Have you ever attended a festival that’s immersed within a whole town? For his second rendition of Camp Alderwild, the EDM superstar Of The Trees (the stage name of Tyler Coombs) accomplished that very feat. Coombs curated a special weekend, tucked away in the gorgeous setting of Telluride, Colorado. Stages were set up through the middle of town, in former school buildings, and even atop a mountain.
Speaking of which, raise your hand if you have ever ridden a gondola to a mountaintop pre-party?! At Camp Alderwild, that’s where all the pre-parties happened! You would take the gondolas up and arrive in a beautiful ski village, with the music traveling throughout the valley. The wonky wubs from EAZYBAKED, Chmura, and Snuffy rang through the hills and kept weary wooks dancing throughout the day.
Later, after riding back into town, the party went down around the picturesque main stage. The epic adventure all took place nestled in the pristine Uncompahgre National Forest, with rocky peaks dressed in evergreens and aspens surrounding.
Putting the Wild in Alderwild
As Coloradans know, it rains here most August afternoons. That didn’t dampen the spirits of the dedicated fans or stop them from having an amazing time. Weather paused the pre-party for a bit, but it was quickly revived. The artists went right back to throwing down sick beats.
Vibes were high all weekend, which made navigating long lines and the at times perplexing layout feel less taxing.
After an Of The Trees early-day groove, it was Daily Bread who played last on the main stage on night one. He recognized that the lovely setting called for his set to be just as stunning. Wow, did he deliver! The headliners traded places on day two, immersing fans in a duality of daytime and evening shows from each.
Collaborations were another highlight of the festival. Detox Unit B2B Koan Sound scratched an itch I didn’t know I had. SURFTEAM, a mash-up with Tiedye Ky and Esseks, was an audience fave.
Of The Trees closed out the festival with an unforgettable hour-and-forty-five-minute set. Coombs put maximum energy into the performance. Afterward, he remarked that it was a pinnacle moment in his career. The extravaganza included a wealth of new tracks, including unreleased IDs with Zeds Dead, alongside hits like “Spanish Moss”.
Seeing the Forest for the Trees
While the music is what draws us to these events, the people are what really make a festival special. This was no exception. The attendees at Alderwild were the best fest crowd I’ve experienced. We showed up as strangers, but left as family: seeing (new) old friends, giving the biggest hugs, and welcoming everyone with open arms.
The residents of Telluride were just as magical. In some of the longer lines, you could find the townspeople coming by with sunscreen, candy, and trinkets. They helped to make sure the positive vibes stayed alive. Even the shuttle drivers got into the action by telling jokes on the rides. This kept morale high while ferrying everyone to and from camp.
Honestly, it wouldn’t be the same enriching journey without the camping. Being outdoors in the mountains was a moving experience in and of itself. You could start the day with a cold plunge in the creek to wake yourself up and feel refreshed. Or perhaps stretch out doing yoga with amazing views.
For the more motivated, there was time to explore the surrounding woods on a hike. This was a great way to find a cool tree branch that you could show off at the stick competition.
Hard to Say Goodbye
Camp Alderwild was a dream come true for many attendees, and it will live in their hearts forever. Sadly, this will be the final year Alderwild is held in the gorgeous town of Telluride.
In 2027, Coombs will be stepping up production capabilities and moving the festival to Hummingbird Ranch in Colorado. Other epic events have been held at that space in years past, including Sonic Bloom and Peace, Love & Vans.
Next year promises to be bigger and better, so why wait to make your plans? Start preparing now for Camp Alderwild 2027, taking place on Aug 20th – 22nd. I hope to see you there!
