About Membership
Attention members!
As we discussed during the annual meeting at the retreat on 8/5/23, we have adjusted the structure of our registration from tickets to membership tiers in order to better align with our non-profit mission and avoid any unintentional taxes on ticket or t-shirt sales.
Membership
All new and returning members who are up to date on their membership payment are considered full members of Dragonfest, regardless of their level of membership. Full membership includes:
- Attendance at the annual Dragonfest retreat from Wednesday at 10 am to Sunday at noon.
- Free entrance for any children or grandchildren of the member, under the age of 15.
- Voting membership in the Dragonfest board election or bylaws adjustments for two years.
- The email address you signed up with is automatically added to our membership newsletter mailing list. Current members will be the first to receive notification that the membership sign-up period is open.
Membership Levels
Associate Member
Adult – $80
Young Adult – $40
Elder (60+) – $70
- A full year of membership
- Retreat entry at 10 a.m. on Friday with any children or grandchildren age 15 or younger.
Supporting Associate Member
Adult – $105
Young Adult – $65
Elder (60+) – $95
- A full year of membership
- Retreat entry at 10 a.m. on Friday with any children or grandchildren age 15 or younger.
- A FREE current year retreat t-shirt
Regular Member
Adult – $150
Young Adult – $75
Elder (60+) – $130
- A full year of membership
- Full retreat access including entry at 10 a.m. on Wednesday with any children or grandchildren age 15 or younger.
Supporting Member
Adult – $175
Young Adult – $100
Elder (60+) – $155
- A full year of membership
- Full retreat access including entry at 10 a.m. on Wednesday with any children or grandchildren age 15 or younger.
- A FREE current year retreat t-shirt
- This level needs to be registered and paid by July 1st
The Dragon’s Guard Member
Adult – $225
Young Adult – $150
Elder (60+) – $205
- A full year of membership
- Full retreat access along with any children or grandchildren aged 15 or younger.
- Early camp entry on the Monday before the retreat officially opens.*
- A FREE current year retreat t-shirt
- A FREE Dragon’s Guard t-shirt
- Special recognition at the Bob Key’s Community Dinner
- This level needs to be registered and paid by July 1st
The Dragon’s Patron Member –
Adult – $350
Young Adult – $275
Elder (60+) – $330
- A full year of membership
- Full retreat access including any children or grandchildren aged 15 or younger.
- Early camp entry on the Monday before the retreat officially opens.*
- Fully sponsors the cost of a retreat scholarship for one member at the Regular Membership level.
- A FREE current year retreat t-shirt
- A FREE Dragon’s Guard t-shirt
- Special recognition at the Bob Key’s Community Dinner
- This level needs to be registered and paid by July 1st
Membership Discounts
As thanks for volunteering as staff, we offer a significant discount off the membership price. The staff discount is a percentage off the Regular Member rate only, it does not increase with higher tier registration.
Any member may apply to be staff for the event by committing to additional volunteer service for Dragonfest. Staff may attend the staff work weekend camping trip, have early access to the site before the retreat, and receive a free staff t-shirt in addition to the benefits of that member’s normal membership level. Please see the Volunteer page for more information. Please note that because of the volunteer time commitment, staff must have a Regular Membership or higher.
Merchant Add On
Merchant’s Booth** – $50
**Merchants must first sign up through the Merchant Coordinator to receive a code for their registration.
Registration Deadline
Online membership registration ends on July 1.
Scholarships
We know times are tough for some within our community, and we would like to help those who need it. If you would like to attend this year’s Dragonfest but the registration price may be a burden to you, we have a limited number of partial and full scholarships available. Please apply via email to scholarships@dragonfest.org by Friday, May 17, 2024. Please include your full name, your age group (Young Adult 16-17, Adult 18-59, or Elder 60+) and why you need a scholarship. Please don’t send us any financial documents. The registrar will reach out to you after all applications have been reviewed. You will hear back by May 31, 2024.
*Early Entry
Early entry means entering on Monday (or Tuesday if you choose) before the retreat is officially set up or open so that you can set up camp. Early entry is just access to the land prior to the official retreat opening. There’s no breakfast, port-a-potties may not yet be set up (Deb’s potties are available), tents, tables and chairs will not be set up in the community areas. You will be responsible for setting up your camp in an area that is not already sectioned off for retreat purposes and, depending on retreat needs and when you arrive, you may need to move your camp to accommodate retreat infrastructure.
This chart shows a visual break-down of the perks available at each level.
FAQ
Why did we change the way registration works?
Dragonfest is a nonprofit organization, and many nonprofits use membership levels as a way for people to support the organization while providing access benefits to members and protecting the nonprofit status of the organization. The new system is based on those goals.
What does membership get me? Tell me about the different levels.
All membership levels include:
- Attendance at the current annual Dragonfest retreat according to the membership level selected.
- Free entrance for any children or grandchildren of the member, under the age of 15.
- Voting rights in the Dragonfest board election or bylaws adjustments for the membership year and one following year (two total years of voting rights).
- The email address you signed up with is automatically added to our membership newsletter mailing list. Current members will be the first to receive notification that the membership sign-up period is open.
How do I get a Fest T-shirt now?
Selecting a membership level of Supporting Associate Member, or a Supporting Member or above will automatically come with a current year t-shirt. T-shirts, hoodies and other goodies will also be available by donation in the Foundation booth during the retreat. If you want to sign up for one of the membership levels that comes with a t-shirt, you must complete your registration by July 1 – this is because we must have an estimated count of t-shirts when we order them.
Tell me more about the Dragon’s Guard and Dragon’s Patron levels.
Members have expressed to staff that it would be great to have an option to enter the land early, before the retreat opens, to claim a prime camping spot and spend more time on the land. This year we came up with a way to provide early access for those who would like to provide additional financial support to Dragonfest in exchange for the privilege.
We have also provided a few scholarships each year to members who want to attend the retreat but are unable to afford it. In order to provide for those scholarships, we created the Dragon’s Patron level. At this level, you are funding the cost of a Regular Membership and that extra money is used to provide that year’s scholarships.
In recognition of this additional support, individuals selecting these levels will also receive special recognition at the retreat.
What is the Dragon’s Guard t-shirt?
As a way to say “thank you” to those who contribute at the Dragon’s Guard or Dragon’s Patron level, we are creating a new t-shirt design that is available at those levels.
Tell me more about early entry.
Early entry means entering on Monday (or Tuesday if you choose) before the retreat is officially set up or open so that you can set up camp. Early entry is just access to the land prior to the official retreat opening. There’s no breakfast, port-a-potties may not yet be set up (Deb’s potties are available), tents, tables and chairs will not be set up in the community areas. You will be responsible for setting up your camp in an area that is not already sectioned off for retreat purposes and, depending on retreat needs and when you arrive, you may need to move your camp to accommodate retreat infrastructure.
How do I apply my staff discount/merchant booth addition to my registration?
Options for staff discounts and additional donations are programmed into the registration process, you will select them when you register and pay for your membership.
All merchants must contact the Merchant Coordinator to receive a code to sign up for a merchant booth. You will not be able to add booth fees to your registration until you have been in touch with the Merchant Coordinator.
Staff will also need to get a code from the Ops Director to apply staff discounts
What if I have a question that isn’t answered here?
Email us! Send your questions to communications@dragonfest.org.