(Links take you to upcoming events calendars)
fox theater (oakland)
the fillmore (sf)
the independent
the warfield
yoshis (sf/oakland)
regency ballroom
mojitos
ashkenaz
freight and salvage
jambase (sf)
jambase (berkeley)
jambase (oakland)
burning man year round
sf station
WHOLE EARTH FESTIVAL - Davis, Ca (May)
Mother’s Day Weekend. Oh man, super fun. Music, vendors, kids, sunny day in Davis - take your mom! I’ve been to this festival 5 times. It’s free, and a super fun way to celebrate Mother Earth!
JOSHUA TREE MUSIC FESTIVAL - Joshua Tree, CA (May)
This is still one of my favorite festivals. Perfect size (about 2,000-3,000 people). Amazing people run this one, and the music is always new and a great variety. I highly recommend this one.
HARMONY FESTIVAL - Santa Rosa, CA (Jun)
This festival is one of my favorite multi-day summer NorCal music festivals. Definitely the largest vendor scene that I’ve come across. Awesome variety of music/food/dance/crafts/clothes/jewelry/art, and so much more. Plus the festy community really comes out to this “easy to get to” gem. The producers are also booking really great music talent. I’ve worked at this festival many years, and have been a total of 7 years.
HIGH SIERRA MUSIC FESTIVAL - Quincy, Ca (Jul)
HSMF is probably my favorite festival (not including burningman, which I wouldn’t classify as a “festival”). I’ve been going almost every year since 1997. For about 4 of those years there were 2 and sometimes 3 events a year produced by the same team. 4-day music festival. I work the “Artist Liaison” Crew, which takes responsibility for greeting and handling all of the 50+ bands that come to play the event. For 4 years, I managed the crew, but now enjoy the balance of working and connecting with people. This is my family - friends, music, vendors, circus, dance, art, sunshine.
THE OREGON COUNTRY FAIRE - Venita, Or (Jul)
I wish I could go to the OCF every year. I went 3 times in the late 90’s plus 2003 & 2004. Absolute magic transforms a creekside grove into a fairy filled, grooving, acoustic, kid-friendly, heavyweight in the world of camping music festivals. Started around 1970, OCF only hosts handmade vendors, but these are the best quality arts and crafts (and foods) that you could possibly find at a craft festival. Many spend their annual budget on handmade furniture, art, clothes, jewelry, and instruments. And the kids there make up 30% of the population - it’s one of the finest family events anywhere.
SOLFEST (SOLAR LIVING EXPO) - Hopland (Aug)
Before I started working in solar, I used to attend certain events toting a big box solar oven on a garden wagon. I would tour around the events cooking chocolate chip cookies & cheese pizzas in my oven, striking up conversations about solar and just having a great excuse to meet people (this was a huge hit at Burning Man!). I brought my solar oven to solfest, and got to serve the bands, the crew, and a bunch of the attendees some of my goods. The best moment was probably connecting at the Organic Milk booth - talk about a match made in heaven. Excellent solar education, music, info, and solar community.
BURNING MAN - Black Rock Desert, NV (Last Week in Aug)
I think you have to do a little more research than my little paragraph here. Go to the website. Look at the photographs I’ve posted in the Photography Gallery. I’ve been 8 times. It is my favorite place to be, besides my home. Burning Man is my 2nd home.
POWER TO THE PEACEFUL - Golden Gate Park, SF (Sept)
Michael Franti has created this free event in SF to bring awareness to non-violence, and to promote peace. Music on multiple stages fills Speedway Meadows. This event was another of my favorites, until it grew in recent years to over 50,000. I hope it can evolve to feel less crowded (or move venues) - the spirit of the event is perfect, but the experience is pretty squeezed.
EARTHDANCE - Contra Costa County Fairgrounds (Sept)
EarthDance is another amazing event I’ve worked at 3 years. It had happened in Northern California for about 8 years at Wavy Gravy’s Camp Winnarainbow (camp for kids) in Leightonville. Now, starting in 2011, it will be moving to Vallejo. Same producers, different flavor entirely. No one knows what to expect with the move, but their trading a woodsy campout for a county fairgrounds. The original venue was totally magical along a creek under tall trees with a fall breeze. Sort of an “end of the season” festival where many of the tribe come to relax after a full summer of travel (and work, for those that make their living working these events). This event brings great people, performers, and families together for a 3-day campout.
SAN FRANCISCO JAZZ FESTIVAL - San Francisco, CA (Oct / Nov)
I worked for SF Jazz for 4 years, in their production and transportation departments. I really love what they put together, which includes a Fall 6-week concert series, and a Spring 4-week series. They bring the best talent in the world (of jazz), and use the best venues in San Francisco. I highly recommend looking this up if you dig jazz
SAN FRANCISCO GREEN FESTIVAL - San Francisco, CA (Nov)
One of the strongest green/environmental trade shows in the U.S. Very good shopping for eco-groovy clothes, books, jewelry, and eclectic stuff. The education and talks are also very high caliber.
XINGOLATI GROOVE CRUISE - Long Beach ~ Ensenada
Sorry, you missed it. This was one of the best events ever, and it will never happen again. Me telling you about it only bum you out worse that you didn’t get to go (unless you did, and then you know exactly what I’m talking about, and let’s talk!). For everyone else, I’m so sorry. But you should know about the website so that maybe, someday, YOU will be the spark so that someone on the West Coast will try to do this again. Read about my voyage on the Stories Page (tagged ‘Nov 5, 2005’).
