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| Tuesday May 13, 2008 |
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Father's Day Weekend at the Live Oak
Music Festival
That's what many California families do, as they return, like us, for the annual Live Oak pilgrimage. They come with travel trailers and motor homes, they come in vans, they come with tents. They cart in hammocks and tables and barbecue grills of every size and shape. If you plan on attending the Live Oak Music Festivals, or any of the USA's countless other camping music festivals, be sure to check out our Camper's Cookbook for great recipes before you go. If you don't feel like cooking, however, don't worry, there are always plenty of good things to eat right on the grounds. Arrive Early This is a wonderful family event with all ages being equally well represented, from young children through grandparents and everything in between. Music being the common bond that units everyone.
Opening ceremonies are followed by a night of lively music, three bands in all. The closing Friday night spot has always been reserved for an ultra lively act who leaves the crowd in an excellent mood for the rest of the weekend. We discovered the Afro-Celtic sounds of the Laura Love Band in such a set on our first trip to Live Oak and have been loyal fans ever since. Los Lobos is scheduled to close Friday night at the 2000 edition of the festival. After Hours & The Morning After
The barn dance ends about midnight and many people head off to bed, but not the diehards, of which I am proud to be! One of the most charming parts of the festival is about to begin. Everyone who plays an instrument brings it along and impromptu jam sessions spring up throughout the campgrounds like wild mushrooms after a summer rain. I personally have no musical talent whatsoever, but I had the best time wandering from lantern lit campsite to lantern lit campsite listening to great music till the wee hours of the morning. The talent mix here is equally as varied as the main stage. If you don't like one style of music, you only have to walk a few campsites away for an entirely new experience.
On Sunday, a special continental breakfast is available, so kids can serve dad Father's Day breakfast in bed (or in his sleeping bag, as the case may be). The Days are Filled with Fun!
The days are also peppered with tons of activities for the kids and teens, such as storytelling, arts and crafts, puppet shows, hay rides, games, juggling, a talent show and dances. There are also workshops for adults, such as fiddling, songwriting or storytelling. Upcoming Highlights of the
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It
had been a horrendous month. Difficult clients, the "checks in the mail"
syndrome and general burnout had brought Mitch, my business partner and
I to the point where we were bickering and arguing almost constantly.
All that was about to change, however, and not a moment too soon. We packed
our car with tents, air mattresses and coolers full of drinks and snacks
and left the Los Angeles smog behind and made our way up the coast towards
Santa Barbara. Our destination? The Live Oak Music Festival. 
That
was five years ago, and we've set every Father's Day weekend since aside
to attend this very special event. Sponsored by San Luis Obispo public
radio station KCBX, the Live Oak Festival is truly healthy for the soul.
I can't recommend this event highly enough. Another plus to the Live Oak
Festival? The price. Just $105.00 per adult for the entire weekend: three
nights camping and all-day (and night) entertainment! Kids passes are
a mere $25.00, and kids under 3 are free! 
Day
passes to the festival are available, but by far the best way to experience
this event is to spend the full weekend on premises, camping out. The
Live Oak campground is nestled in the Santa Barbara Mountains and, as
the name implies, there is plenty of shade. Campsites (although no hook-ups)
are available for both tents and RV's. What better way to make Dad's special
day memorable than by making a weekend long family party out of the event?
The
talent mix at the Live Oak Festival is always eclectic, is was literally
something for everyone: rock and roll, bluegrass, classical, gospel, blues,
Cajun, world music, rhythm and blues and one year even Taiko drummers!
The quality of each act is always high. I honestly don't know how they
do it, but my hat's off to the event organizers. In fact, the entire festival
is best organized event of its kind that I have ever attended. They think
of absolutely everything. 
The
festivities begin on Friday evening at 4:45, but I would advise arriving
as early as possible. This is a very popular event and people have been
known to camp out in the parking lot the night before, in order to be
there when the grounds open. Especially if you have a large party that
will want to camp together or if you want to be guaranteed of having a
shady campsite, arrive early. 
The
scheduled bands end around 10PM, but the night is far from over. The barn
dance commences at 10:15, and although it may sound corny, we L.A. city
folks had a whale of a time learning to square dance! (The dance was also
a great aerobic workout that helped work off the terrific dinner we had
earlier.) 
For
the early birds, the "Vittles and Fiddles" program starts about 7:30 AM
on Saturday and Sunday. Not being a morning person myself, I usually skip
the musical breakfast offerings, but Mitch regularly partakes. I did,
however, rise and shine early Saturday morning last year, because Naked
to the World, one of my favorite bands in the world, provided the early
morning entertainment. Not too many things could drag me out of bed at
that hour, but for the musical talents of Kevin Fisher, Davis James Company,
I'll get up at the crack of dawn anyday! 
The
main stage events start at 9:30 AM, and again, finish officially at 10,
with another dance (usually Cajun) and jam sessions following. Late Sunday
morning is traditionally the gospel hour with some fine, wailing, down
home southern gospel music. Can I get an Amen?