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RAW SPIRIT FEST 2008

Hello everyone. I am trying to make plans to attend the Raw Spirit Fest in Sedona, AZ this September. My partner and I are college students on a limited budget. We were considering renting a condo for the week instead of paying $200 a day to stay at the resort hosting the festival. The festival does include 3 meals per day and I’m sure I can find a local farmers market if we additional food. I’m basically trying to decide my lodging options and whether or not to fly or drive to Arizona. I live in Michigan. Has anyone attended the this festival before? Could you offer any suggestions to a broke, aspiring raw college student? Thank you for all you help.

Comments

  • m00nchilem00nchile Raw Newbie

    I would love to go to the festival this year myself. I live in Ohio may go with my 6 year old. It’s a great idea to make plans early.

  • I haven’t attended the festival, but if you really wanted to scrimp and save you could just bring a tent and camp at one of the campgrounds around Sedona (though it would be a bit chilly at night), or just stay in a hotel farther away from the site. You can find a decent hotel for 60 dollars a night or less. Renting a condo is also a good option and there is a lot last minute wheeling and dealing that goes on where you can get a great bargain, just be careful that you don’t get suckered into attending a timeshare meeting, since sometimes you get a great bargain only to find out that is part of it, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

    That’s a long drive from Michigan, so it’s your call. However I would suggest, if you fly, to at least rent a car in Sedona and venture out to see the Grand Canyon, Jerome, and Flagstaff. All great places to visit. Sedona itself is a great place to see and visit.

    All the best on your journey.

  • have you considered seeing if any other people are interested in driving there? it’d be an awesome drive. road trips are the best. You could see if someone here is interested [if you’re comfortable with doing that]. For example, I live in wisconsin and have been toying with the idea of trying to get out there this year. I would definitely consider carpooling with a few people [even strangers, if somewhere near my age etc.]. That could be an easy way to cut expenses way down. If all the people going are raw, then finding food would be a cinch. All in all, flying would be the fastest and possibly the most hassle-free, but what’s the fun in that?!

    Maybe this will help. If there’s anyone around Wisconsin going to this and IS looking for a possible carpoolee, let me know. :]

    As far as where to stay, I second the idea of bringing a tent. Camping wouldn’t be bad at all.. and as far as the cold goes- well, that’s what fires are for! Otherwise a cheapo motel or hotel in the surrounding area.

  • Hi! I went in 2007 and it was, of course, amazing. Don’t worry about food, they feed you plenty plus there are tons of vendors. Make sure to stop by the date guy!!! We stayed off the resort in a town 15 min away I think it was Oak Creek… something. I’ll edit my post when I find out. And as far as getting to the festival, they provided buses, free of charge just for the festival participants who were staying elsewhere. My suggestion is not flying into Sedona, you’ll save money by flying into Pheonix and renting a car from there. Or at least we saved money doing it that way. My sister and I did agree, this year we are spending the extra $ to stay at the resort though. We missed out on all the music and dancing at night. The buses quit running about 9pm so we had to leave and miss out on a lot of the extra fun. And, this is really important! Unless you are actually staying at the resort, you are NOT allowed to park at the resort!!! You HAVE to bus in. So, even if you have a car you have to park somewhere else and still bus. Police were ticketing and hauling off cars parked on the side of the road near the festival too. And as far as walking, well, it’s situated so that you’d have to walk several miles on the side of a tiny 2 lane road and with that traffic, well, I think it would be dangerous. So…. in my opinion, get a ton of people in a room together on site or camp. Though I’m from Nebraska and was really surprised how cold it got at night (but then again, that was Oct. and it will be Sept. this year).

    If you have anymore questions, please ask away!

    It was worth every penny!

  • Hey everyone,

    I’ll be speaking at the Raw Spirit Fest this year, but I’m not 100% sure of what I should talk about.

    What would you like to hear at the conference?

    I’d like to speak on a subject that people want to hear most. :)

    Let me know your feedback. I’d love to hear it…

    Jim

  • Hello,

    I am so excited to go to the festival. I have been trying to decide about accomodations but after I just read aleta’s post I think I will spend the extra money and book at the resort. If I am spending my vacation time at the festival I want to get everything I can from it…don’t want to miss the nighttime music and dancing!! Does anyone know if Scott Huckabay is playing again this year?? I am going to book my room right now! C-YA there!!

  • FYI….......
    Regarding the Raw Spirit Festival

    I Just tried to book a room at the Radisson where the festival is being held and the hotel is sold out NO rooms left!! I guess I will have to find a different hotel or campground!

  • We can’t wait to go to the Raw Spirit Festival! This will be our first time, and I am SO excited. I also haven’t been to Sedona in a long time, so it’s a double treat! We are going to drive there from Orange County, and detour through Prescott and Jerome. We will be arriving a day early, and leaving the day after it ends.

  • Does anyone know if they have cab service? Since the buses stop at 9pm and the hotel is filled… I’d hate to miss out on the night life.

  • ALSO since the Radisson is already booked…

    Where is everyone staying? Any recommendations?

  • My boyfriend and I are going. We’re traveling by train from Pittsburgh and we’ll have an overlay in Chicago. I don’t think we’ll be staying in a hotel, but then again we plan on being out there for two weeks, so we’re not completely sure. We might look into volunteering while we’re out there to save a few bucks. Other than that I’d be more than happy to bunk with a few people to make it cheaper on all of us!! If anyone wants to rent a hotel room and wouldn’t mind two extra people willing to pay split cost let me know!!

    jadedreamingdane@yahoo.com

  • THEY STILL HAVE ROOMS AT THE RADISSON!!!

    I just booked one a few minutes ago. You HAVE to tell them you’re with the Raw Spirit Festival otherwise, yes, they will tell you they are booked up. They are all out of two bed rooms though but I got a king for $175 a night. You have to pay for it now, you have to take all 3 nights (12,13&14) and it’s non-refundable.

    Here is the number I called and made my reservation: 800-333-3333

    And here is a link to the Festival’s website just in case: www.rawspiritfest.com

  • AlyssaDyane where are you at in OC? I am in OC too and my bf and I are planning to attend also. Still working out the details. Maybe volunteering? Good to know that the rooms aren’t booked up yet.

  • WinonaWinona Raw Newbie

    Hi ChiDiet – I think a lot of newbies might be interested in nutrition and percentages of greens/veg/fruit/oil – and B12, cacao, raw vs. non raw foods, etc. The whole nutrition thing has sprung lots of questions – what is a balanced raw diet? How much of what foods to eat?

  • i live in newport news va…i want to go to the raw spirit fest…don’t know if i should drive or fly or where i will stay, though i dig camping.

    I have some roommates who like to drive and hopefully I can convince them to come with me

    anyone up for carpooling and seeing the country between sedona and wherever you live?

    i’ll bring the guitar and the ukulele!

  • Disajp25: We are located near Triangle Square.

  • Does anyone know if there are there any festivals like this on the east coast? Thanks!

  • Yes rawbie, there is one coming up May 23. Check out—http://purejeevan.com/

  • Thanks, Pure Jeevan sounds cool. I’ll try to see if i can get over there since it’s only a few hours drive.

  • Thank you! I will check out that web site.

  • I read on their website that you can volunteer at the festival and they give you a discount, I think you pay 175 instead of the 3 hundred whatever, that may be an option for those of us who are strapped for cash. Of course, you would have to work, but could probably see most of it and try and catch some speakers. I don’t know about the accommodations though. Does anyone know if you have to reserve campground space?

  • Hey, I really want to go this year…I live in Sacramento, CA…I’m totally down for rooming with people…anyone else? I might be going with a few of my raw Sac. friends, but still, it would save a ton of money if we had more!!

  • msrawdivamsrawdiva Raw Newbie

    i’m in the phoenix area and i think i’m gonna have my husband drive to sedona and drop me off with a bike at a hotel and come pick me up afterwards. maybe he can stay somewhere close with his SAD while i raw-it – lol!

  • I’m not sure if I’ll be able to attend. I live in NY and traveling to Sedona will be expensive.

  • I wish I could go, I live on the east coast and I’m planning a visit for AZ because I have friends that moved that way but I start school in September :(

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    I don’t know if you all saw this but they do have a Raw Spirit Forum – you can post about buddying up with others and rides etc. You might want to check it out.

    http://rawspiritfest.com/smf/

    I would try craigslist too – look under the community section- people always doing rideshares to events on there.

    I don’t know if I am going to this or not – I haven’t been before but I know others that have and they said it was fun. Some of the events looks a bit on the “flakey” side for me. I would go to check out vendors moslty.

  • Whoooo Wooooo!!! I just purchased all my tickets ( flights, RSF registration) to come back to the US for vacation and to make it for the festival, I am coming from Algeria to make it for this festival, so imagine how excited I am!!!! Cannot wait for the energy!!!!!!!

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