Joshua Tree Music Festival
May 15 – 17 Joshua Tree Music Festival has teamed with SPACESHARE, a noteworthy carpooling website, unifying summer festival-goers and offering them opportunities to meet new friends, reduce their carbon footprint and save money on gas. Performers include Holland’s “must-see live band,” Kraak & Smaak, as well as LA-based Underground Orchestra, the winner of two prestigious LA music awards for Best Single and Best Jam Band. Remember to pack sunscreen and drink plenty of water for this mystical desert weekend. The Joshua Tree Lake Campground, Joshua Tree, CA: joshuatreemusicfestival.com.
Strawberry Music Festival
May 21 – 24 The name alone is enticement enough – but with a line-up that includes Michael Franti & Spearhead, The Duhks, and The Flatlanders this strawberry delight is definitely tasty. Surrounded by Yosemite’s stunning 350 acres of mountains, meadows, pine forest and the picturesque Birch Lake, festival-goers will surely be wooed by the union of nature and music. Camp Mather. Yosemite, CA: strawberrymusic.com.
Malibu’s BuFest
May 30 – 31 The Donnas, Reel Big Fish and Beautiful Generation are lined up for Malibu’s BuFest (pictured) – a music extravaganza held at the gorgeous Paramount Movie Ranch nestled in the heart of the Santa Monica Mountains. Breezy performances are not the only reason to attend. BuFest’s promise towards zero impact initiatives has made headlines. Using the most technologically advanced generators and materials available ensures the lowest carbon output possible. Paramount Movie Ranch, Malibu, CA: Bufest.com.
The Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival
June – August Come Summer, Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays belong to The Redlands Bowl when she becomes home to the oldest continuous music festival in the US where no admission is charged. Over four million people have been dazzled beneath the stars during these sweet summer night shows. This year’s performances include the Opening Symphony Concert with Rita Coolidge and theViver Brazil Dance Company. The Redlands Bowl, Redlands, CA: redlandsbowl.org.
LA Acoustic Music Festival
June 6 – 7 Sip wine, smile and sway on the famous Santa Monica Pier to The Refugees, Nanci Griffith, Bruce Cockburn and many more while they jam out in support of the California Acoustic Music Project (CAMP). CAMP strives to keep instruments in kid’s hands and notes in their throats by providing schools with in-residence passionate music teachers. This festival coincides with the pier’s hundredth birthday. Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA: laacousticmusicfestival.com.
Ojai Music Festival
June 11 – 14 Orange Creamsicle summer sunsets in Ojai provide backdrop and an enticing ambiance for Grammy-winning sextet, Eighth Blackbird, and pianists such as Lisa Caplan. Held at the cozy Libbey Bowl amphitheater, seats have great sight lines and delightful sound quality. Ojai Music Festival has a worldwide reputation for attracting artists with artistic freedom and eclectic, classical styles. Libbey Bowl, Ojai, CA: ojaifestival.org.
Live Oak Music Festival
June 19 – 21 Host Joe Craven offers a lineup that includes Grammywinning Jim Lauderdale Bluegrass Band, The Subdudes and Rodney Crowell for a colorful mix of traditional, folk, bluegrass, gospel blues, jazz, classical and world music. Hone your rowdy barn dancing skills Friday and Saturday evening or partake in a music workshop while the kids enjoy supervised starlight story-time. Live Oak Camp. North of Santa Barbara, CA on State Route 154, near Cachuma Lake. (805) 781 – 3030; liveoakfest.org
High Sierra Music Festival
July 19, 20, 21 Femi Kuti, Zap Mama, Gregory Isaacs, and more come together for High Sierra Music Festival’s movement for conscious music, vibrating with peace and unity transcending race and culture divisions. Artists from Indonesia, West Africa, Jamaica, Ethiopia and India support our planet’s dynamic and diverse artisans. A semi-utopian pastoral moment is in the making with campers, singers, dancers, lovers and families. Mendocino County Fairgrounds, Boonville, CA: snwmf.com.
The long days of summer offer plenty of hours to shake, rattle and roll through a variety of summer festivals. When we need a pick-me-up, the bliss of community, camaraderie and the vibration of sound can be a welcome remedy to create more joy and well-being. Choose your groove and feel the love. For festivals outside of California, check out the expanded listing on our website: layogamagazine.com.
Salute Venice Eco-Fest
June 27 This year is the second annual celebration of all things green among the winding streets and canals of Venice Beach (pictured). Eat, learn, play, dance…and join LA YOGA and Sivananda Los Angeles as Vishnuprem leads a fundraising mala of 108 sun salutations. Find a sponsor, get on your mat, and chant, breathe and pray. 10:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. Venice Beach, CA: earthdayla.org.
Reggae Rising
July 31 – August 2 Reggae and Redwoods, who could ask for anything more? Hop to Humboldt for your reggae fix and lie beneath our world’s tallest trees jammin’ to Gentleman and the Far East Band, Marcia Griffiths, and The Original Wailers. Easy river access and on-site camping make this festival a nature lover’s dream. Dimmick Ranch, Humboldt County, CA:reggaerising.com.
Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival
August 28 – 30 Golden Gate Park is stunning solo but try adding bands like Thievery Corporation, Pearl Jam and Dave Matthews, along with a festival farmer’s market and solar-paneled cell phone charging stations. San Francisco’s Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival has a jaw-dropping line up and is painting this festival green so toss the shoes, dance in the grass and gaze up at the golden bridge in the sky. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA: sfoutsidelands.com.
Shake it for Earthdance
September 25 – 27 Earthdance, the Global Dance Festival for Peace, has become the world’s largest simultaneous music and dance event with a mindblowing 250 cities and 50 countries joining as one global community for three days. Magic happens at 4:00 P.M. PST on September 26, when perfect synchronization of the song “The Prayer for Peace” unifies each event. Black Oak Ranch, Laytonville, CA: earthdancelive.com.
 | New World Fair: May 16 – 17 Pasadena hosts the second New World Fair with a plethora of ways to find a new world of community, healing, Yoga, green living (including a keynote talk by green advocate Ed Begley, Jr) and opportunities to get your groove on. Christine Stevens, healing percussionist extraordinaire will be leading drum circles. Pace your internal rhythm with sacred geometrical labyrinth walks and learn how to listen to your body with medicinal foods. Rock duo Jayla, belly dancers, and Lamour & the Mystic Band provide good vibrations. Pasadena Convention Center, Pasadena, CA:newworldfair.org. |
Emily Kuser, RYT, grooves inspiration from a scrumptiously fearless life of travel, laughter and freedom of expression.
By Emily Kuser
