It’s all about Earth at the Gaia Festival. No one-time-use plastic bottles are seen on the grass, and fans use their own silverware from home to dig into the organic cuisine. Power is generated from fryer grease and bike-powered motors. You can even join organized bike tours to get to the festival.
And of course, there are the artists, including Michael Franti and Spearhead, Yonder Mountain String Band, Kinky (above), and Hot Buttered Rum, among many other musicians and bands. Inspirational speakers like Caroline Casey, a visionary activist astrologer, and Jeff Baker, a conduit and empathic healer, will be sharing microphones. Under the same sky, yoga and qigong workshops are offered, along with classes titled “Cooking with the Sun,” “Singing: The Fastest Way to Enlightenment” and even “Intelligent Evolution: What to Do When the Shift Hits the Fan.”
Don’t miss out on this countdown: five stages for amazing bands, four directions in which to drive to this party, three days of inspiration and discussion, too much fun and one love for Mother Earth. Pack tents for Friday–Sunday, Aug. 3–5, at Black Oak Ranch in Laytonville. $45–$220; ages 11 and under free. 866.558.4253.—Catherine Zaw
