Surviving BreyerFest 101

 Surviving BreyerFest 101

From questions of what to pack all the way to explaining all about the event, Road To BreyerFest truly has you covered! Our Guides, FAQs, and more will help you plan your BreyerFest Adventure and make it as awesome as can be!

Here are some things that you need to have packed for the event and some tips/tricks for BreyerFest:

Water bottles- reusable bottles are great, especially if you are refilling them at your own cooler. However, water is expensive from the food trucks and the snack bars so even some bottled water is great to have on hand.

Gatorade/Electrolyte drinks/mixes- BreyerFest is all about heat and humidity. There is no denying that, so make sure that you are well prepared to replenish what you sweat out.

A Cooler with Ice- My best advice is to always have a cooler with ice in your car. You do not need to bring it into the park, unless you want to do so. Yes, coolers with outside food and drink are allowed inside the park, but please do not bring glass containers or alcohol inside.

A Fan or a Cooling Cloth- It gets hot and you will sweat a lot. Make sure that you take advantage of fans, if you do not bring one. Personal fans or cooling cloths are a great addition to any BreyerFest survival pack.

A bag that is the right size- Bags are checked at BreyerFest and they are checked religiously! Anything larger than a Traditional Sized Model will NOT be accepted into the BreyerFest Stores. Waist packs or small backpacks are great to have.

Pain Relief- As a migraine sufferer, I make sure that my BreyerFest Bag has tylenol or motrin in it to hopefully stop my headaches. However, it is also great for the sore feet and aching calves that you might get during the day.

SunScreen- You will definitely want some sunscreen! SPF one million, if you can find it. But seriously, sunscreen is much needed as you will burn and never know it in the Kentucky summer.

Allergy Medication- As someone who is allergic to horses, I always have my benedryl on me. However, you might not know if you are allergic to all things horse, if you have never been around them. It is best to always have some on hand.

Cash- BreyerFest does take Credit/Debit Cards and I have a huge section all about them at BreyerFest, however the internet is spotty at the Kentucky Horse Park and it goes down...a lot. It never hurts to have cash on hand, especially since the ATMs at the Park and at the Clarion will always be out of money. Important- Let your credit/debit card company or bank know that you are traveling!

Let your Credit/Debit Card company or bank know that you are traveling- Likely they will tell you that with the chip cards, this is not necessary anymore. However, it is always best to have them make a note on your account that you are traveling, include the dates, and include that there will be charges from all over the US.

An Umbrella or poncho- Kentucky weather is crazy! It might rain, it might storm, or it might just be hot, but you never know what it will be and it will change in a moment. It is best to always be prepared. BreyerFest does not stop for weather events, unless it is deemed dangerous and then things are just delayed until the weather clears a bit.

Different Outfit Changes- Even though I live close to the park and I drive there each day, I always bring a change of clothes. If you sweat through your clothes or you get drenched in a sudden downpour, it is a great idea to change your clothes. Even if you just bring an extra pair of socks and shoes, it is a great idea.

Comfortable Walking Shoes- BreyerFest is all about the walking! You will be walking a lot, like miles a day unless you are deemed the package holder and then you will be parked in one spot. I always recommend no open toed shoes, especially since this is a working horse farm with a TON of horses that you will be able to get up close and personal with. Make sure that your shoes are well broken in, but not broken down, and that they do not rub in places. Blisters are horrible and I end up getting them every year.

Band-aids- for the blisters, of course! But for other reasons too.

Bug Spray- Kentucky is home to a million mosquitoes and other various biting insects. It does not hurt to be prepared with some bug spray.

A Hat of some kind- You will want to cover up your head, unless you are crazy like me and demand to wear silly horse ears. Again, this is all about protecting yourself in the heat and the sun. Make sure that you are covered up.

Dress in layers, if you are one to get cold- The nights in Kentucky cool off quickly and get almost chilly due to the humidity. A light jacket or long sleeved tshirt works great, however you will want something underneath of that for when the sun comes up.

Extra Batteries for your Phone- Buy some battery packs that you see in Walmart or online. They work great to charge up your phone when needed. Just make sure to recharge them overnight. Or you can be like me and have around 10 of them. Why? I really do not remember buying that many.

Don’t Over Plan Your Day- I know, you want to do everything and believe me, I do too! However, it is best to just go with the flow when at BreyerFest. Take some down time to explore the museums, they are air conditioned, and take some time to explore the rest of the Kentucky Horse Park. Maybe take a break and watch the lovely horses in the Equine Demonstrations. Whatever you want to do, try not to plan it so that you are running from one end of the event to the other. Have fun with it!

Purchase at least One Raffle Ticket- Two dollars could potentially get you a very rare model as it only takes one to win. Raffles have not been announced yet- 1/22/23. If you are attending virtually and there is a raffle, enter it! You never know what will happen!

Go To The Clarion- Take the shuttles to the Clarion from the Horse Park. You might be able to find something that you have been looking for at the Clarion that is cheaper than on the concourse at the Covered Arena.

Check out the Artisan’s Gallery at the Clarion- From seeing the finalists of the Best Customs Contest to seeing amazing artwork and so much more, this is a great place to visit. Yes, it will be crowded, but it is so worth it!

Watch the Celebration Of Horses Evening Performance- If you are new to BreyerFest, this is something of a treat. It is provided with each ticket and it is lovely show produced by Sylvia Zerbini and her amazing team. From liberty acts to death defying trick riders, you never know what to expect!

The Ninja Pit is NOT mandatory- What is that? I hear you asking and I am here to tell you- It is the line that forms for the BreyerFest Store on Thursday night and into Friday morning. This is absolutely NOT mandatory and Breyer even tries to discourage it. Product is placed out all weekend long and that does include the Warehouse Finds and other rare models. If you are not looking to be hardcore and sleep outside, I recommend showing up around 7 AM EDT to get a good parking spot. But showing up later than 9 AM EDT will guarantee that there is not a line to wait in to get inside of the park!

Make sure that you have your Parking Pass- If you do not purchase a Parking Pass from Breyer, you will be paying at the gate to park each time. I believe that you are able to purchase an event pass from the gate, but I have not confirmed this yet.

Do not forget your tickets- Tickets are non-refundable and they are not able to be replaced if they are lost, stolen, or misplaced. If you do not have a ticket, you will need to purchase one at the gate, if they are not sold out, or you will not be permitted inside the event.

Don’t forget your Redemption Tickets- Picking up models during BreyerFest? Don’t forget those Redemption Tickets! You will not be able to retrieve those models without them.

There are no Time Slots- You are able to get your models all weekend long. The line might be long, however it does move relatively fast.

Only VIP Ticket Holders can pick up the VIP Models- If you are wearing a VIP Wristband, you are golden to pick up those VIP Redemption Ticket models. This is where I always recommend taking that wrist band off of your child and placing it on yourself for the time being.

Collector Club Tent- This is for Collector Club members only. There will be a list that the Breyer employee will check that will contain your email address that is associated with your Collector Club account. You will receive a name tag, some water, a shade and fans, and a viewing of what has been released and what is coming from the Breyer Clubs. Children under 16 are permitted inside with their parent. Significant others or friends are typically not permitted.

Wagons are permitted, but not encouraged- I know, you are thinking but they make life so much easier. They do. However, the Covered Arena is a tight area to walk in and it will be beyond crowded. Wagons can cause someone to get hurt or get run over. If you bring a wagon, just make sure to be extra careful. They are not permitted in the BreyerFest Stores.

There is a Bag Check near the BreyerFest Stores- If you have a lot of shopping to do and there is no one with you to hold your purchases, the Bag Check is a great place to set those bags down. This is only for a short term, around an hour, so make sure to remember to grab those bags. There have been mix ups in the past and bags that have vanished, but these issues are typically solved quickly and efficiently by the volunteers there.

You can store models in your car- I know, it goes against whatever we were taught as a new hobbyists, the heat will warp your models. However, unless they have been a delicate custom or a vintage model, I have never seen an issue with the new models. I typically take a blanket and place that over the purchases and my cooler. My car is locked with an alarm, so I have some protection.

How much money?!- The amount of money that you take is up to you, no one can tell you how much that you want to spend. I typically take around $500 to $600, depending on what I am looking to purchase. Make sure to make a list of what you want to buy.

Make sure to have money for more than just horses- Make sure that you have enough money to cover all of your other expenses.

Showing your horses?- Make sure that you have a small repair kit, a snack, water, pens, tags, brushes or something to keep the ponies clean, a notebook to keep track of what is going on, and other things that help you. I do not recommend that BreyerFest Live is your first ever model horse show, it is fast paced, extremely competitive, and is a draw for hobbyists all over the world.

Feeding Horses?- Do not feed horses unless their owner allows you to do so. Some horses have dietary restrictions and a little treat can actually cause damage sadly. However, most owners will have something that you can feed them or allow you to pet them in their favorite spots. Just make sure to ask first!

Always ask before petting an animal- While almost every horse owner is going to tell you to please pet their horse, it will make them happy, there are some horses out there that do not like to be touched in certain areas. I used to be such a horse owner, LOL!

Pets and BreyerFest- We do not talk about it in this group, it causes a rift and arguments the like you have never seen.

Babies and BreyerFest- see above. Although I am guilty of this. I brought my six week old Tiny Human in 2014 and was not hindered at all and she was alright. More people were concerned that I was attending BreyerFest right after a c-section.

Horse Farm Tours require advanced notice- Go ahead and start making those reservations now. They sell out fast.

There is no selling if you are not a vendor- You are not able to sell your models from a wagon at the Kentucky Horse Park. If caught by Breyer, you could be removed. I have seen people wear signs to advertise what they have for sale though.

Don’t forget to eat and drink- This is where I usually make my joke of you are already not drinking enough water, however it is a serious thing as well. Heatstroke can happen quickly and without you noticing it easily. It happens to the best of us, including myself. Just make sure that you remember to eat and drink during BreyerFest, even if it is something silly like a lemonade and a popsicle.

There is typically a UPS Pop-up Location on site at the Clarion and at the Kentucky Horse Park- You will be able to ship your models home or to those that you are picking up for. I also will be placing up other local locations where you can ship your models, from other UPS locations to USPS locations.

Take your own wrapping- Shopping at the Clarion is great, however it is best that you take your own bubble wrap and shopping bags. This is where my tiny backpack comes in handy! I stuff it full of shopping bags and then store extra bubble wrap in my car or in a friend’s room since I do not stay in a hotel. Sellers will love you, if you provide these for your purchases.

Know your limits- I know that I mentioned to not over plan your day, however it is also great to know your limits. If you know that you will be tired after walking all over the park, you are able to watch the Celebration of Horses Evening Performance streamed on the Breyer website. Or take a nap during the day to recover for the BreyerFest After Dark Artisan’s Gallery and Swap Meet adventures. I do not know this for myself and you will hear me say sleep is for the weak. It is most definitely not.

Bring an extra suitcase if you are not shipping your models- If you prefer to have your models closer at hand than shipping them to your final location, consider bringing an extra suitcase or duffel bag.

Don’t hesitate to talk to people- Hobby members are incredibly kind during BreyerFest. I know that I have met so many awesome people by striking up conversations in line and I am extremely shy and nervous. You never know who you will meet! I have met so many of my hobby heros by just striking up a conversation.

Wear a name tag- I know that one sounds kid of dumb, however I know of a certain artist whom I love their work that gives out small trinkets if they see you wearing a name tag. Plus there are people like me who cannot remember a name to save their life!

There are definitely a ton more and I could type for ages on this, however I urge you to also check out the BreyerFest for Beginners Guide as I have a ton of these already listed here, along with other things that you will need to know for your first BreyerFest trip ever. I hope that this has helped you and know that this list grows with each year and with each person that comments through the year.