limited. To reserve a site, call 877-4-BAMAJAM.
Hint: Get an RV guide when you come through the gate.

Shuttle: There will be 12 Talladega Motor Speedway trams delivering and picking up people. Six will work the campsites and six will be in the parking lot area. There are signs located throughout the campgrounds and parking lot designating tram pickups. The shuttle will run continuously from 11 a.m. until 3 a.m.
Tidbit: Dust at this point is nonexistent.

Saloon: Must be 21 to enter. No exceptions.
Hint: As soon as you enter BamaJam, you can get your ID checked and be issued a special wrist band that will identify you as over 21.

Coupons: The approximately 50 vendors will not take cash or credit, only coupon. There are eight tan-colored sheds located throughout BamaJam where coupons can be purchased. Coupons are $10 for 16, making each ticket worth 62.5 cents.
Hint: That translates as such: A beer at BamaJam costs $3.12.

Kids Area: There will be a kid’s area under the large oak tree near the entrance. It will include bungee jumping, a train, carnival games and other Kids zone is $10 for all day.
Hint: There are no babysitters working. You can not drop your kids off and leave them.

Cooling off: There are two misting tents – one in the Bud Pavilion near the Budweiser stage and another near the kid’s area.

Don’t forget: Your lawn chair. Seating is not provided.

First Aid: Two stations on site – one is at the end of vendor row and the other is under the big oak tree near the kid’s area.

Camping amenities: There is a newly constructed 5-woman, 5-man shower in the primary campground, on the same side of the road as the BamaJam activities. It will operate from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. and is free.
Tidbit: Local airbrush artist John Wayne Ryals painted the inside to look like outhouses.

Camping General Store: Campers can get repairs made and can pick up supplies at the store in the main camping area.

Merchandise Barn: A large red barn in the center of the BamaJam complex offers music, T-shirts, and other merchandise as souvenirs from BamaJam and your favorite artist.