The Great GoogaMooga round 2 is VERY NEARLY UPON US, and though many of us were cruelly turned away from free tickets to the festivities, there are still plenty of you out there preparing to hit Prospect Park this weekend. With that in mind, we’ve wrangled some much-needed tips from the organizers to help get things moving swiftly this year, since last year GoogaMooga-ers were subject to a few foodfest-related debacles (LONG WAITS FOR BEER WHY GOD WHY). Here are some things to keep in mind:
IF YOU DON’T HAVE A TICKET YET:
A number of us were subject to the sting of rejection when the GoogaMooga organizers informed us last month (exactly one month ago today, not that we’re still bitter or anything) that we weren’t chosen to receive free tickets. Some of us tempered this shutout by convincing friends to give us an extra ticket, joined the Propect Park Alliance, won tickets through more giveaways or shelled out for VIP entry; if you still haven’t procured a ticket, though, don’t give up hope! General admission tickets are still available for Friday’s concert, and though it’ll cost you $54.50 to get one, it also guarantees entry on Saturday or Sunday.
If you’re not into dropping $50+ on tickets, there are plenty for sale at discounted prices on Craigslist, but as always, watch out for scammers, and know your tickets can only be transferred electronically via EventBrite. And if you’re dying for a free ticket, the organizers are still looking for volunteers to help out this weekend; signing up for a shift will get you festival tickets, or vouchers for select venues if you’re already set to go.
GETTING THERE:
GoogaMooga’s held on the Nethermead Meadow in Prospect Park, and since the G train doesn’t like to work when you need it to, it won’t be running south of Hoyt-Schermerhorn through the weekend starting at 11pm on Friday. And if you’re coming from south of the park, the F won’t be running on the northbound side from Ft. Hamilton Pkwy, 15 St – Prospect Pk, 4 Av – 9 St. Adventures! Expect to bounce around northbound and southbound tracks on both trains, use the Q as a transfer point at Atlantic Ave, and look forward to hearing about track changes one thousand times on every train you take (or hear no changes at all, miss your transfer point and curse the MTA for all its worth).
If you don’t want to brave the subway this weekend, for the love of god, don’t drive. There’s almost NO PARKING, because this is Prospect Park, and there’s never any parking. The organizers are providing bike valets, so even though you can’t bring your wheels into the festival, bring your bike to the valets at the intersection of West Dr. and Center Dr. and they’ll park it outside for you.
To get into the park, organizers recommend you use the entrance at 16th St. and Prospect Park Southwest; you can also enter at Bartel-Pritchard Circle (intersection of Prospect Park West and Prospect Park Southwest near 15th St.), 3rd and 9th Sts. on Prospect Park West and the Ocean and Lincoln Avenue entrance to the park. Gates open at 11am on Saturday and Sunday, and 4pm on Friday. And yes, get there early. And no, there is no re-entry once you leave, unless you pick up a re-entry ticket from a supervisor at an exit point BEFORE leaving the festival grounds.
WHAT TO BRING:
Things that are not allowed at GoogaMooga: weapons (duh), fireworks or explosives, illegal substances (no drugs!), any glass containers, any cans, big backpacks, backpacks with frames, any food or drinks other than water, coolers or picnic baskets, fold-up chairs or lawn furniture, bicycles, scooters or motorized vehicles (motorized wheelchairs are fine), boomboxes, speakers or radios, multi-person umbrellas, pets, laser pointers, sports equipment, professional photography equipment, unauthorized vending things. WHEW.
DO bring a big bottle of water, your personal camera (though at this point we assume you’ve traded a point-and-shoot out for Instagram), a blanket to sit on and maybe a sweatshirt on Sunday, because it looks like it’ll be a little chilly.
BRINGING THE LIL ONES:
Children are both allowed and encouraged to attend, and children under 6 get in free. Don’t sneak them any beer.
SHOULD I TAKE OUT CASH BEFORE I GO?
Yes. The booths are all cash-only, and though the organizers will be setting up ATMs on festival grounds, they will have long lines/probably go down, so stock up on dolla dolla billz, y’all.
WILL MY FRIENDS GET MAD AT ME IF I INSTAGRAM ALL MY MEALS?
Yes.
I’M GOING TO DO IT ANYWAY. WHAT FILTER SHOULD I USE?
Amaro will capture both the color and consistency of your Luke’s Lobster Roll best. But keep in mind that X-Pro II is bomb at highlighting shadows, and it will make your pork belly sandwich look downright delectable.
I AM A VEGETARIAN/VEGAN. WHO WILL FEED ME?
GoogaMooga isn’t exactly offering a wealth of vegetarian options, but since bites will cost around $8-$15 anyway (not including booze prices!), you’ll probably be able to handle what they’ve got: Beechers, Calexico, Caracas, Gwynett Street, Little Muenster, Northern Spy, Pizzamoto, Roberta’s, Seersucker, Rosemary’s and South Brooklyn Pizza will cover if you’re a vegetarian. You get a whopping one option without animal products if you’re vegan: Willow Road‘s charred bean salad
Well folks, that just about does it — remember that in addition to all that delicious food, there’ll be a bunch of musical acts this weekend, including the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the Flaming Lips on Friday, Matt and Kim on Saturday and Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings on Sunday. Happy Mooga-ing, and leave any other tips you might have in the comments!
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To clarify, purchasing a ticket to Friday’s benefit concert guarantees entry to the festival on Saturday or Sunday, not Friday or Saturday as mentioned above.