I’ve seen lots of backpacks as more people arrive, most stuffed full and with lots of zipper compartments. Also a mom (probably) with young child, and a big backpack full of necessities. Doesn’t mean I’m stating policies or possibilities, but these are my observations from inside the venue.
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That’s good to know!! One major concern I’ve had all along was that… the policy was never "No Backpacks or Multi Compartment Bags, Period."
Rather, the policy is stated as, "Single Compartment Bags for General Admissions Only."
All along it’s appeared as tho ticket buyers with VIP access and/or tailgating passes (for Saturday) are allowed to bring whatever they want, but GA ticket buyers will be subject to a higher degree of scrutiny. If this is the case, it’s entirely plausible that you’ll see all manner of “non compliant” items inside (like personal alcoholic beverages, for instance, which are allowed for some ticket buyers, but not GA ticket buyers) – but may still have those items confiscated at the gates. Or at least, that’s my concern.
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I have a Jansport backpack. No one looked at it, no one asked to search it.
If you’re sitting in the GA grandstands or aintree boxes tomorrow, it is HOT. The sun will be in your face.
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Based on this info, I think I’m going to try to get in with my normal backpack - I’ll leave the other bag I got in the car and go switch everything over if they complain.
If they intend to enforce such restrictive entry conditions, I hope they hired professional staff to confiscate items or turn people away, rather than relying on volunteers to face the wrath of spectators who were not aware of the extreme restrictions.
I recall similar rules at Kentucky WEG. The first day, i had bits of food hidden in my pockets and a small water bottle. It was soon clear that the inspection of back packs was cursory, and then I went in every day with a sandwich, granola bar, banana and large water bottle, in plain sight. I wanted to experience the event, wander around all day, and not stand in line for an hour to buy overpriced food.
I imagine the inspection was for potentially dangerous items or anything that could be used as a weapon. It was fine to bring in a reasonable amount of food for one’s own lunch.
I went this morning and there was no bag check at all! I had a fairly well packed backpack (was there with my puppy, so I had stuff for her in it) and got there early (around 8am) so there was plenty of opportunity for them to check it, but I walked right in.
Said backpack has one main compartment, an obvious small front pocket and a small pocket in the flap. It’s also yellow, so it isn’t especially subtle either.
I took a normal backpack in, several compartments. I had a backup smaller bag in my car in case they wouldn’t let me in with my usual backpack. I think the website was just using boilerplate from other things they put on. It was nothing like WEG in 2018 where you had to have clear bags & everything got checked. Also, the website says that it is all paperless & you can’t use printed out tickets, which I thought would be a hassle because I couldn’t figure out how to get the tickets into Apple Wallet. But printed out tickets were fine.
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This is extra hilarious because my ticket email literally says “This email is not your ticket. Be sure to print your tickets before you head to the venue.”
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Yes, there are definitely some confusing contradictions between different parts of the website, & between the website & etix. At one point I emailed to see if screenshots were ok & I was told no, they couldn’t be read, & to either pull up the link from the ticket email each time I needed it or print the tix out.
Probably by next year they will have ironed out some glitches. Today & yesterday seats weren’t numbered for the dressage, so people were told to just sit wherever within their section, but I’m hoping that gets sorted by Sunday when there are more people in the stands!
Well I’m sitting at 9abc…with my forbidden backpack 
……all of our concerns have been a non issue so far, it’s going really well overall!
I will say they need more food vendors and more merch, but everything else has been great.
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Are there a lot of people there?
Yes it’s a pretty good crowd. Not quite Kentucky levels but it’s definitely busy.
Great! I am so glad it is going well for everyone.
Totally agree with you on the need for more food vendors - the lines weren’t bad on Friday, but I would have liked to have seen a food truck (or at least a drink vendor) down at the end of the big arc of vendors in the infield.
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Great event and venue. Hopefully next year they provide stations around the course for water and some sort of food. Nothing out on course except one truck with a super long line. Also they did not have shuttles on course. More food vendors would be great. Rest rooms nice and clean . Very well organized except for the above mentioned. No bag check at the gate.
Agree that they should have had more food vendors out on course. It was a loooong walk to the main water complex. I brought snacks and water so was in good shape, but heard several people complaining. The sign for the one truck up there said it was a coffee truck (but maybe had some food as well), but had a huge line. They did have plenty of porta-potties all along the course, though.
They also needed more signs - I was wandering around for a bit when I first got there with no idea how to get to the main vendor area or cross country course and apparently ended up going a back way instead of through the main entrance so missed some of the vendors. I thought the vendor set up in the infield was very nice.
I liked being able to walk from the main parking without having to take a bus, but getting out from the parking lot afterwards took a really long time and was very unorganized.
But, the course was amazing, and overall it was a great day.
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Honestly, the lack of food situation deep on the course wouldn’t have been a huge issue if it was easier to get back to where there were more options (were there more options?)
Hopefully next year they’ll have some kind of better shuttle system - it’s a really cool course but BIG and long and it was pretty exhausting. Some more food trucks along the course would have been great.
Parking was a breeze but it took me an hour to get out - and even then I only managed it by pushing my way between other people to get up the hill to the first exit. Also saw someone got stuck in a ditch after trying to off road over the hill to get out instead of waiting for the exit. Oops.
Agreed more signage was definitely needed, even just for parking and figuring out how to get around the venue portion, let alone finding XC.
Overall I think it went really well, as well as a brand new 5* can go. I’ll def go back again.
I am super familiar with Fair Hill and I still thought the signage was terrible. My husband said some of the parking lanes were so close together a lady couldn’t get her car out around lunchtime.
The course was fantastic!!! Definitely needed food and drink options along the way.
We’re here for the weekend and spent the first hour finding a porta potty and food there aren’t many options even by shopping and the stadium it’s going to be a disaster for tomorrow we’re bringing lunch in. My big question where are there bathrooms by the stadium??? We walked around twice and couldn’t find any, no porta potties by the entrance
