RoneBreak will be in Rothbury, Michigan for Rothbury Festival. I’ll be on site taking photos, grabbing some interviews and enjoying some brews.

The village of Rothbury, Michigan normally consists of a population that is under 500 people, but that number will certainly be multiplied many times over for this year’s Rothbury Festival.  For The Dead Rothbury is their only gig for summer 2009.  The String Cheese Incident’s set is even more exclusive as it’s their only show for all of 2009, which shouldn’t worry anyone as it feels like 2009 is wizzing by.  Nevertheless, the stacked line-up features a mishmash of many of today’s most followed groups and is sure to bring a nice mix of people to the tiny village of Rothbury.  But music is just one of many parts in the Rothbury machine.  Below you will find all that Rothbury is offering taken from the Rothbury website.  Additionally, you can watch live streams of various performances, which is pretty cool.

LUCKY LAKE DAY SWIM PASSES

Looking to enjoy Michigan’s crystal blue lake waters while at ROTHBURY?  Well then, do it!  Daily swim passes to Lucky Lake will be available to all ROTHBURY patrons for $10.  Enjoy Lucky Lake’s northern shore from 10 am to 6 pm daily, offering swimming, lounging, picnic areas with grille and fire pits, bathrooms, a small store with refreshments and lake necessities, and more.  Purchase Lucky Lake Daily Swim Pass at the Lucky Lake Box Office, located at the entrance to the Lucky Lake Swim Area at the south end of the campgrounds. SPLASH!

For Lucky Lake Photos click here

Visit Lucky Lake’s website here

EPICENTER

Human energy is the soul of ROTHBURY. In this spirit, the Boom Town of the festival site is ROTHBURY’s Epicenter. Visit the Epicenter to enjoy a flurry of scheduled and surprise activities, plus food and drink, vending, performances, workshops, presentations, contests and additional interactive opportunities, and so much more. Explore and engage in ROTHBURY’s Epicenter.

THINK TANK

The ROTHBURY Think Tank presented by the Michigan Development Corporation is an event within the event, offering various buzz sessions and roundtables between leading scientists, scholars, writers, progressive political and corporate leaders, youth leaders, ROTHBURY artists, and…you.  The 2009 ROTHBURY Think Tank Topic: Joining the New Green Economy. Click here for all of the details.

SHERWOOD FOREST

The Sherwood Forest, located in the heart of the Festival grounds, is the pulse of ROTHBURY.  By day, the Sherwood Forest is chill:  relax in one of the many hammocks that swing between the trees, explore the art installations sprinkled throughout the woods, meander down paths to discover plenty of surprises.  At night, the Sherwood Forest comes alive: witness the extravagant light display, stumble into surprise performances and parties in the depths of the forest, and gather with friends to enjoy the vibe. Also this year, be sure to peruse the trees that were decorated by fellow ROTHBURY-goers who chose to participate in the Sherwood Forest Tree Wrap Contest.

TRIPOLEE

As the sun sets each night at ROTHBURY, the parties at Tripolee heat up. Stop by Tripolee for the Festival’s club experience and enjoy beats by global DJ’s and live musicians as well as visual projection art, fantastical light shows, and urban-style bars and lounges. The extravagant Tripolee parties last into the wee hours of the night!  During the day, check out morning Yoga Workshops. Check back for Tripolee scheduling as it becomes available.

ROTHBURY’S SPEAK EZ

Visit ROTHBURY’s Speak EZ in the Sherwood Forest!  Chill at the Speak EZ Bar (hosted by ShotPak) before the sun sets and enjoy intimate performances by red hot artists such as Van Ghost (solo), Rachel Goodrich, Chris Pierce, and others. Beginning at 12 midnight Thursday through Saturday, catch live electronic music and a variety of burlesque/cabaret shows offering a combination of classic burlesque, rock and roll edge, Mad Max Flare, turn-of-the-century class, circus side show fun, and old world vaudeville sass. Keep your ears open for a fun bit of comedy from the Speak EZ’s fearless host, Kenneth Robert Esquire! And don’t miss Eve’s Parlor Burlesque featuring Angela Eve (who is also producing the late night Speak EZ offerings). ROTHBURY’s Speak EZ landscape, with its influence of old world circus sideshows, elements of ornate fabric design, and art installations, is designed by Image Collective. To check out the Speak EZ schedule of events, click here.

THE GOOD LIFE: CHANGING THE WAY YOU FESTIVAL

Join the GOOD LIFE for ROTHBURY’s first class concert experience: exclusive VIP amenities & events, private Main Stage viewing areas, and now an even greater variety of sleeping/living experiences.  This year, ROTHBURY has expanded the GOOD LIFE to fit all budgets and tastes.  Looking for a more rustic visit but still want to live the GOOD LIFE? Choose a primitive camping or RV spot in any of the GOOD LIFE areas. Want a more refined place to call home whilst at ROTHBURY? How about a luxuriously hip Safari Tent in the brand new GOOD LIFE VILLAGE? Each GOOD LIFE neighborhood offers a distinctly different living experience for a variety of budgets. But no matter which GOOD LIFE experience you choose, you are indeed living the GOOD LIFE. Click here for the full scoop.

ROTHBURY FOOD DRIVE

ROTHBURY and Conscious Alliance are once again teaming up to host a FOOD DRIVE at the festival. ROTHBURY attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable and canned food items to donate. All donations will be distributed to local Michigan food pantries including Team Challenges, Lebanon Lutheran, Trinity Lutheran, Rothbury Catholic Church, Word of Life, and Shiloh Food Pantry.  As an incentive to participate, the first 2000 attendees who donate 10 non-perishable food items will be given a limited edition ROTHBURY Conscious Alliance poster created by famed rock artist Michael Everett. Like last year, there will be a 3-D lenticular hologram version of the ROTHBURY poster available to all patrons who donate 20 food items. Click here for more information.

ROTHBURY 2009 CONTESTS: TAP-IN

ROTHBURY thrives on creative collaborations – whether it is between musicians, climatologists, or the greater ROTHBURY community. ROTHBURY 2009 Contests include a Sherwood Forest Tree Wrap Contest, a Cool Campsite Contest, and other participation opportunities still to be announced. Don’t miss out on opportunities to make your own unique mark on ROTHBURY 2009 – click here for details about ROTHBURY’s 2009 TAP-IN Contests.

YOGA AT ROTHBURY

ROTHBURY’s Yoga Program offers a unique opportunity to celebrate and expand your yoga practice – or to start one. Each morning will bring a new yoga adventure.  Yoga practice sessions happen at the Tripolee Domes and will feature renowned teachers and guest appearances by ROTHBURY performers. Visit back for schedules and details as they become available.

Samantha Shakti BrownSamantha Shakti Brown is highly regarded for her depth of yogic knowledge and rich storytelling skills gained from her multi-year apprenticeship at Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh Inida.  Sam views yoga as the ultimate vehicle for remembering our hearts true nature & that there is no mistake that yoga has become so popular in this time of profound awakening.  Sam’s classes are both physically challenging and therapeutic with deep spiritual insight that awakens students on all levels. Samantha has been a student of yoga for 22 years and has been teaching for 16 years.

Class Description
Shakti Awakening – Yoga for Rejuvenation and Freedom
These dynamic classes are crafted to restore your inner well of power, rejuvenate and align you for the celebration of this day. Samantha’s multilevel teaching will allow all students to experience the fullness of their inner freedom. All levels of yoga students welcome.

RECLAIMED ART AT ROTHBURY

Keep your eye out at ROTHBURY for thought-provoking large scale art installations that spark conversations and raise awareness around political, social, and environmental issues. Complimentary to ROTHBURY’s Commitment, all installations are constructed from reused, recycled and natural materials. You can find these interactive installations and zones scattered throughout the Sherwood Forest and the Festival grounds.

RE-SOURCE AT ROTHBURY

New to ROTHBURY this year, RE-SOurce is a place for you to come check out a variety of different interactive arts and crafts from all over the world. Brought to you by Our Future Now, the non-profit responsible for much of the art at ROTHBURY last year, visit RE-Source (located adjacent to Tripolee) to get your face painted while checking out the visionary art gallery. Or, spend a moment learning how to silkscreen, make your own paper, or turn trash into treasure. You might even walk away having learned something new about herbal ayurvedic remedies, theoretical physics, sacred geometry, renewable energy or fair trade practices and products. A daily schedule of events and workshops will be available during the festival, so come find out what RE-SOurces we have to offer!

RE-SOurce is also a center of innovation as we experiment with communications — turning scientific ideas into festival art before your very eyes.

MERRELL RETRO RECESS

Come Play. Get Free Tunes. Charge Your Phone. Fix Your Chacos.
Join Merrell for hula hoop, bag toss, four square and more and get a free Merrell ROTHBURY compilation CD. Harness your own energy to charge your cell phone by riding one of their alternative energy bikes.  Find MERRELL onsite at the Festival in the Epicenter Bazaar. For more fun and to experience ROTHBURY live through Merrell’s eyes, follow Merrell on Facebook and at twitter.com/merrelloutside.

Do your Chaco sandals need fine-tuning?  Merrell and Chaco are now siblings, and they will have a Chaco repair station at the festival General Store.

JFNEW SESSIONS

JFNew, an ecological consulting and restoration firm committed to the conservation of natural resources through responsible stewardship, is onsite throughout the festival to host interactive Sessions that promote sustainable concepts.  2009 Sessions include a Wetland/Bird Nature Walk, a Rain Garden Presentation, an Invasive Species Presentation, and more. Find their booth in the Epicenter for daily JFNew Sessions schedules and to browse the offerings at their Native Plant Sale.

FANTASY ROTHBURY AUCTION & CONTESTS

Are you looking for the ULTIMATE festival experience? Would you like to have unprecedented access to VIP & backstage amenities at one of the nation’s premier music festivals? How about landing your very own DJ set at ROTHBURY? Or cruising in helicopter over the Festival site? Want to tie-the-knot on-stage at ROTHBURY?

Well, now’s your chance thanks to the Fantasy ROTHBURY Auction Series!  There are THREE (3) incredible ROTHBURY Royalty Packages that are currently up for bid, which allow you to live out your wildest festival dreams at ROTHBURY!  Plus, a portion of the profits will be donated to ROTHBURY’s partner charities – ROTHBURY’s 2009 Sustainable Schools Projects, HeadCount and the Conscious Alliance.

ROTHBURY’s Fantasy Auction for Charity ends on June 19, 2009, so get your bids in!

Visit www.fantasyrothbury.com for all the auction details and bid place your bids.

And be sure to check out Fantasy ROTHBURY Artist Contest videos on the ROTHBURY YouTube Channel!

VIABILITY

Jump on the V-Bike and create some power! Viability LLC, will provide ROTHBURY artists, concert goers, and media with the opportunity to digitally record carbon neutral music. Peddlers will generate the power on the V-Bike! Viability will provide the unique opportunity to showcase unconventional means of generating electricity via human power. This electricity will then be used to digitally record songs or tracks that will be available via download for all who pedal. Stop by the Viability booth in the Epicenter to participate!