Hydrolife Magazine April/May 2016 (USA Edition)

enjoy
July
The Ride
THE RIDE FESTIVAL
Telluride, CO | July 8-10
ridefestival.com
If you missed my Hydrolife article on Telluride
a while back, you may not know how incredible
this small ski/board town is. Telluride has a few
of the best dispensaries in Colorado and is
becoming more and more like the Amsterdam
of the San Juan Mountains. Toss in The Ride
Festival and things get just about perfect. This
year Pearl Jam, Cage the Elephant, Honey
Honey and Band of Heathens will be pumping
out some indie-rock love all over town. Six
different venues are peppered throughout this
toke-friendly city—all it needs is you and a few
thousand of your new friends.
Northwest String Summit | Photo by JP Cuttler Media
NORTHWEST
STRING SUMMIT
North Plains, OR | July 14-17
stringsummit.com
About 22 miles outside of Portland is one of
the headiest string jams in one of the headiest
locations on the West Coast. Northwest String
Summit takes place at Horning’s Hideout—the
Machu Picchu of backwoods festival spots. Its
quaint charm, lush surroundings and small head
count make it a social destination. You’re going to
walk away with a few more friends than you started
out with for sure. This year, Leftover Salmon, Keller
Williams and Yonder Mountain String Band will be
making appearances. Expect some hooting and
hollering in a family-friendly environment.
NORTHERN NIGHTS
Piercy, CA | July 15-17
northernnights.org
Northern Nights is considered a hometown hero.
This three-day camp out on the Eel River in Piercy
at Cook’s Valley Campground is one of the most
exquisitely beautiful music festivals on the planet.
By day, float on the river while listening to the
boom and shake of the sound system on shore
spitting out the hottest West Coast bass, trap,
glitch and reggae while salmon and steelhead
trout swim by your feet. By night, check out the
other two stages until the all-night silent disco
starts up in the giant Redwood grove. It all goes
down in the heart of the Emerald Triangle, where
commercial grows the size of football fields are
just a hop, skip and sniff away.
CAPITOL HILL
BLOCK PARTY
Seattle, WA | July 22-24
capitolhillblockparty.com
The Capitol Hill Block Party is an inner-city,
three-day music and arts festival, celebrating
Seattle’s iconic arts and music center, Capitol
Hill. Yes, it’s the same iconic art arena that
brought you greats like Nirvana. The Party, now
in its 20 th year, is a caffeinated, curated artisan
throw-down in the middle of the city. There is no
camping, but you can find just about anywhere
to sleep. Pay special attention to Odesza,
STRFKR, Goldlink and the pasty skin of the sunstarved
locals of the Pacific Northwest.
Enchanted Forest | Photo by jazzwall.com
ENCHANTED FOREST
Laytonville, CA | July 22-24
enchantedforestmendo.com
I’m a regular at Enchanted Forest. I keep going
back because, like all the festivals listed here, it
has its own personality and mystique that makes it
an experience to immerse yourself in. It is an idea,
and upon closer look, a commentary on society at
large. It has all the same elements as most music
festivals, but it captures a little more of the wild,
sexy sweetness of the unknown. Try it on, see if it
fits. It’s a growing festival for the festival-savvy and
is perfect both if you are flying solo or if you are
with the family. Plus it’s in the middle of Cannabis
Country, so things stay nice and mellow.
Bass Center | Photo by aLive
BASS CENTER 2016
Commerce City, CO | July 29-30
bassnectar.net
We must add a bit of a boom to this list, and
no one handles big booms like Bassnectar.
This year he is taking his showmanship and
production talent to an entirely new level with
Bass Center 2016, a new, two-day camp-out
festival curated by the bass slinger himself.
The lineup is not one for the faint of heart.
Lupe Fiasco, Flux Pavillion, Wu Tang Clan,
Minnesota and G Jones, and Thriftworks
all bring the kind of feverish bass-banging
capable of making this the festival of the
summer. Bassnectar is set to play for 2.5 hours
each night. Smack my face and call me Suzy.
This is going to be off the heezy for sheezy.
Aug
Beloved Festival | Photo by Zipporah Lomax
BELOVED FESTIVAL
Tidewater Falls, OR | August 12-15
belovedfestival.com
Beloved is probably the smallest music festival
on this list, but it packs an astonishing punch. The
festival is “intended to present sacred music to
help eradicate the illusion of separation from each
other, the Earth and The Beloved.” What does
that mean? Get ready for an intimate physical
and mental look at where you are as a person
and the connection you have to everything
around you. It has one stage to keep everyone
together and tons of opportunities for growth
and empowerment. The location is beautiful, so
prepare for a life-changing experience.
82
grow. heal. live. enjoy.
myhydrolife.com