Next week, revelers from across the world will transcend on Hummingbird Ranch in Spanish Peaks Country for the 11th annual Sonic Bloom Festival. More than just about the music or a party, Sonic Bloom is a ‘transformational festival’ offering a plethora of opportunities for fun, connection, inspiration, learning and growth, all key hallmarks of why transformational festivals can have such huge impact on people’s lives (read this article for more).
From the music, to the setting, to the workshops, art and to the overall vibes, here are 8 reasons why Sonic Bloom is shaping up to be one of the best festivals of 2016:
1. Musical Ear-gasms
The line-up for this year is absolutely on point. We’re in for a treat with two sets in two days from the legendary Dave Tipper! It is being speculated that there will be one down-tempo set, and one up-tempo set, although this has not yet been confirmed.
There are also some other highlights for me, from the psychedelic festival classics like Eoto and Ott, to the heady bass stylings of Clozee, to the funky grooves of Nightmares of Wax, to the more mellow heady vibes of Templo and to the euphoric chill of Bonobo… there really is a lot of everything, for everyone. Don’t forget the incredible Sonic Bloom Orchestra, featuring EOTO, Break Science, Dominic Lalli (Big Gigantic), Jesus Coomes (Lettuce) Aaron Holstein (VibeSquaD) & Jamie Janover (Zilla) Dave Watts, Joey Porter, Garrett Sayers & Dan Schwindt (The Motet), Russ Liquid, Lily Fangz, Govinda Music, CloZee, Vir McCoy (Hamsa Lila), ∞༺ reSUNator ༻∞, Andrew Block & surprise guests! This exact lineup will likely never play together again…
Check out this flyer featuring even more amazing acts!
2. Pumpkin Tribute <3
No write-up on Sonic Bloom could be complete with a mention of the special tribute to Nicolas “Pumpkin” Alvarado, who passed away earlier this year. Following in the footsteps of Desert Hearts, Lucidity and Lightning in a Bottle, Sonic Bloom is honoring Pumpkin with a set on same day, set time and stage that Pumpkin played last year, with a tribute set by Everyman.
Pumpkin Tribute @ LIB 2016
3. Droppin’ Knowledge Bombs
This year’s Sonic Bloom offers a dynamic range of opportunities for learning and expansion, such as many types of yoga and body flow, belly-dancing, hooping, Qi-Gong, slacklining, as well as workshops on flower essences, tea ceremonies, meditation, intention, and Native traditions. There are also learning experiences galore on topics like the Unified Field Theory, the ‘Force,’ permaculture, spiritual laws, magnetism and more. Presenters include some of my favorites, like Adam Apollo, Aztlan, Android Jones, Michael Garfield, Jamie Janover and so many more! Check out the full list of movement and yoga offerings, as well as the workshop information on all of the presenters and the schedule (coming soon!)
And if you’re interested in sex and consciousness, my workshop on “Getting Heady: How to Level-Up Your Sexual Vibration” is on Sunday 6-19 at 11:30am in the D’Om!
For even more deeply immersive learning opportunities, check out the Sonic Bloom Academy in the days leading up to the event – From June 13-16th you can camp on site and study an intensive series in permaculture, movement, visionary art or Abelton live!
4. Greening the Festival
Did you know that a large portion of this year’s festival is being powered by solar energy? Or that the Permaculture Action Network will be doing a Permaculture Action Day on the morning of the first day of the festival, June 16th at 11am, where they will be transitioning over to the local community farm in Walsenburg?
During the festival, the Pe
rmaculture Action Hub will be hosting workshops and skill-shares all weekend, and you can also hang around their hub and get in-depth with some of Colorado’s best teachers and designers.
Also don’t forget about the “Art that Feeds” Food Drive in partnership with Conscious Alliance- The first patrons who donate 20 non-perishable food items or a suggested monetary donation will receive a FREE limited-edition screen print created by one of Sonic Bloom’s very talented artists! All of the donations will benefit the local community and be donated to the Dorcas Food Bank in Walsenburg, CO!
Sonic Bloom is also a pack-it-in, pack-it-out event, encouraging participants to bring only what they need and leave with all of their trash, use reusable water bottles, dishes and utensils, and bring separate trash bags for their trash, recycling and compost.
5. Stunning Visual Artistry
In addition to the ear-gasms from the music, you are probably going to experiences multiple eye-gasms from the vast array of quality visual art in every direction, from live art, to VJs, art installations and live performances.
Some of the most talented visionary artists in the world be live-painting on site (including the amazing Randall Roberts, Morgan Mandala, Martina Hoffman and Dela), and we will be treated to one-of-a-kind performances like Phaedroid, the collaboration where visual artist Android Jones projects visiuals on live dancer Phaedrana Jones.
We will be also be blissing out to VJ performances from Aeonchild, Pickles Visuals, Illuminated Dimensions and Annie Stardust, and get to take in some epic art installations like Hin-Han, Guardian of the Milky Way.
All of this plus stunning live performances by Quixotic, Ka Amorastreya, Lunar Fire, Stephinity Salazar, Danielle Odette and more!
6.Gorgeous Natural Setting
As participants at last year’s first event at Hummingbird Ranch learned, Sonic Bloom is being held in one of the most visually stunning festival locales to date. 
Big wide open blue skies, views of mountains, tree-lines with chillout areas and even a river running through it.. Day or night, this place really delivers.
7. Really, REALLY easy to get to
Sometimes getting to a festival can be a tricky ordeal. Thankfully for Sonic bloom, all you need to know is one thing: Exit 64 off 1-25. If you’re coming from Denver, hang a right at the exit, and you can literally see the box office from the freeway. SO EASY. And if you don’t drive, catch the Bus to Bloom!
8. It’s in COLORADO!
If you’ve been to an outdoor summertime event in Colorado, you know they offer BEST combination of stunning atmosphere and awesome people. Dancing under that big Colorado sky, stars twinkling, with thousands of your new friends as Tipper headlines is truly a peak experience (at least in my book!) Maybe I’m a little bit biased living here, but I am continuously blown away by how friendly, fun and open-minded the people are in Colorado, and I know I’m not the only one who feels this way. I can’t wait to connect with you all June 16-19th!
Tickets for 2015 sold out, and 2016 are on course to do the same… So don’t hesitate- Jump on it now!! You have been warned. <3
LIGHT AND LOVE <3
