golden rules of the tarp

It's almost time for the Edmonton Folk Fest my friends. I can already taste the green onion cakes and pad thai. Yes, I'm known to plan and plan some more for our yearly time on the tarp at the Folk Fest. This year may be different. Instead of making list of things to bring, I thought I'd prepare the golden rules of the tarp. Just a few things we've learned over the years on the hill. We're getting good at this now!

1. Any food item with chocolate and/or peanut butter is automatically a favourite and should be brought in multiple tupperware containers for ultimate freshness.
2. No coolers on the tarp. It's not really having them on the tarp that's the issue, as much as actually realizing you need to carry it UP the hill at the end of each night. Bad, bad times.
3. Big, ratty, hard-to-carry blankets and/or sleeping bags are a huge hit. But don't fool yourself into thinking that if you take your shorts off inside said sleeping bag, you'll ever be able to figure out how to get your pants back on again.
4. No changing your shorts and/or pants on the tarp. Ever. Period. 
5. Sometimes it's just worth it to give your plates to the savvy kids running multi-million dollar businesses collecting plates on the hill. Like, say, when David Gray is about to take the stage.
6. Even if you think it is going to be a warm night, it's never a bad idea to have some hot tea on hand, just in case. And mittens. And a scarf. And maybe mucklucks.
7. If you sit on our tarp, we better know you or you better know our friends. No more friends of friends' friends' parents. Or whatever it was. If this rule is broken, we reserve the right to change the tarp marker so you won't recognize it the next day. Or ever again.
8. No dissing of sitting near the walkway. It has its benefits. Like, say, when Chris Isaak decides to walk right past you and give the guy in front of you a high five. Ok, maybe it has more benefits for that guy, but still.
9. Never, ever, EVER leave your digital camera in your purse BESIDE your chair. It goes underneath your chair at all times. Crazy, insane, deranged people are known to cut right through tarps, making their own path up as they go along, oblivious of the most obvious path choices.
10. Break dancing on the tarp is always a fine addition.