Departments
Here are the departments at FSG. If you’re interested in volunteering for a department fill out our quick form and we’ll get back to you!
Accounting
Accounting is responsible for reporting on and handling the finances for the event. They work with the coordinator to develop a budget, and track expenses for the event.
The head of accounting is traditionally the Treasurer of Free Spirit Alliance, and reports FSG financial records to FSA.
Bus
Free Spirit Gathering has a tradition of running a golf cart around the event that operates like a bus. The Bus department handles driving the bus around the festival.
The head of Bus schedules volunteers, and handles any bus related emergencies that may happen during the event.
Coordinator Team
The Coordinator “department” is the group of people that help organize all the departments that run the festival. Before the event they hold monthly meetings with everyone, generate agendas, work with Ramblewood, and get the event organized.
During the event the Coordinators are responsible for solving problems that occur, and make sure that everything gets done.
There is typically one “lead” coordinator with 2-3 other coordinators. They share responsibility before and during the festival, to make sure that all the things that need to get done get done, solve problems, and answer questions as they arise.
Entertainment
Entertainment is responsible for “booking” the evening entertainment acts for FSG, including contract negotiation and scheduling, in coordination with the Coordinator. During the event they serves as the primary liaison to Entertainment acts, and addresses their needs.
The head of entertainment serves as the person primarily responsible for booking entertainment and getting contracts signed in coordination with the Coordinator. They are also responsible for organizing their volunteer staff to schedule them to address entertainment acts needs.
Fire Circle
The Fire Circle Team is responsible for maintain the fire during each evening’s fire circle. The team cuts wood, builds fires, and puts out the fire event the end of each night.
The head of the fire circle team is responsible for coordinating with their team, as well as working with accounting and coordination to make sure sufficient wood is available during the event.
Medical
FSG maintains a staff of trained medical personal at a variety of skill levels, to handle medical emergencies. They serve as first responders to medical related issues, and are not expected to provide significant medical care to attendees. Their responsibility is to evaluate the situation, and make a determination as to whether professional medical help(an ambulance) should be brought on site.
The head of medical is responsible for coordinating the medical staff, and scheduling them, and serves as the primary decision maker when it comes to the question of bringing in professional medical help.
Merchants
Merchants serves as the primarily liaison for vendors at the event. They are responsible for communicating with the vendors, negotiating any special deals (in coordination with Accounting and Coordinator) and serve as the primarily liaison to vendors during the event. They are also responsible for organizing any special events that may happen on vendors row.
The head of Merchants is responsible for primary interaction with vendors, and scheduling merchant staff throughout the event in order to make sure that there’s a vendors liaison throughout the event.
Pool
Pool is responsible for providing life guards for the pool at the festival. Pool staff typically consists of certified life guards, or similar inidividuals.
The head of pool is responsible for scheduling the staff of this department, and making sure that any specific needs for life guards are dealt with.
Printing
This department is responsible for creating and making arrangements for all the printing that is needed for the event. This includes:
- Program Books – This is done through a professional printer
- Policies/waivers/notices/signage – This is done through a copy center.
- Signage
- Event Schedule
- Badges
The head of printing is responsible for coordinating with all other departments to see what their printing needs are, and then make arrangements to have the items printed.
Programming
Programming is responsible for scheduling all workshops and rituals throughout the event, other than Entertainment. They serve as the primary liaison to presenters and ritual teams, and are responsible for creating the program schedule (aka the grid) and making sure the web site and program book contain information on all the workshops and rituals.
Registration
The Registration team is responsible for maintaining the registration desk throughout the event and checking people in, and making sure all the necessary paper work is filled out. Prior to the event they are responsible for creating all the necessary procedures in place to make the check in process as painless as possible. They work with accounting, web site, and the coordinator to make sure that the online registration process provides them the information they need to handle check in at the event.
The head of registration is responsible for scheduling their team, making sure that the registration desk is open for reasonable hours (9am-8pm most days) and acts as the head of registration throughout the event.
Safety
Safety is responsible for the safety of attendees during the festival. They “patrol” the festival site, making sure that there are no safety related issues that need to be addressed.
The head of Safety serves as the primary decision maker (in coordination with the coordinator) with respect to safety, and schedules and manages the safety staff.
Setup/Teardown
The Setup and Teardown team is responsible for setting up, maintaining, and clearing all the “infrastructure” throughout the event. This includes setting up tents, filling water jugs, hauling wood and other items throughout the event. They coordinate with the quartermaster to utilize FSA assets to their utmost efficiency
The head of Setup/Teardown serves as the foreman for the crew. They schedule them, organize them, and work with other departments to make sure all needs are being addressed.
Sweats
FSG has a history of maintain an ecumenical sweat lodge throughout the event. The “Sweats team” is responsible for creating and maintaining the lodge, scheduling, and holding events in this facility.
The head of sweats is responsible for coordinating with the staff to maintain the lodge, scheduling sweats, and coordinating with Programming and the Coordinator all the events held at the lodge.
Web Site
The web site team is responsible for maintaining the Free Spirit Gathering web site. This web site is currently at www.freespiritgatheringmd.org and is on WordPress They coordinate with all other departments to make sure that all the necessary information and materials are up on the web site.
The head of web site serves as the primary “web master” for the web site, and works with his team, and all other departments to get up all necessary information.
Teen Programming
The Teen programming team is responsible for organizing and scheduling all Young Adult Programming at the event, and serves as the primary organizer of these events. They work with Programming to make sure that all their events are on the programming grid.
The head of Teen programming serves as the head of this department, and organizes the staff and makes sure that staff is available during necessary periods.