Ever since I went to last Year's Rothbury Music and Arts Festival (the first annual)I have been going over in my mind what this year's giant party out in the woods would bring?

Well I got my answer just a few days ago. The line-up for Rothbury is quite insane, and very, very tempting. I am only wishing that I DON'T live in Oregon...only for the commute to this party, obviously! Does it HAVE to be so far away? I love that this part of the country is holding the space for something this amazing and eye opening to happen. This kind of event brings people together in so many ways for so many reasons!

I can remember being in the oh so MaGIcaL Sherwood Forest last year. If I could go to this "place" everyday i would, and NO it wouldn't get old either! Bright, beautiful, amazing colors, trees all decorated, LED and Black Lighting everywhere, on everything, including the people! Great music, Fairy's, Hula Hooper's and glow toys in every direction, not to mention the sounds of the music bouncing off the trees was completely fantastic!

I got to be the "driver" of an awesome all Glow toy and EL wire wagon/cart,as I was a vendor last year with" Lightupwire.com". I was lucky enought to be the "roaming Vendor", which means I got to go out and mingle with the crowd, bring my toys to the people, AND listen to the beats WHILE I WAS WORKING! Could I have had a cooler job? No, I could not have had, and thanks to Glen who owns lightupwire.com, he made it all possible and will make it possible for me again.

We will be there in full force, me hooping more this year than last and teaching others "the Way of the Hoop". The EL wire, or light up wire, will be lighting up the night sky and I can't wait to go out in the forest and experience all the magic that happens when night falls!

Now for the music....this is an amazing feast of talent that they are serving up to us for the event. Go to www.rothburyfestival.com for all the latest news, artists and pictures of last years fest. I still am in a sort of "shock" when I go back and read and re-read the list of performers and artists, and what the crew at Rothbury wants to accomplish this year. They are making the Festival scene into what I have envisioned for years, A co-created event, with art, recycling programs, commUNITY involvement, art from and FOR the community, workshops, spoken word from smart, amazing and "in tune" authors and other individuals.that want to open up all of our eyes to the bigger picture that is THIS life!

People are either really excited about the "String Cheese Incident" reunion at Rothbury this year, or they are completely not into it at ALL! I am on the fence... I LIKED SCI when they were at the top of their game, but then I fell out of love with them when they fell out of love with their band. I hope that made sense... Anyway it will be a good show either way, and if you don't want to see them, go to something else that will promise to be just as amazing! There is so much to choose from!

~The Dead

~Willie Nelson and Family

~STS9(Sound Tribe!!!)

~The Glitch Mob(Oh my GAWDD!!)

~Bob Dylan

~Femi Kuti and the Positive Force

~MSTRKRFT(see this show!)

~EOTO

~Matisyahu

~LIPP Service (members of Pneuma Trio...)

~Toots and the Maytals

This is just some of the music, go on the site, look at ALL of it! It's so fesh and inspiring, ahhhhh......

I can't wait to see what kind of art will spring up on this amazing bit of land in Michigan. Last year there were "the Monkey's" a Burning Man art project that was brought all the way to Michaigan, then back out to the West for the Burn. If you haven't seen it, go to youtube and type in "Rothbury Monkey's", you'll see... Also there was the giant blow up dome, that had cool lighting inside the legs. I got stuck in that thing while selling out of my cart, people were really into it, while they were in the dome, it was crazy!

There was also the "Farmers Market". I had fesh AND Organic cherries everyday, and got to sample a lot of other local favorites. This was a favorite place of mine. I was there one afternoon and while I was trying some things a girl was eyeing my Hula Hoop, I told her to go ahead and play. So she did and she had a wonderful time. She also asked for a lesson and I shared what hooping skills I have to someone who was completely open to learn that day, that was a great time at the Farmer's Market!

So I guess by now you can guess that I am PROBABLY going to Rothbury again this year. I DID go to the first Annual so I feel like I have to be there for the 2nd one too. I feel I should support this endeavour, even if it is on the other side of the US... But we are all ONE commUNITY essentially, so I gotta go where my people are I suppose....

~*Love, Light and Spirals~*

Melissa Magic