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| - Back again after two years and just as good as before. After two visits, I have a list of tips and suggestions for attendees:
Get the VIP tickets. These get you in at 12:00 instead of the 2:00 "general admission." It starts to get very crowded after 2:00 - the waits to get samples are much longer and the free tschotchkies are mostly gone.
At least this year, they were not "sold out" of VIP tickets at 12:00. Some folks were buying tickets at the gate.
Bring ID. If nothing else, you must have proof you are over 21. Yes, even if your friends call you "Gramps" or "Pops" you'll still need to prove it.
You do not have to get there at 11:00 and wait in line. If you arrive at 11:00, you'll get in at 12:00. If you arrive at 11:45, you'll get in at 12:05. If you arrive at 12:00, you'll get in at 12:10. There's no need to wait in line!
Parking, on the other hand, dries up as 12:00 approaches. Consider parking early, then hitting up one of the restaurants nearby for brunch.
Check the weather and bring a poncho. By the time the rain starts, you might not be able to get a 'Yelp' one from the CM! Sunscreen and a hat are also recommended.
If you have a folding chair, bring it and set up in the shade. No one's gonna steal it. After a while, you'll want to sit down.
You will not get arrested inside the event no matter how drunk you get, as long as you are not belligerent. If you are one of *those* drunks then you'll get tossed.
There are a very few samples of food for free. Everything else is not included with admission. Most of those vendors only accept cash. So bring cash.
Either have a designated driver or arrange a taxi or Lyft or Uber.
And most importantly, have fun. Try things you wouldn't ordinarily try. Like the organic strawberry beer? Sure, why not. And also enjoy the tequila, bourbon, scotch, vodka (French vodka??) and tons of beers of all varieties!
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