Photo Credit: Hellhound Music

Once again summer has come. The season of tan lines, patios, dog parks and feature hikes. The bicycle shops are stocked up on spandex and everyone and their mother is training for a 5k (I believe in you and you’re killing it). A-Basin has once more closed for the season, so the parking lot volleyball games will be moved to Cheesman Park until two weeks before Halloween when everyone becomes preoccupied with costume ideas. I have a kind of Groundhog Day test for summer, it’s not official until you hear someone say “You call this hot? I’m from Texas!”. Not to worry though, when ski season ends, festival season begins.

Photo Credit: MMAC Monthly

I know, there are a wide range of options when it comes to festivals and there’s no reason to pick just one. It’s fine to try a few one year and a few different ones the next till you find your groove. Some people are into the simple single day option, some people sell all of their belongings and live in school buses following bands around the continent. Whatever your jam is, Arise Music Festival is definitely worth checking out. Arise is an annual 3-day festival held at Sunrise Ranch in Loveland, August 3rd-5th. It’s enormous and draws people from all over the world. It features live bands on seven different stages, yoga workshops, performance art, live painting, food trucks, a local organic farmers market, and tons of outdoor activities. Not to mention the gorgeous views from your tent. This is, of course, a camping event.  They offer tent, car, and RV camping on the festival grounds. There will be a “shower oasis” with a portable bath house. They also have VIP glamping options that include complimentary drinks, luxury tents, and access to the pool and hot tub. If camping isn’t your cup of kombucha, there are shuttle buses to and from nearby hotels.

Photo Credit: Sound and Silence

The lineup always has some heavy hitters from a bunch of different genres. They’ve had headliners like Atmosphere, Galactic, Tribal Seeds, Nahko and Medicine for the People, Emancipator, Rising Appalachia, Ziggy Marley, Jurassic Five, Lettuce and Tipper. This year boasts performances by Slightly Stoopid, Thievery Corporation, Stick Figure, Trevor Hall, Living Legends, Pepper, Everyone Orchestra, and Dumpstafunk just to name a few. Over 70 bands are booked so far. In addition to the music there will be workshops throughout the grounds focused on things like yoga, meditation, and gardening. You can expect art installations galore, acrobats, fire poi and aerial silk dancers. This is a family friendly event and there’s a children’s village with tons of kid friendly activities for the little ones.

Another cool thing about Arise is the eco-friendly attitude. They have a leave-no-trace policy helped along by tons of recycling bins all over the grounds. They don’t allow the sale of plastic water bottles, so remember to bring your own reusable container. The stages are power by bio-diesel generators and they even plant a tree for every ticket purchased. Speaking of tickets, be sure to snag yours soon, they’re expected to sell out fast!

Jared Herzing Creative Arts Editor

Jared is a local content contributor and aspiring author. He was fortunate enough to grow up in Golden, Colorado and graduated from MSU Denver. While an insatiable love of travel lures him all over the world, his roots remain firmly planted here. He enjoys writing short stories, poetry, children's books, societal observations, and everything else. A nature enthusiast and sunshine connoisseur, Jared is perfectly at home on any mountaintop or patio. He frequents art galleries and concerts, poetry readings and breweries, museums and bookstores. When he isn't making neighbors cringe at his musical attempts he can be found on a snowboard or sailboat, depending on the day. A perpetual adventurer and eternal patron of the road less traveled.