Photo by August J Photography
Written by Elise Olmstead
One of our favorite festivals of the season is Mountain Music Festival at Ace Adventure Resort in Minden, WV, taking place May 31-June 2nd, 2018. Besides being an action-packed getaway from everyday life, they are hosting two of my favorite bands – Umphrey’s McGee and BIG Something, making the festival a complete must on my schedule for this season.
The full musical lineup for Mountain Music Fest this year is: Umphrey’s McGee x2, BIG Something x2, Perpetual Groove, Pimps of Joytime, Aqueous, LITZ, Broccoli Samurai, The Fritz, The Kind Thieves x2, Bennett Wales and the Relief, Travers Brothership, The MFB, Dr. Slothclaw, Manor & Friends, Electric Orange Peel, Black Garlic, Short & Company, Voodoo Circuit, Opposite Box, The Parachute Brigade, 49 Winchester, Matt Mullins & the Bringdowns, Union Sound Treaty, Flat Tracker, Paul Johnson with Corey McQuade.
The beautiful Ace Adventure Resort is nestled in the big beautiful mountains of West Virginia, with a restaurant and bar, cabins, waterpark, zipline course, and a plethora of river adventures including rafting at different skill levels. All of these amenities create the perfect opportunity for a complete vacation, and a great festival to bring the kids to.
Get your tickets now (link below) and take care of that first step towards a getaway weekend in the mountains. Ah, doesn’t that feel better? Now you’re locked in and ready to choose where you’ll lay your head!
https://aceraft.com/mountain-music-fest/tickets/
Choose your lodging
There’s nothing better than camping under the stars in the early Summer weather, but there are many options to offer your most comfortable stay at MMF. 2-Day or 3-Day passes include primitive camping each night, and most of the camping areas are flat with lush grass. Many of my friends like to camp along the tree line, where it’s the perfect area for hammocks and shade, but these spaces fill up quick!
From camping to cabins, there are tons of options in between, here’s a look at all of the different ways to enjoy your stay on Wonderland Mountain!
The shuttle bus is always there to give you a lift! Photo by Roger Gupta.
– Primitive Camping
Primitive camping is included in your ticket, and is located right in the thick of the festival, only a short walk to the stages. Shuttles will be running 24 hours for the duration of the festival to take you and your gear from the parking lot to the campground, as well as providing a lift for you back to the parking lot if needed, as well as to the water park and restaurant.
– Car Camping
Car Camping is a great way to keep your valuables locked up and nearby in case you need them. You could even catch some air conditioning or even sleep in the back of your SUV with the trunk open – hey, you do you! Car camping is in the same general area as primitive camping, but is on the half of the field closest to the stages. This add-on will run you about $49 per vehicle for the 3 day weekend (Thursday-Sunday).
https://aceraft.com/product/mmfest18-car-camping-upgrade/
– Cabin Tent
Have you ever pulled out your camping gear for the first fest of the season – only to discover it grew some pretty questionable mildew over the winter? Well, we can’t think of a better reason to let MMFest worry about your sleeping arrangements. A tent will be set up for you on a platform under a roof, with a cozy little porch area and picnic table. The cabin tent even comes with camp mattresses raised off the floor, so no need to dig out the ol’ air pump. Up to four people can stay and it costs $299 for this option.
https://aceraft.com/product/mmf18-festival-cabin-tent/
Party Tent –
The Party Tent option is just like the Cabin Tent – except you are allowed a maximum of 5 occupants and camping pads are included instead of raised mattresses. This option is perfect if you have 5 in your party and you like to, well, party! $299 is the cost of this add-on.
https://aceraft.com/product/mmfest-18-festival-party-tent/
RV Camping –
Bring your home away from home with plenty of RV camping options. The more expensive RV sites (with hookups) are conveniently located by Ace’s main facilities including dining, showers, and the water park. Most sites are pull through sites and 30 & 45 AMP sites are available. These RV sites cost $199 for the festival weekend. If you aren’t looking for hook-ups, you can park your RV, conversion van, or bus, in the campground for the add-on price of $49 (for the weekend).
https://aceraft.com/product/mmfest-18-rv-sites-w-hookups/
Cabins –
For the ultimate comfort during your Mountain Music Fest experience, we suggest booking a cabin! There are limited cabins available, so you’ll need to act fast. Most cabins include a kitchenette, cable or satellite TV, and a hot tub! The largest – Red Fox Log Home – has 7 total beds and a jacuzzi in the master bedroom. The cedar cabins are the most cost-effective option at $149/night, but these only have a mini-fridge and microwave instead of a kitchen, and no TV or hot tub.
Prices – $149/night – $589/night
https://aceraft.com/cabins-cottages-camping/
Now that you have your festival ticket and your lodging arranged, pat yourself on the back and take it easy for the night. We’ll let visions of jam bands and hot tubs dance in your head as you doze off – but get plenty of rest because the next chapter of our planning guide will help you plan your adventures! Besides the water park, there’s tons more water and mountain activities to explore, and you’ll want to get a head start so you don’t have to stress once you’re on site. We’ll see you next time mountain and music fans!
