2017 Music Festivals: The Redwood Ramble.

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Jul 042017
 

Redwood Ramble is another darn fine July Bluegrass Festival I proudly endorse. Now folks this THIS ONE is a SPECIAL one because it helps the community, THIS MAN is doing some truly wonderful things for the less fortunate through music. Folks YOUR MONEY is funding this and helping this organization embellish the state of California.

You KNOW folks I cover 175 festivals yearly on this website and this one is nothing short of amazing in how they have it structured and how it graciously gives back to the area. I am amazed what is happening here, WOW!

I mean DON’T WE ALL want to be good to others and help our community and promote GOOD MUSIC? So basically since this is my first year covering this longtime running event I shall embed as much as I can into this article so you can get the FULL preview of it, if you do decide to come. Ultimately the MORE I research this festival the MORE I see it stressed to bring CASH along, there are NO ATM’s.

You need to check out the NO No’s on the main menu of what to expect, there are a lot of rules, but honestly most of it all is common sense. It covers open jams and busking to where you can and cannot smoke. You can NOT HAVE personal campfires folks.

So a lot of the information below was carefully brought from 5the official website, but placed with my own care here. I want EVERYONE to be able to see if you are in that area to be able to come enjoy this festival, and tell them I sent you! There just looks like SO MUCH TO DO and see all in one weekend I couldn’t partake in all of it at once, I know some of the vendors involved and can vouch for them as well.

 

Dear Ramblers,

If you are looking for the latest Ramble News and Announements, visit our Facebook page. For general event information, you will find it below and on the menu above.

The Fourth Annual Redwood Ramble will take place at Camp Navarro from Thursday, July 13th to Sunday, July 16th. Funds raised from this year’s Redwood Ramble will go to support Project Avary which offers long-term support, resources, guidance and training for children with incarcerated parents. Since its founding 16 years ago, Project Avary has worked to change the lives and outlooks of these young people and, in doing so, help curb the generational cycle of incarceration To better understand the impact that Project Avary has on the lives of the children it serves, I encourage you to watch the following introductory video and visit their website.

On behalf of Ramble On Productions I thank you for your support of the Redwood Ramble, and in turn Project Avary, and I look forward to seeing you this summer!

Steve and the Ramble Crew

There a many festivals I promote on the west coast for FREE to them because basically local music and independent music deserves to be brought to the forefront by people like me.  I think this man Mr. Steve and his crew deserve to be commended on their accomplishments on running such a positive business and FAMILY friendly event that EVERYONE can partake and enjoy.

ABOUT THE REDWOOD RAMBLE

The Redwood Ramble is a small family-friendly event that will celebrate music, nature and community at Camp Navarro – a beautiful, secluded 100 acre site under the redwoods in Mendocino’s scenic Anderson Valley – from 11AM on Thursday, July 13th until until 5:00PM on Sunday, July 16th, 2017.

Located approximately 2.5 hours north of San Francisco, the Redwood Ramble will feature more than 20 bands over the course of the weekend, as well as special performances and an open mic on the Amphitheatre stage. You can also expect plenty of camp jamming throughout the weekend, along with a variety of other activities for kids and adults. For lots more information about what will be happening during the event, we encourage you to visit the What to Expect page.

The event is produced by Ramble On Productions, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity, with 100% of any profit being donated to charity. Please visit our Partners page for information about this year’s selected charity. It should be noted that event organizers are donating their time and will not receive any compensation for producing the event.

Background

In the fall of 2013, the Strawberry Music Festival was canceled due to the devastating Rim Fire in and around Yosemite. In response to this tragedy, a group of Strawberrians, displaced and saddened by the fire and the cancellation of the festival, gathered at Camp Navarro on short notice for an event dubbed, “Joy Kills Sorrow, an Alt-Strawberry Survival Party“. What happened that weekend exceeded all expectations and inspired the creation of the Redwood Ramble to carry on where Joy Kills Sorrow left off.

What the Heck is a “Ramble” Anyway?

Ramble, as used here, is a gathering of friends and musicians in an intimate setting to enjoy music and each other’s company. The term was popularized by the late, great, Levon Helm of The Band, who hosted his hallmark Midnight Ramble Sessions at his property in upstate New York right up until his death. In fact, the Midnight Rambles continue on in his honor.

 

 

You will see these two entrances clearly marked on the Ramble Camp Map.

You will see these two entrances clearly marked on the Ramble Camp Map.

It is not necessary to arrive early to secure a camping spot because as there is more than enough space for all. To give you a sense of the situation, not long ago Camp Navarro hosted a 1,500 person festival on the property and the Redwood Ramble will have around 500 people. So, when you arrive, we encourage you to breathe deep, take a walk around and find a spot in that calls out to you. There are three primary camping areas, the two RV/Trailer Areas and the Main Campground Loop. To get yourself oriented check out the Ramble Camp Map below.


Click Map to Enlarge

RV/Trailer Areas

If you have a vehicle that is longer than 18 feet (including any trailer), then you will need to purchase an RV/Trailer Pass and camp in one of two designated RV/Trailer areas. This is because the road around Main Campground Loop will not accommodate large vehicles. The first RV/Trailer area is located in a shady redwood grove over near the Cabins. This area cannot accomodate extremely large vehicles and is on the other side of the property from the main campground loop. The second RV/Trailer area is located in the upper parking area near the Campground Loop, so if you have friends who are tent camping in the Main Campground, you will be closer to them if you settle in that area. Only a very limited of number RV/Trailer passes will be available, so be sure to grab your RV/Trailer Pass early to assure that we can accommodate you. Once you purchase a pass you will be guaranteed a space in one of the two RV/Trailer areas, but whether you can choose between the TWO will depend on availability of space when you arrive. Note there are no hookups in either of the two areas. Lastly, be aware that there will be very limited tent space, if any, available in the RV/Trailer areas.

The Main Campground

The main campground is huge and the farther you go, the more magical it gets. Camp Navarro used to be a Boy Scout Camp, so there are 11 separate “Villages” spread out along the campground loop. These villages have open space for tents as well as varying numbers of Adirondack shelters, which are three sided wooden structures with bunks that people can use. Please note that the villages are shared use and cannot be “claimed” for the exclusive use of any one group.

Car vs No Car Areas – The Main Campground is divided into “Front Range” and “Back Range” areas. Front range camps are closer to the music and the shower house, but you will not be able to camp next to your car in these areas. Instead, you will drop your gear at your camp and then move your car to a parking lot 100 yards or so away. The back range camps are located a minute or two walk deeper into the forest and away from the shower house, but you have the benefit of camping near or next to your car. The villages that allow camping with cars will be clearly labelled and also appear on the Ramble Camp Map. To use these areas you will need to carefully pull your car into a village and completely off the road, being sure not to drive over or park on any vegetation.

Quiet Camping Areas and Jamming Protocol – Some people like to jam (or listen to jamming) until the wee hours and others do not. In order to satisfy everyone, we have designated certain areas where you can jam late into the night and others where you need to wrap things up at a resonable hour. Please check out the Ramble Camp Map for all the details. This information will also be posted on the gate post for each of the camping villages when you arrive.

Alter-Abled Access/Camping

If you are in need of special services to support any health or mobility issues, please contact us in advance and we will do everything we can to accommodate you.

Lastly, please make sure you know the Do’s and Don’t of Saving Space.