In perfect balance and just in time, Southern California’s cooler temperatures and fragrant rains have brought out the best of the Mojave’s high desert for the Spring’s music and camping event, the Joshua Tree Music Festival (JTMF), May 15 – 18th, 2025.
This family-friendly festival, with it’s unique blend of music, art, dance, and wildly eclectic-yet-intimate and zen vibe, brings to the JTMF line up a showcasing of “up and coming, white hot, have-to-see-them-now-before-they-get-big” roster of quality of artists that will both heat up and chill-as-you-will at this particularly unique desert trip experience.
“By creating a small, inspired community for a weekend, festival goers enjoy rich and profound positive interactions with other attendees, leaving recharged, not depleted. The experience is enhanced when embraced in the great outdoors amongst fellow music lovers.” — JTMF
The Music Bowl
The Music Bowl contains two stages, a world market, organic food purveyors, JavaGoGo Coffee. Live music alternates on two stages in a single area, so you don’t miss bands and more than 35,000 square feet of shade cloth provides shade and comfort throoughout the Bowl.
Saturday night headlines with Wajatta, that cosmically-inspiring duo featuring comedian and musician Reggie Watts and Electronic music artist, DJ, and producer John Tejeda, bringing massive bowl-filling electronica and dance-ifectious beats.
High Step Society promises “a dance party from another dimension, a high flying beat dropping big band rocket ship with an ear to the past and both feet on the gas.” Steve Poltz will make you laugh, cry, blush, dance, and rejoice with his brand of poetic and Americana. Graysokker is a one man “Accordeon Raveolution”–the new UFO of the French electronic scene, accordion techno. Smoked Out Soul, a band that started as a mixed tape by Zebuel–a blend of 70’s era Motown and Stack songs with Southern Trap music. The super-funky, massive and jazzed-up rock sound of Brittany Davis and their band. Electronic Music and producer Nadav Dagon promises a dynamic live electronic set “during a hypnotizing 360 degree show.”
A punk, a poet, an author [Punk zine fag School, Since I Laid My Burdon Down], a choreographer, a musician and a performance artist–Brontez Purnell will simply bring it. Māh Ze Tār, with sitar and oud, will fill the air with “ancient sounds, mesmerizing vocals and grooving beats.” Mystical Joyride, a “genre fluid” band bringing “a psychedelic, joyful, interactive and inspiring” electronic and organic world beat experience. Kr3ture, a blending of “live instruments with deep bass, making powerful and emotive music”–tribal fusion meets the banjo meets dubstep. Al-Qasar features musicians from four continents creating a sound they’ve termed “Arabian Fuzz…a vision that’s brazenly electric and deeply connected to its roots.” Iggy Pop called them “Pretty bitchin” on BBC6. Future Joy a live electronic duo “sax and soul, a future funk hybrid.” Saritah blends Reggae, Roots and Acoustic Soul with her honeyed vocals. ¿Qiensave? is a Cumbia Urbana group from Michoacán.
Lisa Sanders and Brown Sugar provide delicious harmonizing in a soulful blend of country, blues, folk, pop, gospel rock and jazz. Cardboard People, danceable electronica mixed R & B vocal stylings of the duo from the Bay Area. Los Poncho Tones, a local favorite and Joshua Award-winning band bringing their mix of “blues, roots, soul, funk, americana, psychedelia, Latin, Electro and Appalachian”–it’s delicious. Kayla Diana–“craft and folk soul storytelling with tasteful guitar melodies and deeply emotive vocals.” Jasmine Ride a new acoustic trio founded in the heart of Joshua tree “filled with lush harmonies and heartfelt lyrics.” Icara, a “vibrant mix of Afrobeat drums, Latino baselines bass lines and psychedelic guitars.” All Kinds–a teen group with influences of Bowie, Green Day, Four Non-Blondes, and George Thoroughgood.
Additional artists include Marti Marti, King Madre, STAGEFRIGHT, Morongo Robinson, and more.
The Joshua Tree Music Festival, Joshua Tree Lake and RV Campgrounds, May 16, 2019. Photo by Monique A. LeBleu
DJ’s willrotate sets between stages and at the Boogaloo Lounge. Lil’ Chris [STiRTy] will provide “infectious and unstoppable…wicked grooves and punchy baselines.” The Disco Shaman is Real will “serve up phonic tonic that is out there but in the panic pocket.” Manila Vanilla provides “a patent pending blend of every flavor of the house music rainbow.” Starcat will bring the pulsating world of techno house of Tech House, as well as high energy sets by Shanell Grey, Ay-lex Song, Tüttü, Sir Kaydian, and more.
Vacay in the Desert – Camping
Tucked into the Copper Mountains, the Joshua Tree Lake & RV Campground is home to JTMF–a 40 acre, privately owned venue and site featuring a spacious campground, hot showers and RV hook-ups, with camping just a short stroll from the lake area and music bowl.
All festival tickets include walk-in tent camping (park in day parking and walk your gear into the campground.) Single day tickets include camping for that night. However, if you wish to have your vehicle in the campground you will need to purchase the appropriate vehicle pass.
The temperatures are looking to be great for the weekend, with temps in the early to mid 80s during the day and mid to late 50s at night. If you plan to camp, for the day or for the weekend, do come prepared for anything–shade for camp, hats, umbrellas, water, and sunscreen. For daycamps, the high desert can get quite windy, so also be prepared with proper staking and to strike your tent quickly, if needed. Note that the festival has hydration stations with filtered water for water bottle refills.
The Lake
Surrounding the walkable lake are various art installations–including live art–Kidsville, playshops, a shaded Yoga & Healing Stage, shady nooks, sculpted benches and spaces, a Positive Vibration Station, Queer Salon, Astro Mojo Dojo Tea Station, and more.
Dr. Bronner’s All – One Magic Foam Experience comes to the festival this year, a fun and interactive way to get clean and dance off to dry. The foam sprayed on participants is made from Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap, who are then rinsed clean and then released to “dance yourselves dry in a safe space where all beings are respected and celebrated.”
Dr. Bronner’s will be foaming at JTree Music Festival May 16-18 1:00pm – 4:20pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday!
The Park
The nearby Joshua Tree National Park is one of the premier rock climbing destinations in the world (2 million visitors annually), where many come for the festival and stay for a vacation of camping at the Joshua Tree lake and RV Campgrounds and further adventure in the park.
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The Spring Joshua Tree Music Fest returns for a more intimate festival experience
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