Camp Aftershock gives fans of Sacramento rock festival a cheaper place to stay

Aftershock fans are already arriving in Sacramento ahead of Thursday's opening day, and this year, they have a new option for where to sleep between four days of hard rock.

The annual music festival is Sacramento's largest entertainment event, with more than 160,000 tickets sold. The influx of visitors is also putting pressure on hotel prices across the city.

But for the first time, fans can skip the hotel altogether.

Camp Aftershock has transformed part of Cal Expo into a temporary campground for festival ticket holders, giving out-of-town fans a place to stay just a short shuttle ride from Discovery Park.

Hundreds of fans are setting up tents and sleeping areas on the state fairgrounds' decommissioned horse track, turning the space into a temporary community that will be home for the next several days.

"It's honestly really nice to have the option for camping," said Haley Toper, an Aftershock fan from San Diego.

For some campers, making the temporary accommodations feel like home is part of the experience.

"I think everyone's going to be getting to know each other and having fun," said Kaley Palmeri, also from San Diego.

Toper said fans are adding personal touches to their campsites, from decorations to pillows brought from home.

"Just adding little decorations to make those little homey touches," she said. "Bringing your own pillow from home is a great thing."

A cheaper alternative to Sacramento hotels

For fans traveling from outside the area, the campground can also mean significant savings.

Rod Young traveled to Sacramento from Alberta, Canada, for Aftershock and said camping was an attractive alternative to paying thousands of dollars for a hotel.

"It is honestly way better," Young said. "Can you imagine spending $2,000?"

Other fans from Nevada said they were also seeing higher hotel rates this year.

One group said their four-day hotel stay was quoted at more than $3,000.

"$3,022 and some change," said Tara Trimble, an Aftershock fan from Nevada.

Her friend, C.J. Hanna, said their hotel was about $200 cheaper when they attended the festival last year.

Hotel prices varied depending on the property and availability. A search on Hotels.com showed a room at the Kimpton Sawyer Hotel listed at $848 per night, while a Holiday Inn room was listed at $468 per night. Even a Motel 6 near the festival was listed at $322 per night.

By comparison, a standard tent campsite at Cal Expo costs $500 for a five-day stay, with up to four people allowed per site.

VIP campsites, which include water and power, cost just over $700 for five days. Those sites have already sold out.

More than just a place to sleep

For many fans, the campground is becoming part of the Aftershock experience itself. Young said he has already met other festivalgoers after arriving at the campsite.

"Once we got here we met a lot of nice people," he said.

Grace Cromarty, who traveled from Alaska, said the campground gives fans another way to enjoy the festival without taking on the cost of a hotel.

"I feel like it's a great opportunity for people that don't have enough money for a hotel and just camp out with their friends and have a good time," she said.

Camp Aftershock includes showers and 24-hour security for campers.

Shuttle buses will also run continuously between Cal Expo and the Aftershock festival grounds at Discovery Park.