fair Volunteer FAQ

volunteer perks

We value the time and effort that volunteers put in to make our events successful, and we do our best to take great care of you!

Here are a few of the exclusive benefits available in Volunteer HQ at both Up Your Alley and Folsom Street Fair.

• Hospitality Tent - we serve breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and beverages (generously donated by Rainbow Grocery). Please bring your own water bottle or grab a Folsom-branded water pouch for easy refilling. Volunteers are welcome to enjoy one meal per shift, and unlimited snacks.
• Coat and Clothes Check - leave your baggage, change of clothes, and motorcycle helmets with our friendly Coat and Clothes Check volunteers in Volunteer HQ, and be unencumbered throughout your shift and while you enjoy the fair before and after.
• Lounge Area - located just outside of the Hospitality Tent, we've got a lounge area with tables, chairs, and shade, making it a great place to chill out before or after your shift.
• No-wait Port-o-Potties - you'll never wait in a long fair bathroom line again! As long as you've got your volunteer badge or access wristband, you're welcome to use the port-o-potties located in Headquarters...no-wait and low-use, these are limited to use by volunteers and staff, which means they're the cleanest ones around all day long!
• Free Massage (Folsom Street Fair only): Free massage will be provided for volunteers at Folsom Street Fair in Volunteer HQ from 11:00am-6:00pm on Fair Day. You must sign up for a massage time in advance so swing by early (but probably not before 11:00am).

Wearing your name badge will give you access to these great perks. You are welcome to pick up your name badge early to access Volunteer HQ and Hospitality before and after your shift.

what should i wear?

EARLY MORNING

We suggest wearing layers in case of wind or before the morning fog burns off. If you're helping set up the Fair, wear something that you won't mind getting a little dirty.

DURING THE FAIR

You will most likely be standing in the sun and/or moving around a lot. Feel free to wear things that are fun and in the spirit of the fair if working during fair hours, but make sure you apply sunscreen and wear sensible shoes to ensure you are comfortable and able to perform your duties!

LATE AFTERNOON/EVENING

We suggest wearing layers because the wind can start to pick up and fog roll in during the late afternoon. We suggest wearing a warm jacket, pants, and closed-toe shoes. If you're helping to break down the Fair, wear something that you won't mind getting a little dirty.

You can always bring more than one outfit and store it in the Volunteer HQ Coat Check. Coat Check will remain open until the last volunteer leaves.

how early should i arrive?

For Up Your Alley, we recommend that you show up 5-10 minutes early for your shift (unless your shift starts in the early morning, in which case we ask you to arrive on time).

For Folsom Street Fair, we recommend that you show up 25-30 minutes early for your shift (unless your shift starts in the early morning, in which case we ask you to arrive on time).

Arriving early will give you enough time to walk through the Fair to get to Volunteer HQ, get checked in and pick up your Name Badge, use Coat Check, grab a bite to eat, and get to your assigned location on time.

If you are running late, please show up anyway!

how should i get to the fair?

We strongly suggest that you not drive on Fair Day -- traffic and parking are incredibly congested around the edges of the fair, and run the risk of not only making you late, but having you flustered and frustrated when you finally arrive!

There are multiple bus lines in the area, and the fair is also easily accessible via BART or MUNI subway lines.

You may park you bike in Volunteer HQ is there is space, but not to a barricade or tree trunk. There is also Bicycle Parking for Fairgoers, but there may be a suggested donation and it will close in the evening.

Where do I check in?

UP YOUR ALLEY

Proceed directly to Volunteer HQ on Dore Alley at Folsom Street (on the SOUTH Side) to check in for your volunteer shift when you arrive at the Fair.

FOLSOM

Proceed directly to the Volunteer Check-In Booth on Dore Alley at HOWARD Street to check in for your volunteer shift when you arrive at the Fair. DO NOT arrive via Folsom Street -- you will not be able to walk up Dore Alley to get to Howard St.

how do i check in & check out?

Please print your Eventbrite volunteer registration or download it to your smartphone prior to the Fair to make check-in go quickly and smoothly. If you cannot find your registration or forget to bring it, we can still check you in by looking up your name.

Once you've checked in, we will give you a name badge and then dispatch you to your shift Supervisor and location to complete your shift.

Wearing your name badge will give you access to great perks like the Hospitality Tent. You are welcome to pick up your name badge early to access Volunteer HQ and Hospitality before and after your shift.

Once you've completed your shift (and hopefully had fun!) please check out with your shift Supervisor. This way, we know that you completed your entire shift. You are not required return to Volunteer HQ after your shift to check-out.

You are welcome to keep your name badge as a souvenir!

how can i stay hydrated?

We will give you a Folsom-branded water bottle pouch that you can fill at a Water Monster in Volunteer HQ before your shift.

If you prefer, you may also bring a non-disposable lightweight water bottle with you, such as a Nalgene, Sigg, or Camelbak, preferably with a carabiner or clip.

Due to a new San Francisco ordinance No. 009-17 - Bottled Water and Package Free Ordinance, single-serve water bottles cannot be sold or provided on public property at a permitted event. This ordinance helps reduce waste and encourages the use of refilling stations. To make water available to volunteers and fairgoers, FSE has located Water Towers throughout the fairground.

can i volunteer with a friend?

You are more than welcome to sign up for the same shift as a friend!

When you meet with your Shift Supervisor on Fair day, please proactively request to be stationed/assigned to the same area as a friend. If we have enough volunteers to double-up, we will do our best to honor your request to be placed together.

However, if we are short-staffed or unforeseen needs arise, we may need to split up pairs to provide more coverage for the Fair. Assignments are always made based on the needs of the specific department on the day of the Fair.

weather

Our parties and street fairs will happen with more regularity than the US Postal Service! In cases of rain, sleet, snow, fog, or just ridiculously cold, we'll still be there and we need all of our volunteers there as well!

If we're lucky, we'll have warm weather and sunny skies. Please bring a durable water bottle (e.g., Nalgene) to stay hydrated and wear sunscreen.

reminders

PLEASE DO

• Bring a durable water bottle (e.g., a Nalgene). We want you to stay hydrated and are seeking to reduce waste from disposable plastic water bottles.
• Eat well before and after your shift. Check out the options in our Hospitality Tent, or make sure to have a good meal or snack before your shift.
• Use the restroom before your shift starts. Not all roles will have the ability to leave post to use the restroom during a shift.
• Dress appropriately. San Francisco weather may just call for all of your layers to come on and off multiple times throughout the day.
• Wear your badge at all times. This is how you can be identified as a volunteer.
• Refer any medical, illegal, confrontational, or other safety concerns to a member of the Security team (wearing orange vests).
• Refer protesters, illegal vendors, and petition gatherers to Security.
• Speak to a Security volunteer or Shift Supervisor if you feel unsafe or uncomfortable at anytime.
• Please complete the task you were assigned to do. Sometimes, the most helpful thing to do might be to wait patiently for your next task to be assigned.
• Bring a positive attitude and open mind. Show respect and sensitivity to everyone at the Fair.

PLEASE DON'T

• Use drugs or alcohol before or during your shift. We are all counting on you to be present and discharge your duties responsibly, and would hate to have to ask you to leave.
• Use a radio without training. Our radios reach countless people, and are critical to our communications, so unauthorized use could result in dead air and/or missed announcements.
• Contact 911 on your cell phone. ALL emergencies should be routed through Security because we have an entire emergency team on staff at the fair. If you call 911, the city will be forced to dispatch response personnel into the fair, which may result in displacing the event.
• Wear your name badge when not volunteering unless you are in Hospitality. We especially don’t want volunteers to be seen smoking or drinking before or after their shift while wearing their badge.
• Hand off your name badge to anyone else. Name badges should be worn ONLY by the volunteer whose name is on it.
• Use gendered pronouns or language (e.g., DON'T use she, he, sir, ma'am, ladies and gentlemen, guys, etc.,)
• Be too loud in the early morning -- our neighbors are sleeping!
• Bring dogs or children.