The third and last music festival of the year at Camp Navarro was held deep in the Redwoods on September 19-21. The first one, “The Redwood Ramble,” was July 19-21 and the second, “Camp Redwood” was August 15-17. While the “Ramble” is not produced locally, the final two are run entirely by Camp Navarro.
All three are described as Family Music Campouts, but each has its own distinctive personality. The Ramble has more teenagers with grandparents along with plenty of parents and singles. The Deep End had 250 young kids this year, which created a high energy level. Camp Redwood falls somewhere in between.
The bands playing at the Deep End this year included, ALO, Hot Buttered Rum, Eggy, Diggin’ Dirt, Jimi’s Dead, Coyote Islands, Octave Cat, Vana Liya, Everyone Orchestra, Fireside Collective, Beau Beau Band and Embodied Groove. They gave the crowd what it was listening for. It took awhile for the swingers and swayers in front of the bandstand to come together as a light rain the first day had a somewhat dampening effect on the high spirits. But by Saturday things were cooking.
A nautical theme brought out the pirates, sea captains, mermaids and fish. One family had two mermaids: The littlest mermaid daughter with her mer-ma and mer-pa. There were plenty of yachting caps, some jewel encrusted and neon colored. The pirates both male and female were the best with their jaunty waistcoats, stuffed shoulder parrots and eye patches. Spectacular bellbottoms were everywhere and grown-ups and kids swaggered through the forest.
As day turned to night multiple sequin shimmering outfits began to appear. I had to ask why? Answer: It was “Sparkle Saturday” of course, and the wearers were gearing up for the headline band ALO with fantasy clothing. Many other creative clothing combinations were seen including a man in a cowboy shirt top and polynesian sarong bottom — fusion fashion. Two were spotted wearing fuzzy slippers to the party even though the ground was still quite damp.
The nonsensical slippers highlight the spirit of freedom people seem to slip into when they arrive at one of these festivals. Suddenly for a few charmed hours or days there is the time and space to be who you want to be. Parents and kids being silly, imaginative and frivolous together is unusual. It’s a great opportunity to relax together in a non-linear zone that is not “task oriented.” Quite a relief. This safe space holds a lot of happy faces. Frisking about, everyone seems to be having the very best time.
The festival has a “baby burning man” vibe where people check their conventional behavior at the registration desk as they come into the forest. The air under the redwoods acts like a tonic. Somehow it seems cleaner than clean, super oxygenated. If trees are “the lungs of the planet” the Navarro redwoods share their gift with all who enter.
In Japan they have something they call “Forest bathing” where they encourage the therapeutic use of the tree world. Tests have been done showing that the benefits are real. Sleeping outdoors probably contributes to the energizing. Kids never stop running and adults never stop smiling. Everyone is more patient and co-operative than in the “real world.” It’s a pleasure.
Kid watching was especially fun at the Deep End. With so many kids attending there was a forest of bikes in the forest darting here and there, dashing from camp site to the stage areas. In an epic assault on one of the large communal hammocks about 15 kids piled on. They were disinclined to disperse when asked politely and it took a walkie-talkie wielding grown-up to convince them. Not to rain on their parade, but it really wasn’t safe. The café was popular especially the old fashioned Sno-Cones. A vintage hand cranked machine actually grated the ice before their very eyes. Why do kids like Sno-Cones so much more than adults?
At one point a little girl looking for her mother was described as a lost child, a description quickly reframed as a case of a lost parent who was happily found a few minutes later .
Mercifully there was no obnoxious PA system blasting out bulletins at any of these festivals. All the sound comes from the music on the stage.
Camp Navarro inherited a giant chess set after hosting what was described as a “Billionaire’s Wedding.” Instead of playng chess the kids were attempting to hurl the chess pieces like spears. Fortunately the awkward shapes slowed them down. Before that an enterprising gang of kids unscrewed all the pieces and then screwed them back together into one very long log of connected chess pieces, kind of like a battering ram. There is no limit to the imaginations of kids left to their own devices.
At these festivals the kids are largely given free rein as few helicopter parents seem to attend. I saw a column of about 20 kids marching along in formation led by a conspicuously bossy pants child who was shouting, “Single file, single file…” There’s one in every crowd.
At a big stump kids were climbing on (they climb on everything) one cautious child standing at the bottom was warned over and over, “Dangerous, dangerous!” When it gets dark the darting kids are traceable by the lights in their bike spokes, light-spangled capes, headdresses and shoes. They turn Camp Navarro into a fairyland.
You meet the most interesting people. A woman dressed as a renaissance era pirate gal told me she performs at the Dickens Fair in SF every year. This year was, “I’ll be the caterpillar” (in a performance of Alice in Wonderland). It’s not often you get to meet a middle-aged caterpillar woman. Toward the end, the kids say, “I don’t wanna go home.” I can see why.
Once again none of it would work without a mountain of logistical planning. The whole fanciful and seemingly effortless play date would definitely crash and burn. So thanks to the staffers (about 50 of them) and the volunteers who make everything tick. A special thanks for being willing to do it all over again next year.
If you haven’t attended one of these festivals I can’t recommend it highly enough. Come and be amazed. Special thanks to Dan Braun owner of Camp Navarro and producer of Camp Redwood and Camp Deep End for having a dream, believing in it, and making it happen.
A special wink and a nod to the Camp Manager, the sublime Nedjma and her assistant the understated Mick (Monster) who keep the boots on the ground marching. We bow down.
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