EPIC Festival 2013 Volunteer Overview
EPIC Festival will require an unprecedented number of volunteers
to be successful. Given the scope of the new venue, VanDusen
Garden, and the new Festival format, we will need up to 100
volunteers onsite at any given time.
why volunteer for epic festival? well, let us tell you!
Volunteers will receive free access to EPIC Festival for the entire weekend (a $45 value alone), some
light snacks and beverages while on shift, plus they will have the eternal gratitude of EPIC Festival
organizers! They will gain valuable experience with large format event production and management.
Volunteers who perform admirably will receive letters of reference.
what you have to commit
Volunteers are required to commit to a minimum of two shifts in one department only and to attend an
Orientation Session for that department. Orientation is where you get your volunteer badge, t-shirt and
training so it is mandatory to attend. This will increase the transfer of knowledge between volunteers
and improve the overall experience for everyone. Due to the huge numbers of volunteers, we need to
ask for $8 for your awesome volunteer t-shirt. This barely covers the cost of production and printing!
The $8 will be due upon receiving your shirt at your Orientation Session.
which department is right for you?
Each department will have a Department Leader to whom volunteers will report for their shifts and
discuss schedule / job changes with. Breaking things up into departments will make it easier to manage
the large groups of volunteers during shift changes and will provide leadership and management
opportunities for those who are interested.
If you would like to be a Department Leader please indicate it in your Application in the
“Why I Am EPIC” box.
Production / Operations
Volunteers in this department will help with both
pre-event activities as well as operational functions
during the event.
Pre-event (Thursday, July 4 & Friday, July 5)
• Assisting with the physical and spatial ‘build’
of the Festival site
• Monitoring traffic, supervising vehicle
pathways and parking, unloading/loading
• Help establish a service support schedule
with other Hospitality volunteers and the
Hospitality Coordinator
• Assist with installation and supply of shared
handwash stations, Take Back / Zero Waste
stations, signage and other elements as
required
During Event
• Provide support to the Director of Operations,
Site Manager and other supervisors as needed
• Execute service support schedule: mainly
replenishing fresh water supply to any
exhibitors who need it (i.e. coffee companies,
anyone with a hand wash station)
• Help assemble signage, installations, stages,
features and other built structures
• Remove and dispose of grey water in approved
holding tank
During Event
• Assist with Main Stage transitions, set-up and
equipment transportation
• Provide support to the Stage Manager; liaise
with Site Manager to coordinate artists’ site
transportation
*It should be noted that volunteers in this department can
technically attend both days of EPIC Festival unencumbered if
they volunteer for shifts on Thursday and Friday.
Floater / Runner
Volunteers in this small department are willing to
do anything asked of them, including providing
relief to volunteers on shift or covering for others.
Sometimes being a Floater means ‘hanging out’
with nothing to do; sometimes it means driving to
the store to buy paper towels… and everything and
anything in between! Pre-event and during event
shifts are available.
This department is not recommended for first-time
volunteers as the jobs can be very ambiguous and
random.
Hospitality & Exhibitor Support
This brand-new department for EPIC Festival will
require some volunteers to work on Friday, July 5
during the Exhibitor Move-in as well as during the
event days.
Pre-Event (Friday, July 5)
• Identify exhibitors that will require service
support: water supply, grey water disposal,
cold storage, dry storage or retail stock
• Provide relief staffing for exhibitors who need
breaks or help
• Prepare and deliver light snacks and beverages
to all volunteers and staff, prioritizing any who
are in direct sun for extended periods of time
• Prepare, present and maintain food and
refreshments for the Main Stage Back of
House (small team only)
Information / Registration
Volunteers in this department will have shift
opportunities during Exhibitor Move-in on Friday,
July 5 as well as shifts during the event.
Pre-Event (Friday, July 5)
• Provide support to EPIC Festival Exhibitor
Registration staff:
»» Find and distribute Exhibitor Packages
»» Help exhibitors find their spaces / booth
locations
»» Assist with deploying Exhibitor Support
volunteers
»» Communicate with Site Manager and Movein Manager
Information / Registration Continued
During Event
• Provide support to EPIC Festival Exhibitor
Registration staff (not all exhibitors will
arrive on Friday, July 5. Several will arrive on
Saturday, July 6 in the AM)
• Provide support for EPIC Festival Staff at key
points throughout the VanDusen Grounds:
»» Corner of 37th Ave and Oak street: help
guide visitors to the right line ups (ticket
holder, Will Call, gate purchases)
»» Main Gate Will Call Table: help visitors find
tickets left for them at Will Call
»» Main Gate Crowd Management: if / when
lines get extraordinarily long, see what you
can do to streamline
»» Information Booth: give directions,
schedules, information and other answers
to visitors
»» EPIC Festival Merchandise Tent: help
artists or their representatives sell
band / artist merchandise
»» Assist with display, customer service,
transactions
• Help sell EPIC Festival Sample Tickets: Info
Booth, Sip & Savour Garden, Beer Sponsor
Security
Volunteers in this department will be the ‘eyes and
ears’ of EPIC Festival at the most vulnerable spots
of VanDusen Gardens and will only work during the
event.
• Maintain a presence along 37th Avenue
between Olser and Cartier streets to reduce
‘fence jumping’ (approx. 20 people per shift)
• Initiate radio response if ‘jumpers’ are
observed
• Manage the Parking Lot:
»» Monitor parking capacity, put up “Lot Full”
signs & barriers when needed
»» Ensure only Ride & Drive or Shaughnessey
Restaurant customers enter the lot after
‘Lot Full’ status
»» Assist bus or other high occupancy vehicles
with reversing, turning, entering / exiting
»» Ensure handicap spaces are only occupied
by permit holders
»» End of night: ensure timely and safe exiting
of vehicles by managing pedestrian traffic
(signs, whistles, reflective vests)
• Security Volunteers may elect to work two
consecutive shifts in one day
Environment / Zero Waste Crew
Volunteers in this department will provide support
and assistance with waste management in order to
reduce the environmental footprint of EPIC Festival
to as close to zero as we can get it. These are event
shifts only.
• Assist Zero Waste Crew members in the
supervision and oversight of Recycling / Take
Back Stations
• Ensure all items are deposited into the
appropriate containers; provide education
and / or guidance to visitors so they know
what to do
• Communicate with the Waste Management
company to ensure their containers are kept
clean, reasonably full (not overflowing), and
free of contamination
• Monitor cleanliness of porta-potties; conduct
light cleaning if necessary. Report any portapotties that are unreasonably messy, full or
otherwise un-usable
• Remove discarded items from public grassy
areas (i.e. pick up garbage); ensure these are
put into the proper waste stream containers
orientation sessions
code of conduct
To streamline our Orientation process and to
ensure volunteers are well informed and trained,
volunteers must select shifts in one department only.
This will reduce the amount of training required
and will increase attendance at the mandatory
Orientation Session for the department. It is also
important because Orientation Sessions will take
place concurrently (at the same time) so it is
impossible to attend multiple sessions.
There are a few ‘golden rules’ that volunteers are
required to follow.
Floaters / Runners are exempt from attending
Orientation (but must be an experienced EPIC
volunteer).
Orientation Session #1: Wednesday, June 26, 6:30
PM at VanDusen Garden*
Orientation Session #2: Tuesday, July 2, 6:30 PM at
VanDusen Garden*
*Subject to change if inclimate weather
application process
Applying to volunteer at EPIC Festival is as simple
as filling out our online form. Hitting ‘Submit’ will
send your information to our Volunteer Coordinator
and an email to your inbox so you have a record of
your application.
Use the “Why I am EPIC” box to give us
information about the kind of job you would like.
For example, “I’m taking a Cooking Program at
The Art Institute, so would love to help out chefs
or cooking.” OR “I want to gain some experience
with event management and site supervision so
I’d like to be a Department Leader!.” OR “I’ll help
our wherever you need me, but I generally like
interacting with people the most.”
• First, you are required to wear your Volunteer
t-shirt ONLY while working. In other words, you
must NOT wear your volunteer t-shirt unless
you are working. Make sure to bring a change
of clothes so you can remove your volunteer
t-shift after your shift.
• Second, you must wear your Volunteer Badge
at all times when working. The ‘official’
uniform for EPIC Volunteers is a t-shirt and a
badge. Both of these must be removed when
not working.
• Next, volunteers cannot place blankets, tarps
or other ground coverings in the General
Seating Area prior to the official opening of
the Main Gate at 10:00 AM each day of the
Festival.
• Fourth, volunteers must not be under the
influence of alcohol, drugs or other intoxicants
immediately preceding or during their shift.
Breaking this rule will result in immediate
dismissal and, if necessary, ejection from the
Festival grounds.
• Lastly, attitude. Volunteers must understand
that they might be asked to do something
well outside the scope of their job or they may
be asked to simply wait until tasks arise (for
example, there’s nothing to do at Main Stage
until the band ends, then there’s 10 minutes
of super intense work). Having a ‘good
natured’ and ‘relaxed’ attitude is essential.
Thanks for helping EPIC Festival!
The EPIC Team
EPIC Festival 2013 Volunteer schedule
Day
Shift Name
Department / Time
Production / Operations
Hospitality & Exhibitor Support
Information / Registration
Floater / Runner
Security
Environment / Zero Waste Crew
Thursday, July 4
Shift A
8 AM – 4 PM Friday, July 5
Shift B
Shift C
3:30 PM – 9 PM
8 AM – 4 PM
Shift D
3:30 PM – 9 PM
Saturday, July 6
Sunday, July 7
Monday, July 8
Shift 1
Shift 2
Shift 3
Shift 4
Shift 5
Shift 6
Shift 7
8 AM – 1 PM
12:30 PM – 5 PM
4:30 PM – 10 PM
8 AM – 1 PM
12:30 PM – 5 PM
4:30 PM – 10 PM
8 AM – 12 PM