Far from the glitz, the glam and the massive cult following of California’s numerous other music festivals, Joshua Tree is more of a community-driven gathering that waves the finger at mainstream festivals with its beautifully curated lineups and its location inside a national park.
Joshua Tree calls itself a family-friendly festival, and lives up to the tag splendidly. There are very few music festivals that have a section for kids, and we’re pretty sure Joshua Tree blows every other festival out of the water with this comprehensive list of activities for kids. The aptly-named Kidsville has Yoga, face painting and music workshops among several other activities.
Joshua Tree Music Festival happens twice a year; the Spring edition happens sometime in May, and the Fall edition happens in October. The 2016 editions of Joshua Tree will happen on May 12-15 and October 6-9.
(Courtesy: Sam English)
The festival brings about 4000 attendees to the desert region every year, and it’s independently produced by a bunch of true music lovers who strive to include diverse lineups of unheard acts with every edition. You probably won’t know many (or any) of the acts on their Spring lineup; they’re all new artists that are given a platform to showcase their numerous talents.
The national park has some significance of its own. There’s some unique flora and fauna present in the desert, and it also served as album art for the Eagles for their eponymous album. Being away from the city, the skies are crystal clear at night, and it’s a prime stargazing location. It’s a good spot for general camping and hiking, with several campgrounds in the area.
Beautiful, ain’t it? (Courtesy: amodernwayfarer.com)
There are two stages, but Joshua Tree solves the problem of missing out on acts by alternating them between stages, which means everyone gets to see everything. In our opinion, that’s a brilliant idea. What makes it easy for them is the small crowd, resulting in better control.
(Courtesy: Sam English)
A festival is not without its numerous activities. Ranging from yoga workshops to a ‘Positive Vibration Station’ to sections dedicated to live painting and visual arts, Joshua Tree Music Festival has it all.
There are several camping options at the festival; you can also rent RVs from the festival itself for the entire duration of your stay.
(Courtesy: Mike Smalley / Tom Dillinger)
The mission of this festival is to make you feel relaxed and rejuvenated when it’s all over. The activities are well-curated to everyone’s tastes, and the festival as a whole has a homely vibe to it. If your idea of a music festival is to have some tranquil and make some new friends while discovering your new favourite band in the middle of a national park, Joshua Tree Music Festival is definitely for you.