Summer Camp Music Festival returns May 23-25, 2014, at Three Sister Park in Chillicothe, Ill., with hit artists Moe. (pictured above), Umphrey’s McGee, Bassnectar, Girl Talk, EOTO, Lettuce, Lotus, Yonder Mountain String Band and 100-plus more artists. Originating in 2001, Summer Camp has grown from an estimated 1,000 attendees to more than 15,000 dedicated festivalgoers. Not only is Summer Camp a self-proclaimed “green friendly” community, but they also now provide biodiesel generators, take actions to lower the festival’s carbon footprint, purchase biodegradable plastic products for the festival and provide festival recycling programs.
Each day some of the most talented and popular artists hit the Red Barn, Campfire Stage, Starshine Stage, Sunshine Stage, Soulshine Tent, Moonshine Stage, Vibe Tent and more as thousands of attendees take home in the grounds of beautiful Chillicothe, Ill. Additional late-night shows in the Red Barn presented by Technaflora Plant Productions sold out almost immediately, with Lotus and Beats Antique playing the first night, Gramatik and Lettuce the second night and Umphrey’s McGree the third night.
One of the coolest things Summer Camp 2014 did was host multiple interactive, artist competitions prior to the festival. Over 70 visual artists competed to win a spot in the Soulshine Live Art Gallery. The Untz Challenge offered artists the chance to enter their music with public voting for a spot on the Summer Camp lineup, with more than 300 submissions and 75 finalists; the winner also has the opportunity to play Lightning in a Bottle, Infrasound Music Festival, Wakarusa, SONIC BLOOM, Electric Forest and ARISE Music Festival. Summer Camp also hosted an Official Summer Camp 2014 Bandanna Design competition as well as social media contests.
This year Summer Camp attendees can get involved with MAKE A DIFFERENCE, “collective consciousness,” at the Soulshine Tent as they gain proper education on “green living” and sustainability from non-profit organizations. Take a moment to brush up on making a difference with the caring and loving vibes of hands-on, interactive activities like workshops, demonstrations and musical performances. Guests can learn about AMPLIFY Project, Camp Traction, Conscious Alliance, CSU Global Medical Brigades, Happy Hour Heroes (HHH), Hear the Music Live, HeadCount, Much Obliged, ONE, Planned Parenthood of Illinois, Rock the Earth, the Runway to Hope Foundation, Sustainable Concepts Green Team and Yodeladies.
Lettuce
Silver Wrapper, Jam Productions, Ltd. and Summer Camp Music Festival host a MAKE A DIFFERENCE Celebration May 16 at Park West, Chicago, Ill., with The Everyone Orchestra featuring Joel Cummins (Umphrey’s McGee), Al Schnier (Moe.), Marc Brownstein (The Disco Biscuits), Mike Greenfield (Lotus), and Jennifer Hartswick & Natalie Cressman Music (Trey Anastasio Band), conducted by Matt Butler. The art supply drive helps fund Chicago’s own New Moms and offers every person who donates an automatic entry to summer camp’s MAKE A DIFFERENCE Celebration with Everyone Orchestra on-site at Summer Camp on Sunday, May 25.
Many festival attendees and volunteers, like myself, have come to appreciate music festival communities and treat our everyday lives as a conscious, sustainable community as well. Summer Camp Music Festival takes pride and joy in being a passionate “green” festival as they gladly encourage and support recycling, reducing carbon footprints and supporting local businesses. The Summer Camp Green team volunteers and Old Hippie Recycling help sort collected trash items as well as keep the grounds clean throughout. Caterpillar engineers have patterned with Summer Camp this year providing biodiesel generators with approved B20 (a mix of 20% biodiesel) for all festival electric needs. Summer Camp has also partnered with Green Mountain Energy Company for the third year in a row to calculate and offset 100% of the festival’s estimated carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, equaling approximately 540 metric tons of CO2 (“as much as over 70,000 trees can absorb in one year”). The Charity and Greening Fee at Summer Camp 2014 helps support a grant program for local community groups and charities while making all these things possible.
Summer Camp Music Festival 2014 offers a variety of musician workshops at the Three Sisters Park Church. It also offers a Kids Camp with games and activities like jewelry making, face painting, water fun, arts and crafts, hair wraps and more.
Summer Camp Music Festival 2014 attendees can purchase a 1-day or 3-day GA or VIP festival pass with in-house camping included. For more information, visit summercampfestival.com or the Facebook page facebook.com/summercampmusicfestival, Twitter @SummerCapFest or Instagram @summercampfest.
