A weekend at the Joshua Tree Music Festival

I have friends who try to visit every music festival on the west-coast. I am not one of those people. I have been taken to a few, and they can be really fun, but listening to the same kind of music all weekend gets on my nerves. (Whether it be reggae, electronic, folk, blue-grass, or just about anything.) Plus, if the food isn't good, I'm stuck all weekend eating protein bars.
The consistant exception to this is the Joshua Tree Music Festival in May. There are some huge differences in this festival that I have not seen previously, and I almost never miss it. Plus, it's only a two-hour drive from LA, so it's not even that far of a trek.
http://www.joshuatreemusicfestival.com/

The Music: 
I don't know how they do it, but they always have the largest variety of music that I have seen at a festival. They have bands from all different states, countries, continents, and music genres. In the same weekend, there has been a Korean punk band, a Venezuelan rock band, Australian folk music, British DJ's, solo guitar players, a local Joshua Tree band, and more. Plus they get the most interesting fusion music...there was a group that did Celtic/Indian fusion, a modern New Orleans brass band, and a Australian band that did traditional chanting/ditchery doo while rocking out. Plus, the music isn't just varied, it's also good! Whoever chooses the music has my vote for good taste.

The Desert: 

Joshua Tree happens to be one of my favorite places, so the setting is ideal. It's very warm in May, so dress lightly for the daylight hours. Luckily, they have the dance area shaded, and they have been providing free water. The backdrop of the desert mountains adds something extra to the good music and good vibes, so I always consider this another excuse to spend a weekend in my favorite camping spot. (Without the hassel of cooking camp food.)

The Food: 
Besides picking good music, this festival also has great food vendors. Since I've spent so much time camping in J-Tree, it's great to be eating gormet food without starting a fire or cleaning camp-ware. The vendors are different every year, but so far they've had: a raw food booth, Carribean (mmm, plaintains, coconut rice and gumbo), fancy pizza (strawberry and pesto even!), Acai smoothies, and assorted veggie plates (sauted greens, yucca, etc). They always have vegetarian and vegan options, so even pickier eaters should be satisfied. And they always have a coffee booth, so you don't even have to go without your ice-blended macchiato.

The Art and Activities: 
There's always interesting art installation up, which provide extra aestetic benefit. It's hard to explain the different set-ups with light, photos, and structures, so it's one of those things you'll have to see for yourself. There's also activities through-out the day, such as yoga classes, hula-hooping, meditation, and workshops. (Almost all of which are included with your festival pass.)

The Price:
Of course, for me a good deal is always what rounds out a good experience. And this music festival is one of the better priced festivals out there. You can buy one day, or all three. If you can't afford a ticket, there is amble volunteering opportunites. You can check wristbands, or work for their promotions. So contact them off the website for those positions. Here are the ticket prices for May 2011, which you can always see on their website, minus the $15 camping fee:


Three Day Pass- $ 120
Friday Only Pass- $ 50
Saturday Only Pass- $ 70
Sunday Only Pass - $ 40
Buy Tickets Here

So if you need a weekend of desert dancing, don't miss it!