That’s the extent of its connection to the holiday, however, especially when it comes to the festival’s selection of acts and artists. You probably won’t hear any bodhráns or tin whistles being played outside of Flogging Molly’s set, which closes things out on March 18.
That’s because Pot of Gold’s slate of performers runs the gamut from hip-hop (G-Eazy, Rae Sremmurd) and reggae (Matisyahu, Katchafire) to alternative (311, Death Cab for Cutie) and indie (Fitz and the Tantrums, Wolf Parade), with a healthy dose of punk (NOFX, Bouncing Souls, Less Than Jake) to boot.
In short, it's one of the better lineups of any local music festival this year, and definitely a treasure to fans of the aforementioned genres.
If you’re interested in following the rainbow all the way to Rawhide to attend, here’s a look at what to expect at Pot of Gold 2017.
Flogging Molly is scheduled to perform on Saturday, March 18, at Pot of Gold.
Courtesy of All Eyes Media
When and Where: Pot of Gold Music Festival 2017 take places from 11 a.m. to midnight on both Friday, March 17, and Saturday, March 18, at Rawhide Event Center, 5700 West North Loop Road in Chandler.
The Lineup: Friday will feature performances by G-Eazy, Desiigner, Action Bronson, Sublime With Rome, 311, Matisyahu, Rae Sremmurd, Smokepurpp, Katchafire, and Mystic Roots Band. Saturday will star Flogging Molly, Death Cab For Cutie, Fitz and the Tantrums, Bouncing Souls, NOFX, Less Than Jake, X Ambassadors, We The Kings, Wolf Parade, and Potty Mouth.
Prices: General admission is $69 each day. If you’d rather live large, VIP tickets are $200 per day and feature all sorts of perks, including access to a special viewing deck, a separate bar, private bathrooms, a T-shirt and other swag, free snacks, and more.
Also, it's important to note that there's no re-entry to the festival, so don't forget anything in your car. Once you're in, you're in.
Age Limits: Pot of Gold is an all-ages event, although it's not recommended for children under 12 to attend without their parents.
Getting There: Whether you’re coming from Phoenix or Tucson, you’ll want to take Interstate 10 to Exit 162 and then head west on Sundust Road/Wild Horse Pass Blvd. Hang a left at the first stoplight and follow the signs to the venue (there will be plenty of ‘em).
Local company MVMNT Entertainment will also offer “party bus” service taking people to and from Rawhide. Buses will depart from Mill Avenue in Tempe starting at 1:30 p.m. each day with pickups happening between midnight and 12:30 a.m. It’s $25 per person each day or $50 per person for the whole weekend (they also offer packages with tickets to the event included).
Parking: It’s available for $10 per vehicle on a first-come, first-serve basis. In other words, the later you get there, the longer it’ll take to walk to and from your car.
Weather: It’s going to be hot both days of the festival, as temperatures will be in the mid-90s. Dress appropriately, seek shade whenever possible, use sunblock, and hydrate often.
Food and Drink: You’ll probably need to eat at some point, especially if you’re planning to be out at the festival all day. The good news is that there will be more than a dozen different vendors and food trucks on site, slinging such items as chicken and waffles, fry bread, sammies, barbecue, burgers, Asian dishes, and even frog legs and deep-fried alligator (!!). Vegetarian and vegan options will also be available.
Multiple bars will also be located around the festival ground with beer, wine, and mixed cocktails available, as well as nonalcoholic beverages.
Water: As we said, keep water handy and drink it often. Two one-liter bottles per person will be allowed into the event. Camelbaks are permitted, provided there's no water in 'em upon entry. Refill stations will be available.
Vendors: Besides plenty of band and festival merch, local companies will be selling all manner of things at Pot of Gold, ranging from clothing and jewelry to glow sticks and sunglasses. The vendor lineup includes Black Market Clothing, Boshok, Dollface Company, Garageland, Mosh It Up, Phoenix Suns, The Henna Shop, Not Fade Away, Too Glow, Trails, Truecraft Board Company, and others.
Death Cab for Cutie is scheduled to perform on Saturday, March 18, at Pot of Gold.
Courtesy of Atlantic Records
What to Leave at Home: As we mentioned, backpacks and purses are forbidden at Pot of Gold. Other banned items include outside food and drinks, umbrellas, laser pointers, fireworks, camping gear, weapons, art supplies, musical instruments (unless you’re one of the bands, of course), profestional camera or recording gear, spiked bracelets, or anything else dangerous or disruptive.
Locker Rentals: Need to stow your stuff or charge your phone? Lockers will be situated both inside and outside of the festival and will contain charge cords. You can rent 'em on a daily basis or for the entire weekend, including leaving your items overnight. Outside lockers are $10 per day and $20 for the entire festival. Since there's no re-entry to the event once you go through the gates, we recommend renting one of the inside lockers for $15 each day or $25 for the weekend.
[image-10]Schedule and Set Times: Thanks to the staggered format of Pot of Gold’s schedule, where performances will alternate between either the east or west stage, there will literally be nonstop music at the festival. Here’s a rundown of who’s playing when and where.
FRIDAY, MARCH 17
Gates at 11 a.m.
West Stage:
Noon to 1 p.m.: Mystic Roots Band
2 to 3 p.m.: Katchafire
4 to 5 p.m.: Matisyahu
6:15 to 7:45 p.m.: 311
8:45 to 10:15 p.m.: Sublime With Rome
East Stage:
1 to 2 p.m. Smokepurpp
3 to 4 p.m.: Desiigner
5 to 6 p.m.: Action Bronson
7:45 to 8:45 p.m.: Rae Sremmurd
10:30 p.m. to midnight G-Eazy
Fitz and the Tantrums are scheduled to perform on Saturday, March 18, at Pot of Gold.
Joseph Cultice
Gates at 11 a.m.
West Stage:
Noon to 1 p.m.: Potty Mouth
2 to 3 p.m.: Wolf Parade
4 to 5 p.m.: X-Ambassadors
6 to 7:15 p.m.: Fitz and the Tantrums
8:45 to 10:15 p.m.: Death Cab For Cutie
East Stage:
1 to 2 p.m.: We the Kings
3 to 4 p.m. Bouncing Souls
5 to 6 p.m.: Less Than Jake
7:15 to 8:30 p.m.: NOFX
10:30 p.m. to midnight: Flogging Molly
