Since 1990, the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival has been held at the Salem County Fair Grounds, which are located in the rolling farmland of South Jersey along US Route 40, seven miles east of the Delaware Memorial Bridge. The nearest town to the grounds is Woodstown, New Jersey, which is approximately four miles farther east along Route 40. The nearest major city is Wilmington, Delaware, which is across the Delaware River, approximately 10 miles to the west-northwest. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is approximately 40 miles to the northwest, and Atlantic City, New Jersey is about 60 miles to the southeast, at the end of Route 40. The Fair Grounds are located on land that is owned by Salem County, and operated by the Salem County Fair Grounds Association. In addition to hosting the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Association each year, the annual Salem County Fair is also held there, as well as a number of 4-H and other farming and agricultural events. Because it is county property, there is a 'no alcoholic beverages' regulation in force at all times.
Take I-95 and follow directions for I-295 and the Delaware Memorial Bridge. As you come down off the bridge into New Jersey, get in one of the two right-hand lanes, and follow signs for US 40 to Atlantic City. The Route 40 exit will be the last exit before you come to the toll booths for the New Jersey Turnpike. Immediately at the end of the exit lane there is a traffic light. Continue on straight through this light and you will be on US 40. Watch the mile markers on the right side of the highway, and just past the 7-mile marker you will see a State Police communications tower ahead on the left. The Fair Grounds are located just before that tower, also on the left. The entrance to the grounds is clearly marked and visible, and the ticket gate is about 100 yards from the entrance.
Route 40 is a very busy highway - please be very careful when turning left into the grounds!!
Take the New Jersey Turnpike all the way to the very end. After exiting the toll booth complex, look immediately to the right for signs directing you to US 40 to Atlantic City. Once on Route 40, watch the mile markers on the right side of the highway, and just past the 7-mile marker you will see a State Police communications tower ahead on the left. The Salem County Fair Grounds are located just before that tower, also on the left. The entrance to the grounds is clearly marked and visible, and the ticket gate is about 100 yards from the entrance.
Route 40 is a very busy highway - please be very careful when turning left into the grounds!!
Take US 40 west toward Wilmington and the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Just after it passes through Woodstown, Route 40 makes a sharp right turn (there is a large cemetery on the right as you make the turn). About 2 miles after making this turn, you will see Cowtown on your left. The Salem County Fair Grounds are located approximately another 1/4 mile along US 40 on the right. The entrance to the grounds is clearly marked and visible, and the ticket gate is about 100 yards from the entrance.
Route 40 is a very busy highway - please be very careful when turning right into the grounds!!
The stage area features a large canopy, under which a large portion of the audience is able to sit during performances and remain dry or shady, depending on the weather. There are no permanent seats in this area, so festival-goers are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs. Seating space under the canopy is on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 8:00 am on Wednesday morning preceding the festival weekend, and chairs may be left in place at the owner's risk for the entire festival. However, the policy of the festival committee is that empty chairs may be occupied by anyone, so long as the chair is graciously relinquished upon the rightful owner's return. For those who prefer to sit out in the sunshine or under the stars, there is ample room outside the stage canopy to set up lawn chairs or spread out blankets. In addition, there is bleacher-style seating around the perimeter of the stage area, and shady lawn-chair seating with good visibility is also available in the pavilion barn at the back of the stage area.
There is a full-service food concession on the festival grounds close to the stage, as well as a hand-dipped ice cream booth and a stand for campers to buy bagged ice.
For those desiring a wider choice of dining options, there are restaurants in Woodstown that offer respectable fare at reasonable prices. (See 'Leaving and Re-entering the Festival Grounds', below). Richman's Restaurant is located approximately 1 mile east of the Fair Grounds on US 40, and they are known for their ice cream. The Woodstown Diner is also located on US 40 in the middle of town, about 4 miles east of the festival, and they serve standard restaurant fare. One block past the Diner is La Vita, an Italian eatery that is also popular. For those whose needs can be found at a convenience store, there is a Wawa store about 3 miles east on US 40, where the highway makes an abrupt left turn on its way into Woodstown. For more extensive grocery shopping, there is an Acme supermarket on US 40 in the large shopping center just before turning left at the Wawa.
As at most festivals, there is always a selection of other concessions at Delaware Valley selling a variety of things: records & CDs, instruments & strings, T-shirts, belts and buckles, hats, books and more.
Many people attending bluegrass festivals enjoy wandering through the campground and listening in on the many informal jam sessions, and sometimes even some of the 'stage' talent joins in. Festival patrons are free to roam the campground as long as they respect the rights of campers, but only vehicles with camping stickers (free with a weekend ticket) will be allowed in the campground.
All festival patrons are issued wristbands at the time they first enter the grounds upon paying for their tickets or presenting their advance ticket receipt. These wristbands are different colors, depending on the day they are valid, and must be worn at all times while on the grounds. As long as he or she has a valid wristband, any festival patron may leave the festival grounds at any time, but must display the valid wristband at the gate upon re-entering.
Festival security is handled by off-duty county officers privately hired by the festival committee, and they are on duty 24 hours a day throughout the festival weekend, from 8:00 am Friday morning through 6:00 pm Sunday evening. A New Jersey State Police barracks is also located a short distance to the east of the festival grounds on US 40, and in recent years the State Police have provided bicycle patrols of the grounds.
An ambulance unit from one of the local Salem County fire companies is on duty near the stage area throughout the festival weekend. An information and 'lost and found' service is also operated by the festival organizers (Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music) at their table in the pavilion barn at the rear of the stage area.
There is ample free parking for festival patrons who are not camping. Although there is no charge for camping, only vehicles belonging to campers will be allowed in the campground. Camping is available only to weekend ticket holders, and camping vehicles must obtain a special sticker. Special parking for handicapped patrons is also available, please request this if necessary at the time you enter the gate.
There are a number of portable toilets located throughout the stage area and campground that are cleaned regularly. There is also a permanent restroom facility located behind the stage, along the campground road. Spigots for fresh water are located at most of the pavilions on the grounds.
The Salem County Fair Grounds has more than enough space for campers to crowd together or stay separated as they wish. The campground area is mostly flat, with a little roll, suitable for all types of camping vehicles. There is natural shade only along the tree line at the edge of the property (no camping in the trees, please), so campers are advised to bring their own shade.
Due to reasons pertaining to their insurance coverage, the Fair Grounds Association will not permit campers to enter the grounds until Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 8:00 am.
There is also no on-site security before Friday morning. Campers who come in before 8:00 am Friday do so at their own risk. The festival officially ends at 6:00 pm on Sunday evening, when the lease of the grounds terminates. In years past, the policy of the property owners has been to allow campers to stay in the campground over Sunday night, but the campground must be cleared by 10:00 am on Monday morning. As with early entry to the campground, there is no on-site security after 6:00 pm Sunday, those who remain over Sunday do so at their own risk.
Beginning in 1998, a 'quiet camping' area was established for those campers who preferred sleeping to jamming. This area is located in the remote back end of the campground where it is quietest, and a 'no jamming' regulation is in force between midnight and 8:00 am in this zone. This still leaves plenty of space for jamming into the wee hours and beyond.
Except during times of drought or other high fire hazard, campfires are permitted in the campground. Please check at the gate when entering the grounds for the latest information regarding fires. Campfires should not be used for cooking, all cooking should be done on self-contained equipment or apparatus specifically designed for that purpose.
For those who need to replenish supplies or pick up things forgotten, there is a Wawa convenience store about 3 miles east on US 40, where the highway makes an abrupt left turn on its way into Woodstown. For more extensive grocery shopping, there is an Acme supermarket on US 40 in the large shopping center on the right just before turning left at the Wawa.
There are a number of outdoor faucets at the various barns and pavilions on the grounds where fresh water can be obtained for free. Ice for coolers is also available for sale during the day in the stage area. There are a number of portable toilets (cleaned regularly) at locations throughout the grounds, and the Fair Grounds Association completed construction of a permanent restroom facility in 1999. This building is located behind the stage, along the campground road.
The Salem County Fair Grounds were not established as a campground, and electrical hookups intended for RVs and campers are not installed. Most of the sheds on the grounds have 110v outlets, and campers in previous years have often plugged in to these outlets on a first-come, first-served basis.
Beginning in 2002, it is the intention of the owners of the Fair Grounds to ask a nominal fee for use of these outlets to be paid by those who use them. The amount of this fee is determined by the Fair Grounds Association, and they will be visiting campers using these outlets separately and independently from the Festival Committee.
All festival patrons are issued wristbands at the time they first enter the grounds upon paying for their tickets or presenting their advance ticket receipt. These wristbands are different colors, depending on the day(s) they are valid, and must be worn at all times while on the grounds. As long as he or she has a valid wristband, any festival patron may leave the festival grounds at any time, but must display the valid wristband at the gate upon re-entering. Only vehicles with camping stickers will be allowed in the campground, and all overnight campers must wear weekend ticket wristbands at all times.