Know Before You Go
Plan Your Visit
Getting Here
Snow Fork Event Center is located at 5685 Happy Hollow Road in Nelsonville, Ohio.
Take exit 185 onto OH-78 and continue on OH-78 through the Village of Buchtel, turning right onto Akron Ave and following the Happy Hollow signage up to the Admissions tent.
Camping
Camping is available on-site for $30 per person. Kids and teens 18 and under attend and camp for free.
RVs are welcome, but there are no RV hookups at the venue. Quiet generators (50–60 decibels (dB)) are permitted in a designated area away from our tent campers. Please notify our staff upon arrival if you have a generator.
Free showers will be available on-site for all attendees.
Lodging
In addition to on-site camping, there are plenty of nearby hotels, vacation rentals, and B&Bs to choose from. For a full list of area accommodations visit:
Athens County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Hocking Hills Tourism Association
Food and Beverages
Outside food and beverages are allowed in all the gathering areas, workshop tents, and campgrounds. Please note: there will not be a cash bar to purchase alcohol at this year’s gathering.
Free water refill stations will be available throughout the weekend, so be sure to bring a reusable water bottle. Ice will also be available for purchase on-site to keep your coolers stocked.
Thursday
In the evening, we’ll be hosting a potluck to kick off the weekend — bring a dish to share!
Friday & Saturday
Our food vendor on-site will be Jiddu’s Coffee, serving coffee, sweet pastries and more!
Friday: breakfast: 9:00–11:30 AM, lunch + dinner: 11:30 AM–7 PM
Saturday: breakfast: 8:00–11:30 AM, lunch + dinner: 11:30 AM–7 PM
Breakfast offerings include egg quesadillas, shakshuka wraps, cream cheese bagels and falafel pita pockets. For lunch and dinner, choose from shawarma, kabsa wraps and falafel wraps.
While you’re planning your trip, please keep in mind that we are in a rural area. There’s a convenience store just outside Snow Fork Event Center, plus a small Kroger and several restaurants about 10 minutes away in Nelsonville.
WHAT TO BRING
We recommend bringing:
- Your instrument(s)
- Reusable water bottles (help the Happy Hollow remain a green and sustainable event!)
- Coolers + food and beverages (bring a dish for the potluck on Thursday!)
- Lawn chairs, blankets, and hammocks
- Sun and rain protection
- Appropriate clothing/footwear for being outdoors
- Bug spray
- Camping gear
- Cameras
- Both cash and a card for on-site purchases
- Towel and sandals for the showers
Please Leave These At Home:
- Glass
- Pets (service animals only, please see accessibility info)
- Firearms, fireworks, or weapons of any kind
- Skateboards, bicycles, and scooters in main gathering areas (You’re welcome to bring these with you to your campsite to use for transportation to and from Snow Fork, and for exploring the Bailey’s Trail Systems and surrounding neighborhoods.)
- ATVs, UTVs, golf carts, and riding lawn mowers
- Fire pits (No personal campfires allowed this year. We will have communal campfires managed by event staff.)
Stuart’s Opera House Staff reserve the right to make the final determination on prohibited items. In the event that prohibited items are revealed, guests will be asked to dispose of the items or return them to their vehicles or campsites before reentering the festival site.
Accessibility
Stuart’s Opera House believes that the arts should be enjoyed by all
We are committed to making our event welcoming to every guest by continually improving our range of accommodations that ensure equal access to our venue and the music and community experiences within.
Due to the topographical features of Appalachian Ohio, many areas of Snow Fork Event Center contain small holes, uneven ground, and small hills. As we continue to develop this new festival site, we strive to greatly improve accessibility and pathways in future years. We welcome and encourage all feedback and suggestions from our attendees. Please contact info@stuartsoperahouse.org for any accommodations or questions you may have.
What is the venue like?
SnowFork Event Center is an outdoor event space. The grounds have a few crushed gravel or mulch paths but it’s mostly flat grassy areas. We strive to patch all the divots and smooth all the bumps, but the grounds inevitably have some holes and uneven surfaces.
Is there accessible parking?
Yes. On-site ADA accessible parking is included with the cost of a Weekend Pass.
Are there accessible toilets?
Yes, there are wheelchair-accessible port-a-johns on the festival grounds.
Are the paths wheelchair friendly?
The paths running through the grounds should be accessible for most wheelchairs and will provide an even walking surface for cane users and others with mobility issues.
Are service animals allowed?
Only legitimate service animals that are trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability, are welcome.
- NO emotional support animals or companion animals.
- Pets are not allowed and will be turned away.
Is there shade/a place to escape the sun?
Parts of the festival grounds are in full sun, so come prepared. Workshops will be primarily held under open-air tents.
Are there ASL Interpreters?
If you would like to request an ASL interpreter or other accommodation to attend the festival, please contact info@stuartsoperahouse.org and we will try to work with you to find a solution.
Other Helpful Info
Workshops & Activities
The Happy Hollow Old-Time Music Gathering is for listeners, learners, makers and music lovers—not only experienced musicians. Non-musicians are welcome observe the instrument workshops and hosted jams, enjoy the concerts, join in the square dances, take part in traditional arts workshops, camp with friends, and just relax on the beautiful grounds of Snow Fork Event Center. There are also plenty of activities and beginner-friendly workshops for kids and teens throughout the weekend.
Do I need to sign up for workshops ahead of time?
No advance registration is required for the old-time music workshops. However, space is very limited for our traditional arts workshops and attendees will register on-site at the merch tent for those they plan to attend over the weekend. Be sure to head there after you arrive and set up camp. Spots may fill quickly!
Staying Connected
Cell service at Snow Fork is limited due to our rural Southeast Ohio location. While some attendees may be able to make calls or send texts depending on their carrier and device, reliable coverage is not guaranteed throughout the site. To help you stay connected, we’ll have Wifi available in the Dance Tent.
Merchandise
We’ll have a selection of Happy Hollow Old-Time Music Gathering apparel and posters available for purchase, along with merchandise from Stuart’s Opera House and Nelsonville Music Festival. Several workshop and jam hosts will also have CDs and other goods available for sale.
