Emergence Campout: The Epic Mystical Madhouse
Emergence Campout, and before it was yet Emergence, has been a host to eclectic, come one-come-all vibes, since my early days with the crew back in the mid-2010’s. The legacy carries on for Santa Cruz Forest Raving- brought to you by the Sonosilva Collective. The Hippy Vortex of Santa Cruz County can be enjoyed by all who dare go down the Rabbit Hole.
Emergence is a nonstop stimulus overload with drippy sounds, drippy art, and wonky dancing. There is an ever-present pull to be entirely yourself and as the day falls you’ll feel enmeshed in the ooey-gooey, love-joy fest. Emergence Campout took place right in the heart of this Epic 2024 Summer on July 26 & July 27 for two days of raving, breathing, and immersion into the displays meant for your radiance to merge with the Santa Cruz Mountains. Don’t forget, the backdrop for this festival is a constant ebb & flow with the nature surrounding, as peaking Redwoods absorb you with their awe and stature, and little critters and crawlers decide to join in on the extravaganza. As dawn crests on the eye of the beholder, no human aligning to the sensory overload will ever feel alone at an Emergence Campout. This community is alive and thriving, and OG Em is here to give you the full scoop on the dreamy, love-y escapades that’ll take your being into the spiral.
Imagine and long for a total escape, total freedom. This freedom is not one you can find just anywhere, it reaches out to the soul level. Through the spirit of this community's breathing motion, let the hook sink in, and the bass reverberate through the spinal centers and rush through your sensory glands. There is no time like always and forever to be in touch with a loving community and endearing personalities. Here, it is because it breathes with Spirit and through the trees. Be you. Since before Sonosilva was the Sonosilva Collective, the integrity, and nature of this band of ragtags has always been. The light in their eyes and dream-ness of sound are from true heart-to-heart connections based on mutual trust and respect. They build places for mental traversing and heart-opening. These fellow existers are just out here being, and that’s what it's all about.
As they have gained California notoriety, the legacy continues on. In recent years, the Santa Cruz mountains have been a host to hippy wonderlands. The forest raves have been so grandiose since the early 60’s when my Grandaddy was doing it, and Sonosilva does not disappoint. As they bring the hippy vortex state-wide, Co-Founder/Artist Josh Fridman notes that the Collective will be cresting on national notoriety any day now. Expansion is just a natural progression when you are aligned with the Universe’s will, and those same laws will be working for the good of this blissful, mushy community vision.
Creative love is their essence, be within their aural radius and you’ll instantly know their true, genuine nature. This community is a glowing, guiding vision for what a community should be: total acceptance and absolute freedom to be. You don’t see this level of tolerance and chill-ness in many places, the quintessential forest rave is where you’ll find it, among the stimulus overload yet tranquil beings within.
In this space, there is something for everyone at any point in their rave adventure. You can sit together under the trees in silent knowing or boogie until sunrise, there is a spot for you. You would be surprised by all the sensory stimuli and how much inner calmness can be met. Every person here is themselves and true belonging can unfold. Un-trying is a happy, natural conclusion to non-judgment and letting go.
If you haven’t yet enjoyed a Schmux set, I can say this artist is an A + set. The sounds are gooey and trance-inducing. You can still get down with it though, peep the Soulja Boy remix. Seriously, a 10/10 from this one. You can catch Schmux at Sonosilva events, but he might come up at a festival you’ll be at, unbeknownst or in anticipation. Schmux performs nationally and all over California.
Furthermore, to start out a blessed day in unison, interested attendees sat in on San Diego Producer/DJ Cam Steen’s handpan set. If you haven’t had the joy of hearing a handpan, for those with receptive and clear channels, there is a chance for an absolute euphoric light show within, serenely encapsulated by the dreamy, copper tones. This focus on healing even while intensely raving the night away, is so valuable. As they say, “Some dance to remember, some dance to forget.”
As always, nature, the outdoors, and otherwise is an integral part of these glorious events. Therefore, do not be surprised to see the ritualistic honoring of the Moth God with actual Santa Cruz mountain Moth locals or the white domesticated wolf-y brother on stage leading the pack in rhythms and sounds. This is a tribute to Sonosilva’s unwavering respect for all that is, here, on Mother Earth’s floors. Please, follow suit with this unwavering respect for all forms of dignity and intelligence.
As every attendee can attest to, whether it be mixing beats in the depths of the forest, in a green open field with slack lines and spinning poi, or in the long double room with the gazebo out back- this tribe knows how to live. It just is, that is the essence, and a beautiful embrace of the senses is the method. Here, you just are, and that's really what makes this community what it is. Welcome all walks of life, even the silly critters and sturdy, still redwoods. All are welcome here.
Their outer world manifestations are a perfect, total alignment with the collective and its individual organizer’s core values, intentions, and vision for the community. As the Sonosilva Collective has announced on Instagram, these festivals are about bringing people together. Every one of life experiences is what you make of it, and for this group, the experience is “a blissful and soul-enriching experience.” Learn from the greatest, and be the greatest. These soul beings know how to live and let be.
The Emergence multi-sensory wonderlands are the perfect host for direct communication from the body to soul, and soul to body. Hands down, in my opinion, you have to get one of these hoodies. I have had a number of trippy dippy underground-made hoodies, and I promise you, they are a talking point and a statement piece. Seriously, the fractals and shimmer on merch like this are so vibe-y and cool. Check out a hoodie and support.
ORDER A HOODIE BY CLICKING BELOW
Furthermore, the Sonosilva Collective is becoming a whole lot of somebody’s here in California, and according to Josh, this could very well continue to national notoriety. Keep your eyes keen and be able to say you had magical foresight with this one. Also, scope what Instagram has to say about Emergence, “What a delicious time of majestic flowingness” and “Seriously such a potent tribe. Feeling so close to y'all!” “Blessed to have y'all creating these wonderful cathartic spaces and experiences. Truly life changing…”
Additionally, from a newcomer’s perspective, “Yay, new friends! What a special weekend in a beautiful setting! This was my first with your crew and I would definitely do this again. Can’t wait to see what’s next! Gonna treasure this one in memory for inspiration”
There is no bottle to exactly capture the bliss and thrill of a forest rave… unless in the hands of the Sonosilva Collective! Unleash the higher self and be one with your nature being and ride the blissed-out energies till dusk. The love fest does not stop, and you carry it in your heart through your waking days afterward. The cleansing effect of human beings in unison with their sensory experiences and the great outdoors is so real. Find full alignment of body and soul, here, with the Sonosilva Collective.
As my roots are in the hippy trances of Santa Cruz escapades, I will hang my hat on this enterprise all day. Love these folks and all that we are about. Get with the program, y’all, your higher self is waiting for you in the castle of the soul and the tribe you find while Earth-dwelling. Even just an experiment in forest raving will have you beyond pleasantly shook. Be the movement, be the ebb and flow, be the breath of the Earth’s rhythm, be the alignment of a mystic. If you attended, Hype to you. Keep the hype up, ask anyone there… they’ll tell you they're excited for the next. I’ve been going to forest raves edging on a decade, and come one and come all. The wonk and the drip supersede all cellular functioning, you’ll feel it between the toes and on the prickles of your tiny hairs. Get trippy and join the Sonosilva Collective and all their nocturnal lovingness on most social platforms, buy a hoodie, and most of all, attend an event.