FAQs

GGBY is transitioning from under Slackline US into a novel non-profit organization “Friends of the Fruit Bowl”. This starts with a Community Involvement Incubator, which is gearing up to be the central hub for individuals interested in becoming more engaged with the community and initiatives surrounding Friends of the Fruit Bowl and GGBY. With a focus on stewardship, sustainability, and recreational management, this incubator aims to connect community members, provide essential information on involvement opportunities, and foster a sense of unity and purpose. This initiative, spearheaded by Friends of the Fruit Bowl // GGBY and supported by Slackline US, represents a significant step towards a sustainable future for the Fruit Bowl area, offering a platform for advocacy, leadership, and community-driven conservation efforts.

Come to the Community Involvement Incubator!!! It will be the BEST way for you to get involved!

We will have two meetings. One online and one in-person. The online meeting will take place via Google Meets on Thursday, February 8th @6pm MST. The online meeting will take place in Moab, Utah on Saturday, February 10th @2pm MST.

*Moab In-Person location: TBD

The main goal is to get familiar with the community members who are interested in getting involved. We will provide the space for you to ask questions, learn about what's going on, what needs to be done, and how you can get involved. Attending this meeting will be an amazing opportunity to use your voice and skills for the greater good of our community across the globe who come and recreate here at the Fruit Bowl/Moab, Utah!

Anyone and everyone that is interested in getting involved! This is a kick off for building the team that Friends of the Fruit Bowl and GGBY needs!

Nope! You are welcome to come even if you did not RSVP. However we would strongly encourage you to do the one minute RSVP so we can best organize for the meeting.

We will miss you! But you won’t be forgotten!! Please reach out to jackson@slackline.us

Maybe you! We are searching for these leaders. Don’t worry about not “knowing everything”, we will aid you and help you learn and grow in this process. Jesse Faircloth and Jackson Helgevold will be leading the meetings and transition, so please reach out and come to the meeting!

Not at all! This is actually a super duper awesome step towards long-term continuity and a natural healthy evolution of organizations! GGBY is growing up *happy cry*. Haha, but really, you should be stoked!

Updates will be released on a rolling basis and will currently be posted here on the GGBY.org page. A formal website and social accounts for Friends of the Fruit Bowl are in the process of being created.

Friends of the Fruit Bowl is a novel non-profit organization that will provide stewardship to the geographical area of the Fruit Bowl . It will serve as the liaison for Fruit Bowl recreationalists to the BLM/land managers. We are in the process of formalizing the specific scope, which you can be a part of!

The need for this organization is rooted in the preservation and successful management of the Fruit Bowl. This includes being the organizing entity behind GGBY. We are currently working on identifying and creating a comprehensive analysis of the needs that exist! Another reason to get involved!

Friends of the Fruit Bowl will provide support & resources to land managers, conservation, and recreationalists. Some example initiatives include the development of an information and education website for the community to access. Initial prospects for the scope of this information include things like the creation of health and safety systems for recreationalist to reference that comply with the local laws and regulations, such as suggested emergency evaluation plans and sanitation requirements. The formal scope and initiatives are currently still being developed, which you could be a part of!

Yes! The formation process is underway and needs your help! Friends of the Fruit Bowl is seeking 501(c)(3) non-profit status. The process of filing for 501(c)(3) status is extremely interesting and a valuable opportunity for you to learn from!

Oh yea! You are super welcomed to be only or majority involved with Friends of the Fruit Bowl. Since GGBY will be housed under the umbrella of Friends of the Fruit Bowl, there exists many opportunities for you to be involved without being directly involved with GGBY!

Haha! For sure! We are welcome to all the fun, silly, and also goofy name you can think of! Please email Jackson@slackline.us

Yes, it is possible that your organization would qualify to house GGBY. If you feel like you would be a good fit, please email Jackson@slackline.us

Please do not delay your initial contact, time is limited and for an existing organization to take over GGBY, the detailed review period will need to start as soon as possible.

It is very important to us that you have the opportunity to voice your concerns and opinions. Please contact Jackson@slackline.us

Sorry! We would be stoked to provide more information! Please contact Jackson@slackline.us

We fully intend to return in 2024, better than ever! This is heavily dependent upon the community getting involved! Your involvement in this transition will ensure we can continue GGBY. If you have ever been on the fence, then this will be the year for you.

Absofruitly!!! GGBY has and will continue to be entirely community organized and subsidized to provide the lowest attendance price possible. Given that GGBY will be housed under Friends of the Fruit Bowl (a non-profit), its legal non-profit status will be carried over!

For sure! GGBY will be organized under the umbrella of Friends of the Fruit Bowl, so many opportunities exist within just GGBY for you!

GGBY has made significant contributions to the community, particularly in terms of environmental sustainability and access to one of the world's most treasured highline spaces. Before Slackline US took the reins in 2017, the event at the Fruit Bowl Highline Area faced critical challenges due to its unorganized nature. These included environmental degradation like widespread human waste, undefined parking, walk-in camping, and trails, which posed serious environmental and access issues. One of the most notable achievements of GGBY was the successful fundraising and construction of a vault toilet at the Fruit Bowl, a project made possible through the collaboration between Slackline US, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and GGBY community contributions (Tickets/Merch/Donations). This effort not only addressed the immediate issue of human waste but also restored the area to a clean, cared for, and protected landscape, ensuring its preservation for future generations.

In partnership with the BLM and American Conservation Experience, GGBY spearheaded the localization of impact at the Fruit Bowl by defining and revitalizing the vehicle space to accommodate the growing number of recreationalist.

In addition to these initiatives, GGBY has implemented and developed the “Gold Standard” in festive rigging. Under the direct direction of Jerry Miszewski, GGBY has implemented and standardized what “festival rigging” should be by practicing the highest level of safety and accessibility in the industry. GGBY further paved the standard of safety in festival highline rigging by requiring all rigging team members to have successfully completed the International Slackline Association (ISA) rigging certification course. GGBY has also developed an extremely beginner friendly ecosystem for new and first time highliners, at no additional cost. First timers and new highliners are provided with several expert lead workshop opportunities to learn and practice key skills and safety protocols, with real highlines. Similar experiences can cost upwards of $750/person for one day, but are fully included in each participant's festival pass.This mission to create an accessible sport for all participants is a key focus of GGBY and one that we pride ourselves on!

Slackline U.S. assists in access management for the slackline community, encourage conservation, and foster safe practices in all forms of slacklining through education and community development. The primary focus of Slackline U.S. is to support the slackline community. We do this by assisting with access management, consolidating gear and rigging knowledge and providing rigging educational resources, promoting Leave No Trace ethics, publishing conservation guidelines, organizing clean-ups and trail building projects, coordinating efforts of local groups and providing organizational support, developing outreach programs, and connecting with the International Slackline Association. Slackline U.S. is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit organization

Slackline US has been the organizing entity behind GGBY since 2017. In 2016, land managers announced that GGBY had grown too large in size to be an unorganized event. At the time, the Fruit Bowl Highline Area and GGBY had no formal structures or organizations in place for minimizing the impact of individuals and groups who were recreating. Human waste was an extremely common sight to witness or even step in! This in addition to the undefined parking, walk-in camping, and trails was unsustainable and presented serious environmental and access issues to one of the worlds most treasured highline spaces. In response to the land managers concerns, Slackline US stepped up to the plate and began a monumental sustainability campaign to ensure the Fruit Bowl would be cared for. This included becoming the organizing entity behind GGBY 2017 through 2023, turning the once renegade gathering into a vessel for fostering continuity at the Fruit Bowl. Under the direction and partnership of Slackline US and the BLM, GGBY successfully raised the funds needed to build a vault toilet at the Fruit Bowl. The BLM donated the remaining resources and funds necessary to construct the vault toilet in 2021 and continues to maintain it to this day. The once common sight of human waste, has now been remediated and restored to a clean, cared for, and protected landscape!

In the wake of these improvements and the successful development of GGBY as an organization for sustainability, Slackline US has identified GGBY as a strong candidate for local advocacy and leadership. As a result, Slackline US is transitioning GGBY from its portfolio into that of a local organization. The transition will allow Slackline US to allocate more resources to remediating other access, conservation, and education issues across the United States. Perhaps in your local public lands!

Slackline US will provide oversight during the transition to ensure compliance and success. Once the transition is completed, Slackline US will not be (as an official organizing entity) involved in GGBY or Friends of the Fruit Bowl. Slackline US will always be concerned with and support access, conservation, and education at the Fruit Bowl, though just not in the capacity it has for the past seven years.

Yes, Slackline US has and will continue to a 501(c)(3) non-profit! You should become a member! ;)

Slackline US is focusing on developing an affiliate program to integrate and empower local slackline groups. This year Slackline US has formally recruited two organizations Slackline Minnesota and South Florida Slackers. Slackline US plans to expand and provide support to these organizations. Your local slack group should get in touch!

Slackline US is composed of slackers from all over the United States! Currently there are eight members on the board of directors.

Daniel Walsh – President

Jesse Faircloth

Drake Sweet

Drew Goodwin

Hai Thai

Mark McKee

Davis Dailey

Jackson Helgevold

Yay! You totally should! Getting involved with Slackline US is easy and will provide you with amazing opportunities to be the change you want to see! If you are a part of a local organization, even if informal, you are encouraged to reach out about becoming an affiliate program. Additionally, you can become a Slackline US Ambassador! These are individuals who local slackers can turn to for access, conservation, and education promotion and issues. For more information lease drew.goodwin@slackline.us

Slackline US offers formal “membership” through a once yearly $25 membership due. This supports the access, conservation, and education of slacklining across the United States. As a Slackline US member, you get discounts at many major gear retailers, events/festivals, and free/reduced training/workshops! It's super great and you should become a member today! For more information checkout the Slackline US website