Returned, unpacked, and reminiscing on Camp Alderwild, feeling such a rush of appreciation for this unforgettable experience. There are some places you just visit, and then there are places that stay with you long after you leave. I’m incredibly grateful to have experienced Camp Alderwild for its final year in Telluride—a weekend surrounded by breathtaking mountains, wonky music, incredible people, and those unforgettable little moments that make you slow down and soak it all in.
If you’re looking for a sign that small, niche festivals are the way of the future…this is it!
Where the Wild and the Wubs Became One
As a skier who has been lucky enough to frequent Telluride Ski Resort for the last 6 years with my family, getting to experience this pristine pocket of the world surrounded by pure wookery and nasty bass music in the blooming summertime, was truly such a blessing that I’ll never forget.
Unlike most music festivals, where the landscape is transformed to serve the experience, Camp Alderwild did the opposite. Here, the music, art, and community were thoughtfully woven into the land rather than imposed upon it. I’ve never experienced a festival that honored its surrounding environment with such genuine reverence—and the Camp Alderwild crowd didn’t just understand the assignment; they embodied it.
Two Days Inside Another World
We began the weekend under a full moon eclipse, howling from the edge of a creek as Of The Trees’ team quietly tested their otherworldly light show against the mountains—just for us campers. It was the kind of moment that felt almost too magical to be real. Then came the renegades, appearing in the most unexpected places, from a hidden waterfall tucked inside Town Park to spontaneous pockets of sound and connection scattered throughout camp. Even the simplest moments felt like part of the experience, like racing to a newsstand to grab the Telluride Times and seeing our little corner of the world featured in its pages. These are the details that made Camp Alderwild feel less like a festival and more like a fleeting, beautiful world of its own—one we were lucky enough to call home for a weekend.
Legends like The Grateful Dead, Billy Strings, and The String Cheese Incident have all left their musical fingerprints on this incredible stretch of land, and Of The Trees more than rose to the occasion. With immaculate production, expansive sound design, and visuals that seemed to breathe alongside the mountains, the experience felt less like a set and more like stepping inside another world. With only two days to take it all in, there was an unmistakable sense of presence among the campers I met. Everyone seemed to understand just how rare this moment was—and how lucky we were to stand there, together, witnessing it unfold.
Adventures by Day, Bass by Night
With daytime activities woven throughout Telluride, Alderwild gave us something you rarely get at a music festival: the chance to actually live alongside the locals and experience the town as part of the festival itself. From fly fishing with Late Night Radio and hiking to Bridal Veil Falls to getting to shows by way of Gondola and competing in the wonderfully chaotic stick competition, every day felt less like a festival itinerary and more like the ultimate summer camp for grown-ups—with the added bonus of casually running into your favorite artists along the way.
And then there were the bathrooms. Yes, the bathrooms. Somehow, Camp Alderwild managed to provide some of the nicest festival facilities most of us had ever seen, and naturally, the girls turned them into our own makeshift salon. We’d gather to get ready, swap stories, hype each other up, and head out together for another day of adventure. Somewhere between the hikes, hair and makeup, and spontaneous artist run-ins, that familiar feeling of my years growing up at sleepaway camp came rushing back—the kind of effortless sisterhood you thought you’d left behind with your childhood sleeping bag.
The Next Adventure Is Already Calling
Leaving this festival, I’m left with an immense amount of gratitude not only for this scene and community we’re so lucky to be a part of, but for music that brings us to these incredible pockets of the world. We have to give big thanks to Of The Trees and Daily Bread not only for curating the right sound for this location, but for fostering such an incredible fanbase that really made Camp Alderwild what it was. At the end of the day it’s who you’re dancing with under the stars that really makes a place feel like home!
So… it should come as no surprise that we’ve already secured our tickets for next year! We’re beyond excited to see Camp Alderwild expand to a three-day experience at the breathtaking Hummingbird Ranch in Colorado. Set across more than 350 acres near Rye, just south of the Spanish Peaks, the ranch offers a stunning mix of mountain views, open meadows, towering trees, and endless Colorado sky. There’s a raw, natural beauty to the ranch that feels wonderfully removed from everyday life—a place made for getting outside, getting lost, and letting the music take over.
Hummingbird Ranch was one of my introductions to the musical creativity coming out of Denver. When I was younger, I was always enamored by what was going on in the Colorado music scene, and I left Sonic Bloom feeling incredibly fulfilled by not just the music I heard there – but the beautiful landscape in and around the venue as well. It was always a legendary place that motivated me to attend early on in my career, so returning there to host an event feels like a full circle moment and something I’ve always aspired to do. I’ve traveled the world attending tons of different festivals, and I’ve always wanted to take my favorite parts of those experiences and merge them into my own camping festival.”
– Of The Trees
We can’t wait to see how Alderwild grows into this new chapter and what they dream up across those extra acres and that extra day. Most of all, we’re already counting down the days until we reunite with our Alderwild family, making new memories, and seeing where the adventure takes us next.
Until next year, Camp Alderwild!
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