Summer is over, which means it’s time to escape to higher grounds.
Come September, Glad Castle Presents will host the Enchanted Circle Music and Arts Carnival in Taos. Dominic Abbott, co-creator of Glad Castle Presents, said it is an event every New Mexican can get down with.
The festival is at a higher altitude than any other musical festival held in the continental U.S. this summer.
“The idea of it was to bring all of the local acts together for a couple of days,” Abbott said. “We are touching on a bunch of different genres and hopefully we are going to mix them nicely.
We’ve got everything from Latin to Funk to Jamtronica to New Age. We also have a lot of Bluegrass.”
According to its website, Glad Castle is an Albuquerque company that “was formed for one reason: to fulfill your appetite for good vibes.” It is responsible for events such as the Mustachio Bashio.
The unique thing about this festival, Abbott said, is that it will feature almost exclusively New Mexico bands.
Bassist Barney Lopez from The Red Light Cameras, one of the bands that will make up the melting pot of local musicians, said the festival will expose people to music outside of their favorite genres.
“You get a lot of shows in Albuquerque where it is solely a punk or indie show,” he said. “But this festival is going to be neat because of the diversity of the bands. There are some people who are afraid of exploring outside of what they normally listen to.”
Some of the other bands that will play in the festival are The Squash Blossom Boys, Lost Lingo, Mondo Vibrations, Monster Paws and Baracutanga.
The festival is located in the Village of Taos Ski Valley and will emphasize art and sustainability, Abbott said.
“We went there and built the stage from fallen timbers,” Abbott said. “And the community of Taos Ski Valley all chipped in with equipment and extra hands … We didn’t want to have a rental stage. The best way to be sustainable is to reuse materials and at the same time we are also clearing the forest of dead lumber.”
Tickets range from basic festival entry and camping passes to a ticket that includes transportation via the Enchanted Party Bus, Abbott said. There will also be a specified camping and parking area adjacent to the festival grounds. Abbott said festivalgoers can explore a lake, waterfall and even Wheeler Peak.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
“It’s about getting out there and enjoying what nature has to offer,” he said.
Enchanted Circle Music and Arts Carnival
September 2-5
Ticket prices range from $10 to $85
For more info and to buy tickets visit www.enchantedcirclefestival.com.
