Beautiful music. Beautiful mountains. Beautiful people. Are you sold yet? Because that’s what you’ll get at Summer Meltdown Festival 2016. A smaller, more intimate experience tucked away in the hills of Darrington, WA, this is the perfect opportunity to get a dose of quality music in a peaceful and holistic environment.
Taking place August 11-14, Summer Meltdown hosts four days of music on three stages, along with many other daytime activities and fun features. Headliners include: Griz, STS9, Gramatik, Beats Antique, Keys N Krates, Blue Scholars … and we’ll let you check out the three dozen or so other artists yourself. We’ve seen Keys N Krates and Beats Antique on their most recent tours, and they are not to miss. Since there’s a bit wider genre scope than our usual festivals, you’ll get a chance to absorb some of those beats we loved before EDM stole our hearts.
Packing your bag yet? There’s so much more!
During the day, patrons can explore art installations, workshops and the surrounding area. From yoga to Jedi training, there will be plenty of opportunities to play with your peers. And though by now we’ve pretty much all seen the giant Lite-Brite (don’t worry, it will be there), there are a good handful of other interactive art installations to absorb, including a piece based on fiber optics and 3D projections called the Fractal Fountain, created by Seattle’s own MTBTZ and MIND at LARGE.
Summer Meltdown has been around 16 years and has grown from a small gathering of 200 dedicated music lovers to a swelling of a few thousand. It’s the perfect size to feel the love and energy of a collective, yet not get lost in the masses. And the festival still has the full range of amenities from showers to beer gardens to food trucks. The camping and parking situation is a little unique, so make sure to read about it here.
Matt McDonald / EqualMotion.com
They also offer a variety of pass options to fit every patron’s need. You can buy 3, 2, or 1-day passes if you just can’t possibly commit to the whole weekend (though you really just should). Passes are nearly sold out and have made it to the third tier, so they’ll run you about $235 (including fees), which includes tent camping.
Also be prepared (or rejoiced) that this is a family-friendly festival. Love em, or hate em, you’ll be sharing your dance floor with some wee-ones, so this would be an excellent time to exhibit your PLURR and be respectable and inspirational.
Beyond all of this, there are still more ways the curators of Summer Meltdown have gone above and beyond to add their special touches that make this such a unique experience. These include a page of suggested local adventures for the daytime, a special “loud” camp site for those who can’t stop won’t stop, and SHUTTLES. Like, really, we don’t have to tell you how awesome this is for those of us with limited transit options from the city. We’re trying to list them all, but you really should explore the Summer Meltdown website in full to make sure you don’t miss any awesome element.
So, are you ready to meet us at the mountains?
Important things happen in Pacific Northwest nightlife, and DMNW will send you alerts!
