Backwoods Music Festival 2023 sent its festival goers to a different place, a different time. It felt as if nothing else mattered in the world but the music and the wonderful people by which they were surrounded.
The gathering is staged in a stunning landscape in the Ozark Mountains with a rolling green canopy forest stretching for what seems to be a thousand miles. A Ferris wheel at the main stage allows attendees the perfect view of that scenery. Anyone who comes here — whether for their very first or thousandth visit to a music festival — will feel a sense of otherworldliness and disconnection from their personal lives.
Visually Hypnotizing
Going beyond the main stage and on to other settings on the grounds, festival goers found themselves in a forest dotted with hidden wonders that had everyone turning heads wherever they walked. From jellyfish to glow-in-the-dark frogs that you can ride, Backwoods did not disappoint with the most peculiar art event installations.
What was even more of a treat for revelers was being able to look at the sky while listening to The String Cheese Incident, seeing it blanketed with stars thanks to the remote the location. Experiencing a music festival in this way made it seem as if Backwoods and the venue were one in the same. It allowed for a calm and collected vibe that could be felt in the air.
How everything lined up
The lineup at Backwoods spoke to the organizers’ excellent taste. It gave the audience the best of both worlds from bluegrass to organic bass music such as Of The Trees, closing out on a high note with electro-funk courtesy of The Floozies.
This music festival couldn’t have picked a better lineup. Whatever might suit someone’s fancy, Backwoods Music Festival had it. There were too many highlights to count, with each of the headliners perfectly complementing one another. This is a festival well worthy of an annual pilgrimage.
Photos by Amber Deets
