There’s a lot to going into putting an event on like SunFest. And you may have wondered how some of the logistics work behind the scenes.
I followed around one man today with a job that gets up close with all the musicians to find out how SunFest does transportation logistics for all the superstars.
Hidden away at the end of Banyan Blvd. and a road closed sign is a golf cart labeled "transportation #1". It's JJ Wolfe’s office during SunFest. He’s the transportation chair and has been in charge of transporting artist to and from their hotels and airports for 8 years.
It’s not as easy as it sounds covering over 80 shifts and more than 70 volunteers and staff and a fleet of passenger vans.
"Typically [we have] eight [vans], but this year we got shorted one somehow so we got seven," says JJ.
As I was chatting with JJ, members of the band, the O’mys, showed up looking where to go. JJ quickly got them the answers they needed.
School teacher Philliana Cartwright-Harding and I were assigned to take artist Logic back to his and his crews’ hotel after soundcheck.
I asked Phillina what if she makes a mistake and makes a wrong turn - what does she do?
"As long as you don't reveal you've made mistake you're fine," jokes Phillina.
But things are constantly changing and we got some news about our celebs.
"We were going to take somebody pretty cool back to their hotel," I asked.
"Yes, but that got canceled," adds Phillina.
"What do we do now," I wondered?
"We go park the van and wait for the next run," advises Phillina.
"That seems boring, I liked what we were going to do before better," I joke.
JJ takes all the last minute changes in stride, "You know, we are all volunteers if you remember."
But not anyone can join. There is a screening process. You have to be over age 25, and know someone on the committee. The other rules?
"We don't ask for autographs, we don't do selfies, we just do our job. We pick them up, we drive them where they go, drop them off, that's the end of it," insists JJ.
