BreyerFest for Beginners- FAQs for 2023

 BreyerFest For Beginners

BreyerFest 2023 Frequently Asked Questions

Updated Often- updated to reflect new information when released

EVENT INFORMATION

What are the Dates for BreyerFest: July 14, 15, 16 2023

What is the theme for BreyerFest? Driving Forward

Where is BreyerFest located? Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington Ky and on the Breyer website

What are the hours of BreyerFest? 9 AM EDT to 4 PM EDT

What time does Will Call open? This information is not available at this time

When does the virtual BreyerFest Store open up? This information is not available at this time

TICKET INFORMATION

When do tickets go on sale? Typically after the first of the year. Projected sales time appears to be February 2023 as mentioned by Breyer.

Will there be a notification when tickets go on sale? Yes, there will be several posts in this group, posts by Breyer, and emails that do go out.

How long are tickets available for sale? While supplies last or when Breyer announces that ticket sales are closing.

Can I buy Tickets at the Gate? This information is not available at this time

Will my tickets be sent to me? In Person Tickets, yes. Virtual Tickets, no

What are the Ticket Books? Ticket Books are the informational packet that comes with your tickets and includes your Redemption tickets. There will be more information soon about this.

Do I have to purchase the Celebration Horse after I buy my ticket? No, your Celebration Horse automatically comes with your ticket. At the in person event, you will need to pick it up. The virtual attendees will have theirs sent to them.

How will we be able to purchase Special Runs? This information is not available at this time

I want to purchase a full set of Single Day Stablemates, will I be able to? This information is not available at this time

I am attending the virtual event, why can't I buy Special Runs? You are able to purchase one Special Run this year. 

Do the Special Runs reflect the Theme? Not typically, however their names will reflect the theme of BreyerFest. Things can always change though.

What are the differences in these crazy terms? There are many model types that will be available for BreyerFest. Some are available to everyone, some are only able to be won from the horse shows or the contests. You can read a lot more about them in our BreyerFest for Beginners Guide. The ones that you will see the most are the following: Event Models, these are the models that come with your tickets. Celebration Horse, this is the model that comes with certain ticket types. Single Day Stablemates, these are the Event Stablemates that come with certain ticket types. Special Runs, these are the models that are able to be purchased by certain ticket types. Limited Editions, these are models that everyone is able to purchase. Limited Editions include Store Specials or portrait models, Tent Models, Pop Up Store models, and more. Those are just some that you will see daily.

Is Tax included in the Prices or is it separate? Tax is included in the costs of the in person Special Run and Limited Edition Models. Tax is added to online orders.

EVENT INFORMATION

I am attending the in person event, where can I stay? Make sure to check out our BreyerFest for Beginners Guide on the FB group as there is a section just for hotels and some phone numbers to call as well.  There is also a post here in this blog about it as well.

Will I need a vehicle for the in person event? Yes, it is highly recommended to have some sort of transportation for the event.

Is there cell phone service? Yes, however it depends on your cell phone service provider. Verizon is one that only has spotty service at best and T-Mobile seems to have the best.

Is there more than one Parking Lot at the Kentucky Horse Park? Yes, there are many, many parking lots. However, since the entrance to BreyerFest is the Rolex Gate located near the American Saddlebred Museum, the Visitor’s Center Parking Lot is the most highly used one. However, all of the parking lots are great and there are shuttles running all weekend long to take you from your vehicle to the gate.

Which gate should I use? The Rolex Gate is the one that is most associated with BreyerFest. This is the gate closest to the Covered Arena, where BreyerFest centers around. You are able to use the Main Entrance, however there will be a walk to get to the Covered Arena. The Will Call is also located at the Rolex Gate.

Will there be lines? Yes. However, please note that once you have your Redemption Tickets for your Event Models, there is no reason to stand in line. You are guaranteed those models. But there will be a line for the BreyerFest Store, the bathrooms, food and drinks, Guest Horse autographs, and more.

What time do I need to get there on Friday Morning? This is a question that only you can truly answer, however here are some things to keep in mind: There will be traffic. Enough traffic that the Kentucky State Police will be out on the main highway to direct traffic. There will be a line to find a parking spot. There will be a line to enter the park at the Rolex Gate. In the past, there were three lines that entered the gate in the morning, however with the changes that are happening, we are not sure exactly how it will work at this time. Personally, I recommend getting there early. Even if you are just looking for a decent place to park, getting there early will help you beat the traffic. I know that many people start showing up around 6 AM EDT to 7 AM EDT.

Will there be traffic? Yes. Traffic will be heavy on Friday morning and even on Saturday morning. The traffic in the evening will be heavy as well as BreyerFest ends for the day. After BreyerFest ends on Friday and Saturday, many people will start heading to the Altech Arena to attend the Celebration Of Horses Evening Performance. After that event, traffic will be heavy again as people start to leave. Definitely keep that in mind.

Where is the Rolex Gate? The Rolex Gate is located to the right of the Main Entrance and to the left of the American Saddlebred Museum. This gate is where Will Call will be located.

Is there handicapped parking? Yes. The majority of the parking lot closest to the Visitor’s Center and the American Saddlebred Museum will be marked off as Handicapped.

Is BreyerFest handicapped accessible? Yes, it is. There are some obstacles and it is hot and humid, however the event is accessible to everyone. Please check out the post in the BreyerFest for Beginners Guide about this.

Where does BreyerFest actually take place? BreyerFest centers around the Covered Arena, however you will have access to the whole Kentucky Horse Park and I will always recommend checking that out. The Covered Arena is where the Vendor Marketplace and the Equine Demonstrations will happen. This is also where the BreyerFest Store is located. The warm up arena right behind the Covered Arena is usually taken over by the Stablemate Painting and other areas of interest. The barns are behind that and that is where the Guest Horses will be stabled, along with the autograph area. Behind that and to the side a bit, the Event Model pick ups will be located on the corner of Nina Bonnie Drive and Lee Cholak Drive. The Visitor’s Center will hold the Seminars this year and the Altech Arena, which is a drive down Cigar Lane or about a 15 minute walk from the Covered Arena is where the Workshops, the Model Shows, and the Celebration of Horses Evening Performance will be.

Where are the Model Horse Shows held? The Altech Arena, which is about a fifteen minute walk from the Covered Arena or you can drive there on Cigar Lane. There is ample parking there and a shuttle that runs from there to the Covered Arena and the main parking lot.

Where are the Workshops? This information is not available at this time

Where is the Artisan’s Gallery? This will be located at the Clarion Hotel, about a five minute drive from the Kentucky Horse Park. Please note that the Clarion Parking Lot does fill up FAST and it is normally reserved for the patrons of the hotel. It opens up at 5 PM EDT on Thursday.

Can I bring a wagon to the event? While this is not prohibited, many BreyerFest veterans will tell you that bringing a wagon is not a good idea. It cannot be taken into the stores and it is hard to move around the Covered Arena with one. The best option is to store your models in your vehicle or hotel room.

What is Will Call and where will it be located? This information is not available at this time

Since bags are not allowed in the Breyer Store and the Special Run Tent, will there be a bag check? Likely! In BreyerFest history, there has been up to two of these bag checks, one over by the Breyer Store and one by the Special Run Tent. These bag checks have no limit on how many that you can place there, but you can only keep it there for an hour.

Is there food at the Park? Yes, there will be Food Vendors and the Kentucky Horse Park has a restaurant and a few snack stations as well.

I am going to the in person event, but I want to get the Special Runs. How can I do so? Special Runs will be available using the Special Run Preference List once again.

What tickets do not get Special Runs? General Access and the Online Stablemate Access

Will there be other crazy people there like me? Well, of course! But we do not think that you are crazy. BreyerFest is for all ages, not just crazy kids. There is plenty of room for crazy adults and crazy grandparents and even a crazy teenager or two! No matter your age, you will not be alone!

What is the Clarion? The Clarion is a hotel that is near the Kentucky Horse Park. This hotel acts as a hub for model horse activity during the event. Many people use their rooms at this hotel to sell or trade model horses. Breyer also uses this hotel as the site for the Artisan's Gallery and the Swap Meet. I believe that the BreyerFest Live! Resin Rennaissance show is held here as well. The Clarion has a small parking lot for this size hotel, so it is recommended to find a ride rather than park here. You can read more about the Clarion in our Let’s Talk BreyerFest Guide

What time does the Swap Meet start? 7:30 PM EDT on Thursday and Friday and the doors close promptly at 11:00 PM EDT.

Can I bring my pets to the event? The answer is technically yes, however the majority of the group will tell you no for many, many reasons. This question is not allowed in this group and there is to be no discussion of it because the answer from the group is a resounding no. Comments about this topic will be deleted immediately.

Am I able to bring my own food and a cooler? Yes. As long as you do not bring anything glass into the park, it is typically allowed. Many veterans will tell you to keep your Cooler in the car and make trips out there to get your food. There is not a lot of room in the Covered Arena when the event is going strong, so wagons, coolers on wheels, and such are not recommended.

I am attending the in person event, do I need an account on Breyer's website? Breyer says that yes you do. This is a free account to create so no worries. Plus there are two online only models that you can purchase and they are available to all ticket holders!

I am a Collector Club member, do I get a discount on tickets? No, they are no longer offering discounts on BreyerFest tickets for Collector Club members. However, they do have other things planned. At this time, we are not sure what these other things are.

How many models can I buy? How many do you want to buy? That is the real question! However, it does break down and there are certain limits. At an in person event, you can buy as many Limited Edition models as you want, no matter what ticket type that you have.

Do Limited Edition Models sell out? YES! At the in person event, they usually sell out very quickly. With this hybrid event, we will need to see how fast they sell out before I can confidently answer this question more in depth.

Will my models be mailed to me? If you have in person event tickets, no. Your models will not be mailed to you. However, if you purchase models online during the event, including the Limited Editions, those will be mailed to you. If you have virtual event tickets, then yes, all of your models will be mailed to you.

Am I guaranteed to get a model other than the Celebration Horse or the Event Stablemates during the event? If you are a VIP Ticket Holder, then yes you are guaranteed to receive those models that you pre-paid for. However, the other tickets are never guaranteed models and it does state this on the Breyer website.

I am attending the virtual event, when will my models be sent to me? Yes, they will be mailed to your location. There will be shipping charges this year.

I purchased tickets for the virtual event, but I can make it to the in person event, will my tickets still count? No, you will need to purchase the in person tickets in order to attend the in person event.

Will there be Store Specials and Pop Up Tent Models? Yes, these models have been lumped together and are now called the Limited Edition Models. They will be available during BreyerFest at the in person BreyerFest Stores or on the Breyer website during BreyerFest. You must have a BreyerFest Ticket in order to purchase them.

Will there be real horses at BreyerFest? Yes! More than you will know about will attend BreyerFest. This will be the time to see some of the best horses around the world and even get their owner’s autograph.

Can I pet a real horse at BreyerFest? Yes. Many horse owners will gladly allow you to pet their horse. However, the rule is to ask first! Some horses can be a bit nippy.

What is there to do besides buy models at BreyerFest? There will be an amazing Equine Demonstration show all weekend long happening in the Covered Arena where you can sit down and watch horses of all breeds do what they do best. You can explore the entire Kentucky Horse Park and all of their museums, and more.

Will it be crowded? Yes, BreyerFest is always crowded. The Kentucky Horse Park will be crowded, the Covered Arena will be crowded, the Clarion will be crowded.

Are there places to escape the sun and sit down? Yes, the Covered Arena is a great place to sit down, maybe grab something to eat, and watch the horses. However, this is not an air conditioned area and it will be crowded. The Visitor’s Center and the Museums are air conditioned to escape the heat.

Can I bring models to sell at the Kentucky Horse Park? In theory, yes. However since wagons and carts are hard to use in the limited space, many people actually wear signs made from paper that state what they have to sell and what they are looking for. It might sound goofy, but it works.

I don’t have a room at the Clarion, can I still sell there? I would say no. If you do not have a room that you are selling out of and are not participating through selling from Breyer, I would not recommend bringing in models to sell. I would say to leave them in your car and maybe let it be known that you have some trade fodder or something of that nature.

What is best, cash or credit? Well, most people will tell you that cash is king. But many people do accept PayPal and many other forms of credit card payments. If you are coming to Kentucky from out of state, please let your bank know that you are traveling so that they do not shut down your card during the weekend.

Are there local farms to tour? Yes, many of them require you to sign up in advance though so definitely keep that in mind. Old Friends is a fan favorite as you will get to see some retired race horses and learn about their stories. They are also many famous Thoroughbred farms nearby that have amazing tours.

What are some local hotels to stay at? There is a list of ten local hotels in the BreyerFest for Beginners Guide to help you get started, along with a link that I found to all of these hotels. I, personally, do not stay in a hotel, however that post in the Guide has several amazing recommendations as well as the ten that I listed.

What kind of food is nearby? What do you like to eat? No, but seriously, there are a lot of restaurants and grocery stores near the Horse Park, if you do not mind a short drive. There is a small list already started in the BreyerFest for Beginners section and I have plans to place all of the recommendations in that post, but time keeps getting away from me.

I am planning to attend the in person event, but I need to know what airports are in the area. I got you! Check out the BreyerFest for Beginners Guide. While I cannot recommend one in particular, I am sure that someone can help you on that post to find one that fits your needs.

What else is there to do in Lexington? There is so much stuff that I honestly forget it all whenever I type this out so I know that some awesome Roadies will always remind me what there is to do. There are Bourbon tours, orchards to visit, lots of museums, Keenland, lots of farm tours, and so much more! But don't forget to pace yourself! There is a list in the BreyerFest for Beginners Guide that states many fun "other" things to do beside BreyerFest.

What happens if the in person event is canceled due to Covid? We will cross that bridge when we get to it, if we do. We do not allow any talk of the pandemic in this group, but I have seen this topic come up very often in other groups, on other's pages, and more places. Please know that no matter what, Breyer will have a back up plan and I still have my notes from the last two completely virtual events. You will always be kept in the loop and ready for anything.

Am I required to be vaccinated or required to wear a mask during the in person event? Again, we do not discuss the pandemic and the various topics associated with it here in this group, but this is a common question. Here in Ky, large gatherings are still happening and they do ask that you put a mask on while attending the event, no matter what your vaccine status is. Many people do, many people do not. That is as far as I am going to allow on this topic and comments or submitted posts about this topic will be immediately deleted.

Frequently Asked Questions- The Return!

You want to attend BreyerFest, but it all seems so confusing. Have no worries, this group has totally got your back! Reading the Guides will definitely help you and should answer a lot of the questions that you might have about this event and more.

*Tickets are expensive. What else can you do beside buy expensive plastic horses? Tickets are expensive because they really include a lot of stuff with them. There are different kinds of tickets that offer different levels of everything. With each ticket, you will be receiving a model that goes with that ticket. With the VIP, All Access, and the virtual Traditional Access Ticket, you will receive a Celebration Horse Model, which is a Traditional sized model (1:9 scale). With the General Access and the virtual Stablemate Access Tickets, you will receive one randomly selected Event Stablemate. However, you are then welcome to explore the Kentucky Horse Park, meet some real horses, see them perform their disciplines, paint a Stablemate model, learn about the Model Horse Hobby, and so much more. Sure, shopping is at the top of the list, especially for those that like to buy plastic horses, but there is always something for everyone at BreyerFest.

*Are models guaranteed with the tickets? Well, yes, kind of. Each ticket is guaranteed an Event Model. The only ticket that is absolutely guaranteed any models other than the Event Model is the VIP Ticket, which sold out in March.

*Are all of the models released? This information is not available at this time

*Will there be Stablemate Painting? Yes! In fact, there will be two locations for Stablemate Painting this year. One will be near the Covered Arena and the other will be in the Celebration Park, according to their maps released.

*Can I ship models back to my house since I traveled here? Yes! UPS will be located at the Clarion Hotel as well as on the concourse of the Covered Arena during BreyerFest. There is also a large USPS Hub in Lexington.

*Am I going to be standing in line forever? Maybe? I mean, no one can really predict exactly how this event will play out, especially since Breyer is changing everything this year. There will be a line to get into BreyerFest each morning. There will be a line at Will Call to pick up the Tickets. There will be lines for food and more, I promise that.

*Is it going to be crowded? If you ask me, I am going to say yes! BreyerFest has had two years where it was virtual only and the die hard BreyerFest attendees are eager to go back to the in person event. There will be both in person and virtual aspects to BreyerFest this year, but I do expect a near sold out, if not sold out crowd.

*Do I have to buy the Special Runs that were selected for my account? These were not at the top of my list! Well, you don't have to buy anything at BreyerFest, Special Runs included.

*Ugh! They sold out of Limited Runs, what now? Well, they do tend to sell out. You can check back later since Breyer does restock all weekend long (in person, not the website). You can head online and see if they are still available there. You can also check the Clarion down the road to see if anyone is selling some there, but those will be high priced already.

*Will there be food there? Yes. Breyer is having some food trucks come in, they are labeled as light refreshments so we are not sure that they are right now. However, the Kentucky Horse Park should be having their Snack Bar open and it does provide meals. If not, there are restaurants within five miles of the Kentucky Horse Park. Definitely do NOT forget to check out the lemonade and grab their cup that you can get like half priced refills all weekend long.

*Is there parking? Yes, lots of it. However some of it is not near the Rolex Gate, which is the entrance to BreyerFest. But there will be shuttles running to the gate from the parking lots!

*Which entrance do I use? The Rolex Gate. The Rolex Gate is located to the left of the American Saddlebred Museum, however the best advice is look for the huge line and the blue and yellow flags everywhere. Breyer is pretty good with signage to the entrance and everywhere in between.

*Do I have to pay for parking each time that I come to the park? If you purchased a Parking Pass from Breyer, then no. However, if you did not get a Parking Pass, you will need to pay each time that you come into the park.

*Will I be lost at the event? I hope not! There will be signage and a Help Desk on site. However, if you get lost and do not know who to turn to, you can always feel free to post here in this group. I will be there and so will many other Roadies. We got you!

*OMG, I don't want to be alone! Will there be people there to hang out with? Yes! No matter where you turn, there are usually about a million people there. Ok, maybe not that many, but there are several people, especially here in the group, that go alone and will be eager to hang out with someone. I am always available to sit with you, stand in line with you, have a meal with you, whatever you need. 

Are there shuttles to get around? Shuttle information has not been released yet. 

I am sure that I will add more to this when I see questions pop up, but I promise you that it really is more complicated to explain and talk about than it is to experience it. Make sure to read the Guides and I can definitely point you in the direction that you need or answer your questions. In fact, the majority of the amazing BreyerFest Veterans here in the group are ready to answer your questions and there is no question that is stupid!

Hope this helps!