Worldfest:: 4 days of camping & international music near Grass Valley

This has nothing to do with the desert, but everything to do with camping and meeting new friends, so I thought y'all might like it. Discover your next favorite band at this down-home, laid back world/folk music festival in California's prettiest fairground, under the cool, tall pines of the Sierra foothills. Eight stages of music and dance from around the world, including well-known bands like Indigo Girls, Los Lobos and the Wailing Souls, plus lots of great bands you haven't discovered yet (remember the first time you heard Rupa, or the Waifs?). Click here for the full lineup and music clips of all performers. Here are the acts I'm especially excited to see: * Issa Bagayogo, from Mali * Markus James and the Wassonrai, Malian blues fusion * Fishtank Ensemble, "cross-pollinated" gypsy music * John Cruz, a sweet-voiced hawaiian singer who reminds me of Iz * The Cuban Cowboys, world's greatest cuban surf rock band * Abalone Dots, Swedish beauties playing American bluegrass * Old Blind Dogs, Scottish neo-trad (like Culann's Hounds without the miniskirt) * Skinny Singers, roots rock dance band The bands are diverse, but most are eminently danceable. Expect a stomping good time. Plus: * free vocal, instrumental, dance and percussion workshops throughout the weekend hosted by many of the performers - bring your instruments! * free yoga & tai chi classes each morning, afternoon and evening, * Open Mic on Saturday or Sunday Mornings 9:30 - 10:30 AM * All-day activities for kids including Arts, Crafts, Games, Juggling and a Parade. * crafts to peruse * food stalls Ticket prices depend on how long you stay: 2 days + 2 nights camping = $100 3 days + 3 nights camping = $130 4 days + 4 nights camping = $140 You can buy tickets online until July 16, or at the gate July 16-19 for $10 more. WorldFest tells me they don't sell out, but the camping has occasionally filled up by Saturday. As long as you have a ticket before that point, you will get in. Cell phones work at the fairground, plus we can post our camp location at the front gate, so you'll be able to find us no matter when you arrive. "Camping" at WorldFest means hot showers, flush toilets, ice for sale to keep your beer cold and enough food vendors so that you never have to cook a meal -- all you need is a sleeping bag and a ground pad OR, if that's too earthy for you, bring a folding cot, air mattress or foam mattress (you can get them for $40 on Craigslist.) The nights are warm and mosquitos aren't a problem, so you don't need a tent, but my co-organizer & I have extra tents we're willing to lend to those who want them. You can also rent sleeping bags and tents at REI; sleeping bags cost $13 for the first night & $6 for each subsequent night. Click here to find an REI near you that rents equipment; you do need to call to reserve gear in advance on summer weekends. Getting there: Grass Valley is about 25 miles NE of Sacramento, so about 2.5 hours from Oakland. Carpooling is encouraged; if you need or can offer a ride, please post that as a comment when you RSVP, so carpoolers can find you. You can also take Amtrak to Auburn ($29 from Oakland or SF) and then take a Gold Country bus ($1.50, 30 minutes) to Grass Valley. Click here for Amtrak schedule & fare info. Call 1-888-660-7433 for Gold Country bus info. This is a co-listing with the World Music meetup, whose members seem a bit taken aback at the idea of *camping*, so I thought I'd broaden the invite list to include some more rugged types.