If you are an active people watcher, you would be hard-pressed to find a better vantage point than behind the registration desk at a midsized music festival. Last weekend’s Camp Redwoods at Camp Navarro (former Boy Scout camp in Navarro CA) afforded just such an opportunity. Friday when about 1,000 people poured in with their tents, camping equipment, RVs, children, and in some cases dogs, to wait in line for their official wristbands. It was intense but things mellowed out on Saturday and Sunday so there was plenty of time to survey the scene.
Individual people drifted by many deeply involved with their own thoughts – in a trance – consisting of daydreaming, grooving to the music and on special missions of their own devising. T-shirts cited included, “The vibe is high and so am I,“ and, “I tried.“ A few elite wore what was referred to reverently as “The Owl Shirt,“ harkening back to the very first Camp Redwoods Festival which conferred on owners some serious bragging rights. An outstanding feature of all the Camp Navarro music festivals, including the Redwood Ramble we wrote about previously, Camp Redwoods, and the Deep End is the chance offered to “have time“ in this fast paced world, one that discourages relaxed wandering.
Hugging happens – a lot. Sightings of kids having one on one time with their dad or mom and sometimes even dancing with them are common. On the grass area, toddlers crawl or lurch around on their tiny feet while parents chase them. One dad said, “He is really into exploring.“ Older kids are drawn like moths to the flame to the double-sized hammocks strung between trees. No hammock sits empty for long. The kids pile in and do everything possible to do in a hammock including; twisting, flipping, jerking and twirling. Seems they just can’t get enough of that hammock stuff.
Service dogs are welcome. One that was obviously in training carefully carried a very small bag of trash in her mouth to the trash bin and, standing on hind legs, neatly deposited it in the can. The trainer offered full-body pets as a reward for a job well done. One very small child had an unnerving habit of standing in front of a person and giving them the hairy eyeball. Mom said, “She really is staring down a lot of people today.”
Unique things sighted included a wheelchair mounted on a platform that had double treads like a tank making it possible to navigate the uneven campground with ease. When the music got loud, tiny earphones came out of parents’ backpacks to protect those sensitive small ears. Some campers brought “e-bikes,“ which are electric bikes with fat tires that provide a power boost to a foot peddler. One guy called his bike (which goes 35 miles on a charge) “a game changer,” allowing his wife to get from their campsite to the performance stages without exhaustion. Another interesting vehicle was the “One Wheel.“ A fat wheel is embedded in the middle of a something resembling a skateboard. Standing sideways, a rider mounts one foot on one side of the wheel and as soon as the second foot hits the other side the One Wheel takes off. It looks like something you might ride in a crazy dream.
The family camp music festival format encourages whimsy, and lightheartedness. One dad pushing a stroller had dreadlocks that would have touched the ground if he hadn’t ponytailed them. This year small alligator clips with plastic flowers, mushrooms, and greenery purchased online that are called “sprouts,“ made their way through the crowd. This turned any hat into a silly smile producer. Glow necklaces were snapped together to produce 3-D line drawings after dark. Water bottles were converted into what bumpers used to be with stickers proclaiming this and that. (Example: “You are loved” with a picture of a heart). Tattoos of every variety both permanent and temporary were on view.
Each day had its own theme. Saturday was the Grateful Dead with many tie-dyed outfits. Sunday it was mushrooms — one woman actually dressed head to toe as a mushroom with jaunty red and white spotted mushroom cap. Clothing is in general very much more expressive at festivals: unusual in texture, style and color. It makes you realize how pitifully boring most of our day-to-day clothes really are.
The music was described as “feel good,“ and it was. Headliner band K-Bong really gave the people what they were looking for. A massage for the ears with lots of positive messaging and a danceable beat. Songstress, Anora with her “Island Soul” had an Amy Winehouse type voice, but much warmer. Her band was tight and seemed to really enjoy their own sound. Her dance moves reminded me of Indonesia when where feminine grace is a high art. Also on the bill, Joe Samba, Aaron Wolf, Beach Fly, Coyote Island, Surfer Girl, The Hip Abduction and Bobby Alu.
Of course, none of this happens without lots of people behind the scenes, running as fast as they can to keep 1000 people housed, fed, clean and happy. Manager Nedjma moves from problem to problem, waving her problem-solving wand (decisive mind and excellent staff members). Running out of water with 1000 people showering a day? Time to order more water. Dust enveloping the campsites? Time for the water truck to make a pass-through. And so it goes. A special shout out to Sierra Peters in the café who kept smiling and expertly cranking out those special coffee drinks hour after hour. None of this would be possible at all if founder/CEO of Camp Navarro Dan Braun didn’t love the music and nature. On the Camp Navarro website it says, “Nothing makes Dan happier than sharing experiences in nature and stewarding unique nature-based assets forward for the public.”
Thank you Dan Braun.
There is still time to get your tickets for the final camp Navarro festival this year, “The Deep End,” on September 19-21. Check it out online at campnavarro.com.
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