By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
As the Black Swamp Arts Festival has grown in its 32 years, so has the need for volunteers.
“More volunteers are needed because the festival is more,” said Anne McLaughlin, volunteer committee co-chair with Emily Keegan. “There are more attendees, more of a footprint, more people, more beer tickets, more kids at youth art.”
Today, the 100% volunteer-powered festival relies on upwards of 700 people to help set up, check in, welcome, serve, clean up, inform, sell, assist, facilitate and tear down from Friday, Sept. 5 through Sunday, Sept. 7.
“There’s a volunteer opportunity for anyone,” said Kat Williams, a new volunteer committee member who will take over as chair when McLaughlin and Keegan step down after this year.
“Regardless of your volunteer style, there’s an opportunity within the festival that fits your pace, your lane,” Williams said.
The volunteers’ check-in table and the artist hospitality opportunities might be for people who are more laid-back, she suggested.
More hands-on opportunities would be in the youth arts area, which has more than 200 slots to fill, helping kids create their own works of art and tie-dye masterpieces.
For people who want an uninterrupted experience of the festival, set-up and tear-down opportunities are available before the festival opens and once it closes, Keegan said. These tasks don’t obstruct volunteers’ time to enjoy the festival.
Artist set up is on Friday (Sept. 5) before the festival begins with shifts from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Lot 2 set up is Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and once the festival is over at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 7, the artist exit crew helps artists pack up their art from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
For early risers, Saturday, Sept. 6, has an opportunity to help set up the area for local artists from 5:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
Trash and recycling tasks were previously managed by the volunteer committee but have since been turned over to local groups that handle those responsibilities. There are also other people who volunteer for slots that are not on the sign-up website.
“There are men and women who cater for the performing artists backstage,” McLaughlin said. “It’s a huge operation unto itself that no one thinks to worry about because it’s so self-sufficient and happens on its own.”
Hundreds of volunteer spots are still open for the previously mentioned tasks and the other areas, including backstage gate and merchandise sales, beer servers, festival floaters (who will be assigned where there is a need), ID checkers and beer ticket sales, information booth and festival merchandise sales.
The volunteer signup includes job descriptions and the number of people needed. The signup link can be found here or by visiting the Black Swamp Arts Festival website at blackswampfest.org and clicking on the “Volunteer” box at the top right corner.
Volunteering does not have to be a huge time commitment, Keegan said. Shifts are usually two to three hours (though more than one shift is certainly appreciated).
Some people have been long-time volunteers, like Chris and Jean Geist, Keegan said. “It’s wonderful to see their names every time.”
Many people commit year after year to ensuring the festival’s success by volunteering wherever needed.
“We’re always so grateful for the way this community continues to show up. It truly takes a village,” McLaughlin said.
What they would appreciate this year is if people would sign up sooner rather than later.
“It makes our ulcers pulse when everyone waits to sign up until just before the festival,” she said. “We know it always comes together, but it would be helpful if people sign up before four days before the festival.”
McLaughlin suggested people who have volunteered before try something new. “And it’s always more fun with a friend, maybe someone who hasn’t volunteered before,” she said. “Emily and I wouldn’t have done this alone, but it’s been way more fun with a friend.”
Festival gives touchpoint for lifelong friends
Keegan and McLaughlin’s lifelong friendship has been a cornerstone for their involvement in the festival. They attended as youths, volunteered as teens at the Youth Arts area and when they were both unemployed during COVID, they were recruited to be volunteer committee co-chairs.
As the story is told, McLaughlin’s mother, Deb Weiser, who has long been heavily involved with the festival, knew the festival needed a volunteer committee chair. McLaughlin, who had moved to Los Angeles, suggested Keegan because of her deep commitment to and engagement in the community.
“Because of COVID, Anne had planned to spend time back here,” Keegan said. “We didn’t really have anything else to do. I told her, ‘I’m not going to do it by myself. I’ll do it if you do it with me.’ And that’s what we did.”
“We picked up this role after several very capable people did it for many years,” Keegan said. “Our contribution has been to streamline some of the processes to make it a little easier on everybody.”
Their first year as co-chairs was in 2021 after the 2020 festival was canceled. Now five years later, they both have full-time jobs—Keegan is director of operations for the Accrediting Council on Continuing Education and Training, and McLaughlin is field sales manager for Rivian, an electric vehicle company based in California.
“As life has certainly ramped up in ways unforeseen, we needed to kind of step aside after five years and find some fresh talent,” McLaughlin said.
Volunteer leadership transition
Williams is a perfect choice. She has volunteered at the festival for many years, first while she was a BGSU student and now as a career coach in BGSU’s Allen W. and Carol M. Schmidthorst College of Business.
During their time as co-chairs, Keegan and McLaughlin built a stronger bridge with the university and the students, and Williams’ leadership will further enhance those connections.
“We’re thrilled to have Kat join this year so we can impart the processes we’ve put into place. She can go forth and be an excellent volunteer chair,” Keegan said.
“Getting the student involvement has been something we wanted to hang our hat on,” McLaughlin said. “Kat’s connection to the university is going to be paramount to the lifeblood of this event.” She will help boost the student volunteer effort and help inform students about the festival “to keep the festival going and relevant.”
“To keep this amazing institution rolling, we need to get the buy-in from the other side of Main Street,” McLaughlin said. Some of the first people to sign up this year were BGSU students who helped last year.
“It’s been really exciting to see those younger people volunteering and coming back,” she said.
Williams is happy to have the transition year to watch and work with Keegan and McLaughlin. “They have created such a good system. They’ve been great about making this year a good experience for me.”
