Northern Nights Music Festival: What to know before you go – SFGATE

Where is the Northern Nights Music Festival?

You could argue that the Northern Nights Music Festival’s location — in the nation’s largest redwood campground — is the true headliner. Straddling Mendocino and Humboldt counties at Cook’s Valley Campground, a few hours north of San Francisco, the gently flowing Eel River and towering redwood forests make a whimsical backdrop for the art, music and weed-filled weekend. And you can support the surrounding economy by buying from the mostly local lineup of vendors, which includes independent cannabis purveyors and farmers that define the lush area.

Who’s on the Northern Nights Music Festival lineup?

Known for attracting EDM acts as well as genre-blurring artists to its five stages, the 2023 Northern Nights Music Festival lineup includes live multi-instrumentalist duo Big Gigantic and electronic music master G Jones. Northern Nights firsts for this year include a DJ set from Grammy-winning producer Mura Masa, producer and Young Art label head TOKiMONSTA and Dr. Fresch. You should also expect a few surprises, as festival organizers are advertising a “Surprise Stage” featuring acts that have not yet been disclosed. Check out the full lineup here.

Northern Nights is anything but a typical music fest

One of the best things about Northern Nights is its diverse programming, which includes live performances, art-making and wellness activities. During the day, the shaded Grove Stage hosts yoga classes amidst towering redwoods before transforming into a magical home for the festival’s eclectic musical acts. The River Stage offers the chance to take in live music from a floatie on the lazy Eel River. By sunset, the festival’s main stage, in the middle of the grounds, comes alive with headliner acts, while a silent disco and the tucked-away Bunker Stage provides dancing until the wee hours of the morning.

If you’re more of a low-key festivalgoer, the Tree Lounge is home to shady places to relax and enjoy top-tier cannabis products and education from local farmers and purveyors; the area also has its own musical acts. Throughout the whole festival, hidden oases like the shady Hammock Lounge, food and drink vendors, live painting and local artisans transform the grounds into a magical adult playground.

Everything to know about camping at Northern Nights

The three-day festival is as much about being in nature as it is about getting lost in a beat. As such, camping is a key part of Northern Nights. Places to camp are as varied as the musical acts and require a bit of advanced planning — free tent camping is included with each pass on a first-come, first-served basis, but you’ll need to purchase a parking pass for each car in your party. The free tent camping is tight and tends to fill up fast, but there are additional premium camping options available for purchase. Here’s the breakdown of each camping option to help decide which is best for you.

Tent camping

First-come, first-served free tent camping is available along the river and in the meadow by the main stage. Though camping is free, you must purchase a $40 parking pass to camp in either location. (Be prepared to carry your stuff to your campsite as it’s a bit of a walk.)

Riverfront camping is ideal for groups and camps that require more space. Come prepared with a shade structure, water storage and mattress padding, since the ground is river rock. Meadow camping always fills up fast thanks to its central location near the main stage and soft, grassy ground. Get there early to secure a scenic spot by the pond.

Vehicle camping

If you’d like to camp next to your car, you must purchase a vehicle-camping pass in addition to your festival ticket. Car camping is available in the north and south sides of the festival, with a 10-by-20-foot space for your car and campsite. If you have four-wheel drive and don’t mind extremely rugged ground, you can score a discounted camping rate with the all-terrain camping pass.

RV camping

While RV hookups are not available on the grounds, buying a pass for RV camping ensures you a 10-by-30-foot space. 

Reserved premium camping 

If you don’t want to worry about having to claim your camping spot, splurge on a reserved space, which entitles you to a 10-by-10-foot space in the shady Redwood Grove or the new semi-shaded Persimmons Camping. A parking pass is also required with this reservation.

Outpost glamping 

For those looking for a bit more luxury and quiet to retreat to during the festival, the glamping experience might be worth the money. Hidden away on the quieter side of the festival grounds, this area is home to lounge tents, air-conditioned restrooms with flushing toilets, hot outdoor showers, a complimentary beverage bar with hot coffee in the mornings and ice water, lemonade and iced tea all day.

Glamping tents accommodate one to four people and come fully furnished, complete with crisp sheets, a cozy down comforter, a Casper foam mattress and pillows, two side tables and lanterns, and even a clothing rack for your costumes.

Northern Nights treats cannabis like other festivals treat beer

A defining trait of Northern Nights is how it embraces cannabis. In 2019, it reportedly became the first music festival to have legal on-site cannabis sales and consumption, according to NorCal’s Times-Standard. In 2022, new regulations allowed the festival to treat cannabis like any other concession, with multiple dispensaries throughout the grounds. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, use of the Weedmaps platform and designated purchase pickup zones will enable open sales throughout the festival.

This year, Northern Nights will also become the first music festival to create its own cannabis strain, with seeds and samples available. Stop by the Tree Lounge, a sort of cannabis farmer’s market, to try the strain that was created in collaboration with the local Humboldt Seed Company, along with other cannabis- and wellness-related activities.

What should I bring to the Northern Nights festival?

Northern Nights is a rustic camping festival, so pack like you’re about to spend three days in the woods, where the temperature can swing from hot during the day to chilly at night and in the early morning. There’s an on-site general store for basic necessities you may have missed, but supplies are limited and tend to be expensive. Free purified water is available at hydration stations to fill up reusable containers, but it’s suggested to bring your own water supply, too. There are many food vendors, but you can also cook your own using a small propane stove.

What to pack

• Warm clothes for colder nights.
• Swimming gear, including river shoes and a floatation device.
• Camping gear.
• Reusable water bottles, plates and utensils (glass is prohibited in the festival grounds).
• Eco-friendly biodegradable sunscreen and body products.
• Dry bag.
• A propane stove and food, if you want to cook for yourself.
• Comfortable shoes.

In addition to the obvious prohibited items, like weapons and fireworks, glass is prohibited at the festival as is all open fire (save for joints), including campfires, grills and fire dancing, due to the area’s extreme wildfire danger.

Find it: Northern Nights Music Festival, Cook’s Valley Campground, 83950 Road 442E, Piercy, CA 95587

This story was edited by Hearst Newspapers Managing Editor Kristina Moy; you can contact her at kristina.moy@hearst.com.