More Information
It is always our goal to make the Smiling Acres Music Festival an incredible time for everyone involved!
To that end, we’ve gathered all of the information you’ll need to make the most of your festival experience, including suggestions for what to bring, directions to the festival, answers to frequently asked questions, and rules we ask everyone to follow.
What To Bring
- Sunscreen
- Small folding chair
- Hat
- Rain gear
- Ear plugs
- Camera/phone (professional photography and video recording equipment NOT allowed without the proper/approved media pass)
- Bug spray
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Camping is included with your weekend pass.
Nope! Open Camping is available in marked sections of our grounds. Sites are first come, first serve.
You’re welcome to set up anything that will fit within the parameters of your designated space. Typical sites are 25’x35’ but larger spaces are allowed as long as the fire lanes remain open. We do not limit the amount of tents or people allowed within one site, but please be courteous and allow room for your neighbors.
Ground fires are not allowed. All heat-producing devices such as grills, camp stoves, and Coleman lanterns must be carefully monitored and may not be left unattended. Please be conscientious of wind direction and positioning to avoid smoking out your neighbors. If Smiling Acres staff determine there is a problem, you will be asked to correct it.
Thanks to our online ticketing system, your ticket purchases will be emailed directly to you. If you cannot find the email with your tickets you can always contact us in the office if you need assistance.
Campsites are primitive (no electrical connection available). Generators are allowed so long as they are quiet (65db or less) and the exhaust does not interfere with another campsite.
Our sanitation partner will be onsite throughout the weekend to service our toilets. They are available to pump holding tanks at these times. Please contact us or speak to them onsite if you require this service.
Location & Directions
Parking
Parking will be in the lot towards the west end of the event area. When you arrive, you will see signs pointing this out.
Rules & Policies
General Policies
- NO GLASS BOTTLES
- NO PETS*
- NO LITTERING
- NO SCOOTERS/GOLF CARTS
- NO FIREARMS
- NO FIREWORKS
- NO SKY LANTERNS
- NO DRONES/UNMANNED REMOTE CONTROL VEHICLES
- NO PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY OR VIDEO RECORDING EQUIPMENT WITHOUT APPROVED MEDIA PASS.
- NO UNAUTHORIZED VENDORS
- THE EVENT WILL GO ON RAIN OR SHINE
- Lineup and/or set times are subject to change without notice.
- No refunds will be given for any temporary evacuations.
- Upon entering the venue, you accept that your likeness (pictures/videos) may be used as promotional material by Smiling Acres Music Festival
- All persons entering the Smiling Acres Music Festival do so at their own risk. No liability is assumed by the owners, managers, promoters, sponsors or others associated with this event
- Smiling Acres is not responsible for lost or stolen wristbands, theft, loss or damage of personal property or personal injury
Friday Entry
Friday morning entry to the festival will be at the Main Gate only. No parking along the road leading to the festival site until 9am on Friday morning. The roads must be kept clear so that emergency vehicles, school buses, and our neighbors can get through. Violators will be ticketed and/or towed by the Montcalm County Sheriff Department.Minors
Anyone under age 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian over age 21. Minors in possession of alcohol will be ticketed, evicted and prosecuted.Pets
Do not bring pets of any kind. Service dogs must be licensed and tagged by a recognized service animal training program.Animals
There are animals that live at Smiling Acres year round. This is a small hobby farm. Please be courteous to the animals and let them be. We ask you do not feed any of the barn animals except for the provided feeding stations.Your Wristband
Wear your wristband on your wrist where it can be seen all weekend. Be careful not to put your wristband on too tightly – they do not stretch. Persons without wrist tickets (wristbands) will be ejected from the Festival. If they return, they will be arrested & prosecuted. Persons with counterfeit wristbands will be ticketed, evicted and prosecuted. A private, uniformed security company will patrol the perimeter of the festival grounds.As You Set Up Camp
- Do not block fire lines.
- Park all campers, vehicles, and motor homes with either tongue or nose facing toward the road/lane. for quickest exit in the unlikely event of an evacuation.
- Stay within the festival boundaries.
Respect Your Neighbors
Respect your neighbors and your neighbors’ property. Please report problematic behavior to Smiling Acres staff. Problematic behavior may result in expulsion from the festival.
Day Parking
Day parking is available and intended for people who are not camping and extra vehicles not needed at campsites.
Driving After 9 PM
No driving in the campgrounds after 9 PM. If you arrive after 9 PM please park in Day Parking for the night. If you know you will be leaving after 9 PM, please park in Day Parking.
Fire Safety
No open fires (ground fires). All heat producing devices such as grills, camp stoves and Coleman lanterns must be carefully monitored and may not be left unattended. Please be conscientious of wind direction and positioning to avoid smoking out your neighbors. If Smiling Acres staff determine there is a problem you will be asked to correct it.
Audio Equipment
Limited use of radios and music devices is allowed at low volume. Please do not interfere with your neighbors’ camping experience. If Smiling Acres staff determine there is a problem you will be asked to correct it.
Vending
Unauthorized vending is not allowed at the festival. Offenders will be evicted from the festival, and their merchandise confiscated.
Alcohol/Substance Policy
Underage persons observed in the possession of, or under the influence of alcohol or other drugs will be referred to Sheriff’s Deputies. Adults who are creating problems will be referred to Smiling Acres Staff. If there is no cooperation or improvement in their problematic behaviors, Sheriff’s Department personnel will be notified. The offending person or persons will be evicted. This may include the families or guardians of teens, or all members of any disruptive campsites. If there are problems with the eviction, they will be prosecuted for any and all applicable violations of the law.
Serious or repeat problems will result in persons being permanently banned from the Festival. Secure your alcoholic beverages and/or coolers when you leave your campsite.
Weapons Policy
While there may be circumstances where carrying a concealed weapon is justified, Smiling Acres does not believe they have a place at our festival. Accordingly, to promote and maintain a safe, threat -and violence-free festival, reduce the potential for threats or violence involving weapons; minimize risks to personnel, customers, and visitors and to protect the organization’s reputation, Smiling Acres has adopted a policy prohibiting the possession of weapons on festival grounds. Persons found in possession of dangerous weapons will be asked to remove them from Smiling Acres property immediately. Failure to do so will result in expulsion from the premises. Please leave all weapons at home.
Help
Workers are available 24 hours a day to handle any and all problems should they arise. They can be identified by their STAFF t-shirts and uniformed security. If you need to report an injury, a fire, have rowdy neighbors who are making too much noise too late at night, or want assistance with any other problem in your area, these are the people to look for.
Personal Transportation & If you require assistance
Hospitality is available if you need help getting around the festival site. Please ask for assistance from a staff member or look for the marked golf cart.
Bicycles are permitted so long as you are aware of your surroundings and keep out of areas that are marked off-limits.
Golf carts and/or personal transportation devices – other than those designated for handicap use – are NOT permitted.
Sunday Departure
The festival grounds close at 7 PM on Sunday. Please plan to depart the festival grounds by this time.
Refunds
All sales are final and refunds are only allowed in limited circumstances, as explained in this section and the Canceled, Postponed, Rescheduled, and Moved Events section below.
Before purchasing tickets, carefully review your event selection.
Canceled, Postponed, Rescheduled, and Moved Events
If an event is canceled, no action is required to obtain a refund; we will issue a refund to the original method of payment used at time of purchase.
If an event is postponed, rescheduled, or moved, your tickets are still valid for the new date and no further action is required. Emails will be sent to ticket holders notifying them of any available refund options for the event.
If you have tickets to an event that has been postponed for more than 60 days—and no rescheduled dates have been announced – a 30-day window for refunds will open at that time.
*Service Animals
Smiling Acres welcomes and supports the rights and attendance of all persons with disabilities that rely on the special skills of a trained service animal. What we DO NOT support, nor will tolerate, are pets being misrepresented by their owners as service animals, when in fact they are not. So please, don’t do it. Leave your pet at home. We mean it. For patrons with disabilities who wish to bring their legitimate service animal to Smiling Acres Music Festival, we ask that you review and follow the policies outlined below:
- Service animals must be accompanied by the handler with the disability at all times.
- Service animals must be under the control and supervision of their handler at all times.
- Service animals are not permitted to be left in camp unattended under any circumstances.
- Handlers are required to be prepared for, and clean-up after, their animals at all times.
- We reserve the right to remove and/or refuse access to any service animal from the campgrounds or venues if that animal is deemed to be a health or safety threat to festival patrons, staff, or other service animals, or in violation of these policies.