Written by Stew Pitt
I arrived a festival stray early last year to Bless the Woods 5 with one of the beardy sound guys, which seemed synchronous in a lumber jack, Woodmen of the World kind of way. The collective efforts of Samuel McJonathan and Dan Morgan, or ‘Samurai Einstein,’ immediately wooed me into a vibrant, comfortable setting, greeted by friendly faces and fantastic music. This year, June 8-12th, Bless the Woods 6 promises to be nothing short of amazeballs, if you know what I mean. I’m not sure what it’s called when someone dangles above you twirling and spinning in strands of very strong fabric, but “that” will be just one piece of magic those who join the festivities will encounter.
With all surplus revenues directly funding the expansion of treatment options for those who suffer from Lyme’s Disease through the Mayday Project, a Lyme’s patient advocacy group, you can know your presence/presents provide for a mechanism of hope for better outcomes, and to help increase awareness of Lyme’s Disease. Gate prices range from $70 for entry starting Thursday at 1pm, $60 Friday, $40 Saturday, and $10 on Sunday. I briefly met Sam the first evening last year and was impressed to see him bright and early the next morning working with the volunteer trash crew gathering bags of discard. Nothing says integrity like a promoter who gets down in it.
If you wake up Friday morning after a soul dancing night of music (to include Sensi Trails and DJ Myke Nyce) dreading your dirty wookie smell in the morning’s bright sunshine, just mosey on down to the showers and reset your aura-roma for a Friday that includes Adwela & the Uprising, them Brokedown Hustlers, Secondhand, and The Phryg. Alongside all this dancing and sunshine, you may find yourself feeling a bit hungry. You might be smelling some vegan Indian food from Sacred Kitchen, jerk chicken from Taste of Reggae, wafts of BTW BBQ, or the multitude of offerings from Lez Cook, CNC Concessions, or the Street by Knife and a Kitchen food truckers.
But wait, it’s still only Saturday morning, and after the optional second shower you wonder, should I get a free tarot reading from Kaitlyn Fury? Should I buy a piece of art? Whoa check out these tie dyes and pins, and this blown glass man. keep your eyes peeled for the fire of Jon Ricchi of Pyrophilia, Moonfire Performance Arts, live artists J Bowen Arts and Lindsay Jamison (she will also offer yoga), doTerra essential oils, Blue Lotus Energetix, and Matthew Walls and Heidi O’Toole of HeARTworks Production who will provide community mural boards that will be auctioned Sunday for the Mayday Project.
Saturday night boasts The Ellemeno Beat, Elusive Groove, Treehouse, Flux Capacitor, and a late night fire jam with Bubba Love. I’m thinking at this point the Woods are feeling pretty Blessed, but what’s that you say, door number 4? Sunday funday keeps it kickin’ with Retro/Recole Ft. da Mood, the Righteous Friendz Band, a closing ceremony, AND a drum circle. If you still haven’t showered, you are the dirty wookie I was talking about earlier, and you will feel right at home here, stench and all!
