Not Fake News: What Our Attendees Are Saying About Bear Music Fest...
“Bear Music Fest created a unique and well-organized event that created a camaraderie between performers and campers… An under-the-radar, one-of-a-kind experience for attendees.” — Riff Magazine
“I’ve been to a bunch of music festivals, and Bear Music Fest is honestly my favorite. What really impressed me was the intimacy. The artists and the guests were all on the same level... it was such a community. I’ve been to Burning Man, I’ve been to Coachella, I’ve been to Envision Festival. Nothing was like this. Nothing was so intimate, and friendly, and so about community as Bear Music Fest. It’s like summer camp for grownups, with all the diversity of music you could imagine. Magic doesn’t even cover it.” — April K. (festival volunteer)
“I had no idea what to expect at BMF. No idea where I was, even. And it was genuinely one of the best festival experiences I’ve had. Like, how often you get to watch an awesome band play around a campfire? That’s not something that happens, like… ever. The whole thing was just amazing. Like, shockingly so. It’s not always the case that you go into something completely blind and have such a good time. I remember leaving a show that was happening pretty close to where I was staying. I got to walk back to my cabin, lay in bed, and continue to listen to this amazing performance from 50 feet away, which was really cool. They did a great job of choosing the lineup. It’s really unique and handpicked. The Main Squeeze was a band I’d never heard of but fell in love with. I’ve seen them every other time they’ve come to the Bay Area since seeing them at the festival. You need to go. I know it’s at a summer camp in the middle of nowhere that no one’s ever heard of, but trust me, it’s gonna be a good time.” — Che H. (event photographer)
“Bear Music Fest is such a great opportunity to go away with your family, because you can all actually have fun there. You can have your kids sleeping in a quiet area of the camp while you have the chance to genuinely do something extra fun for yourself... I have a really big community of friends, and we like to go and do things together as a big group with our kids. And it’s always a balance we need to strike, of having grownup time with each other while making sure the kids are taken care of. And BMF was a great way to do that. Not only were we away as a group, enjoying each other while the kids were taken care of, we were getting to be away together at a musical festival, which is just one of the most fun things you can do with your friends. So it felt cool that we all got to be at an awesome, affordable music festival with our kids.” — Erica G. (attended with small kids and big group of friends)
“The word I’d use to describe BMF is 'joyous'. The setting is glorious, the music was incredibly diverse, and we were just amazed at the energy and the scope of the whole experience. The Q Brothers’ adaptation of The Two Gentlemen of Verona was one of the most amazing performances I’ve ever seen. It captured everyone who saw it. They were absolutely outstanding. And they said it was one of the best audiences they’ve ever had, too. There were little kids in bare feet playing and listening to music, and there were the likes of us in our 70s. There was something for everybody. The most spectacular people attended this festival. People were so interesting, and interested to talk, and wanted to connect. So that’s what we did!” — Jane B. (attended with husband)
“It felt like a week’s worth of music, and community, and experience packed into a couple days. You could start the morning at a really beautiful acoustic performance by the creek, and then go to a raging pool party with reggae music… it was a party that didn’t stop. Every single artist was so different from the next but the vibes were all good. I fell in love with a whole lineup of these artists I’d never heard of. They did an amazing job of picking artists that were so, so high quality. There’s something about falling in love with an artist you’ve never heard of, it’s like you’re in on some sort of secret. Every performance was so top notch, it was amazing to be a part of. Just go. You won’t regret it. You will love it. The worst thing that could happen is you get a few bug bites. And you leave with incredible memories and the experience of a lifetime.” — Lizzie A. (BMF project manager)
“What made BMF so great for me is that my daughter Shaya and I had the opportunity to share music in a different way than just going to a show. We were able to hang out with the artists, hear about their journeys… It was incredibly intimate. I also loved driving home after the event and re-listening to the songs and talking about them with Shaya. It brought a whole new perspective to the music.” — Doug B. (attended with teenage daughter)
“The first memory that comes to mind with I think about BMF is how good the vibe felt when we arrived. It was a beautiful Friday late afternoon, warm air, the sun going down behind the trees. My family and I got out of the car and headed straight to the pool, following the sound of reggae music. As a former Lair staffer I'm very familiar with the usual arrival scene, but this was special. Down at the pool was a full band on the pool deck, with people swimming and dancing and eating BBQ. We saw friends right away, and everything just felt good from the moment we got there.” — Jamey A. (attended with small kids)
“Bear Music Fest was a great opportunity for me and my childhood friends to spend some quality time together. From the diverse range of music and performers, to all the other activities on offer, we stayed active and entertained. BMF is a fantastic way to escape to the outdoors, spend quality time with friends and family, as well as meet lots of interesting new people. This will definitely become annual tradition!” — Joel B. (attended with big group of friends)
“My favorite memory of BMF is of me and my dad sitting around a campfire at night listening to the Caleb Hawley concert. At the end, everyone got up out of their seats and started dancing around the fire. My dad and I share a common love for music and discovering artists as well as being out in nature, so the mix made it a great experience. In contrast to other music festivals I've been to, where they can be pretty crowded and hectic, what makes BMF unique is its laid back feel.” — Shaya B. (attended with dad)
“The Lair is such an amazing setting and adding music made it a perfect weekend. The music was woven into everywhere we went. We also loved having the musicians so accessible. It was great to have them in the audience, run into them at the lodge and then be able to hear them on the stages. You really felt that you were able to know the artists as people as well as musicians. We can't wait to see what BMF has in store for us this year.” — Nancy P. (attended with teenage daughter)