After a year that was isolating for many, coming together as a group is a welcome return to normalcy. For psychonauts, missing out on festivals or participating in live stream events left them without the rich community usually associated with these gatherings. Today, there are trippy festivals and events popping up all over the world as more people engage with the collective spirit of the world of psychedelics. First up, let’s take a look at Meet Delic, the inaugural psychedelic business and wellness expo.
Meet Delic 2021
When: Nov. 6-7, 2021.
Where: At AREA 15 Las Vegas Nov 6-7, 2021.
What To Expect:
Meet Delic is where psychedelic education, entertainment and industry come together: inviting experienced psychonauts and newcomers alike to engage with the world of psychedelia in the visually dynamic environment of AREA 15. Located just a short walk away from the Vegas strip, AREA 15 provides a labyrinth of sensory experiences while you walk towards the main stage to listen to keynote speakers, Duncan Trussell, Jason Silva and Dr. Carl Hart. This isn’t your everyday conference venue, instead, it is a trippy landscape of surrealism and optical illusion.
Meow Wolf’s permanent installation Omega Mart — a mystical grocery store complete with portals to otherworldly landscapes — is just one of the immersive experiences that this venue provides.
Aside from art installations and keynote speakers, Meet Delic also provides panels on psychedelic business and wellness with leading experts in the field like Ifetayo Harvey, Brittany Hoogenboom and Ben Westhoff. Not only will this event be educational and provide networking opportunities for folks in the psychedelic industry, but there will also be live music, dance and visual artistic performances as the sun goes down and this conference shifts away from business and towards joyous community expression.
If you are looking to learn more about this burgeoning industry, play and connect with other psychonauts and connect deeper with the wide world of psychedelics, then this first-of-its-kind psychedelic business expo could be just the trip for you. Tickets are selling fast, so be sure to grab one at meetdelic.com before it’s too late!
For our international friends, there are upcoming trippy events in every part of the world. Let’s take a look at a few psychedelic events that you can experience. All events have regulations surrounding substance use, it is important to be aware of the local legalities and safety if psychedelic substances are a part of your desired festival experience.
Purple Haze 2021
When: October 8-10, 2021
Where: Smoke: Backpackers & Events Venue in South Africa
What To Expect:
Nestled next to the winding Hennops River, Ubuntu Gatherings presents Purple Haze 2021 at Smoke: Backpackers & Events. With massive technicolor mandalas and light installations, courtesy of Terrasensus Visuals, dancers are absorbed into the hypnotic beats of A Geoffrey, Hunta and Quantum K. These psychedelic DJ’s are just a sampling of the international setlist of indie psychotrance producers set to perform at this year’s festival.
If heavy electronic beats aren’t your desired experience, there is an alternative floor providing more mellow and jazzier mixes from artists like Brainchild, and local South African DJs Eat SherBit and Neo Brendon.
Purple Haze 2021 has a loyalty pre-sale, meaning that participants of Ubuntu Universe 2021 will get a discount on tickets to this event. The venue is rustic and natural with space for camping and bathroom accommodations, but may not be the desired setting if luxury is your goal.
Retreat Yourself
When: Feb 24-27, 2022
Where: Elandskloof Farm, South Africa
What To Expect:
Whether you are seeking a relaxing, nurturing experience or an indulgent, expressive romp, Retreat Yourself has a bit of everything for people of all ages. This conscious festival’s aim is to create a sustainable event where people from all walks of life come together in dance, feast and cultural communion. On the green lawns of the Elandskloof Farm, retreat-goers have accommodation options ranging from Thatch Cottages or modest personal tents to luxurious canvas yurts and riverside villas. Apart from the entrancing musical landscape — created by artists like The Rivertones and Luh’ra — Retreat Yourself is a foodie’s dream: with options ranging from banquet dinners and champagne brunches to pizza vendors and local cuisine.
PsySense 2021
When: October 29 2021
Where: Yewtopia, Winnipeg CAN
What To Expect:
If you enjoy engaging with belief shattering mystical discussion or are seeking to expand your mind with spiritual knowledge, PsySense 2021 might be for you. Put on by Winnipeg community group Yewtopia — the brainchild of Holly Alexandra — this festival seeks to facilitate healthful emergence of creative community development, allowing people to come together in collective action against global issues. This festival will have workshops where you can explore a variety of introspective thought experiments, such as: what limitations do you experience that foster disempowerment? Or: What do you think is impossible? For the philosophically minded, this event mixes deep intellectual discussion with ecstatic dance, creative expression, and real world applicability.
Shankra Festival
When: February 14-20, 2022
Where: Sri Lanka, South Asia
What To Expect:
Amidst the lush green jungles and sparkling tropical beaches of Sri Lanka, the Shankra festival promises a weeklong experience of trance dancing, community engagement and cultural connection. Shankra Festival works to be as sustainable as possible and encourages festival-goers to embody the same collective spirit. Bring your own tent to camp sites with showers, toilets and food available for purchase. With over 400 musical soundscapes already on the setlist, Shankra Festival provides auditory experiences ranging from Goa Trance to Deep-House and everything in between.
This festival has a dedicated area for children, honoring the expansive nature of the young mind with interactive art projects, beading workshops and plenty of room to play.
Rabbits Eats Lettuce
When: TBD 2022
Where: Southeast Queensland, AUS
What To Expect:
Since this event is a bit of a ways out, there is more time to figure out what sparkly, flowing or whimsical costume you want to parade past the fire dancers and neon art installations in as you make your way to the heartbeat of the dance floor. The next morning, wake up and commune with other festival-goers in yoga, meditation and body art workshops or attend a community discussion and learn about permaculture and ecological restoration. The lineup isn’t set in stone yet — applications for performers, workshop teachers and artists are still underway, — but last year’s lineup featured performances from Terrafractyl, Muska and Salt & Steel.
This festival village will be in the heart of the Australian Bushland and provide c camping and glamping accommodations depending on your desired comfort level. Regardless, there are hot showers, healthy food options at the festival village market and non-stop performances on the mainstage from 9:00am to 3:00am.
Wonderland Festival
When: November 5-6, 2021
Where: TBD warehouse in Amsterdam, NL
What To Expect:
Though it was previously sold out, Wonderland Festival in Amsterdam is adding 250 additional tickets for Saturday November 6th. This event is a warehouse style techno show in the heart of Amsterdam with easy access to metro and train stations. Inspired by the wacky world of Alice and Wonderland, this festival is set to feature hardcore techno artists like [KRTM] and Cera Khin as well as technohouse DJs like Benny Rodrigues and Fatima Hajji. This is an 18+ event so leave the kids and your worries at home and fall down the rabbit hole into Wonderland.
Boom Festival
When: July 22-29, 2022
Where: Idanha-A-Nova Lake, Portugal
What To Expect:
Forced to reschedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Boom Festival’s 25th annual event is set to take place on the banks of the tranquil Idanha-A-Nova Lake and tickets are available through third party ticket buying platforms. Get a taste of what to expect and a glimpse at the calm waters and Portuguese countryside in their 2021 livestream event Boomstream. Art installations, psytrance beats and connecting with nature are all a part of this weeklong musical experience. Tired from dancing? Take a dip with new friends from camp in the water or hangout in the shade of large wooden structures scattered around the festival grounds. Summers in Portugal can get hot, so hydration, sun protection and the right ensemble are all helpful things to keep in mind when attending Boom Festival 2022.
Envision Festival
When: February 22-28, 2022
Where: Uvita, Costa Rica
What To Expect:
Amidst the tropical jungles of Costa Rica, Envision Festival invites seekers from around the world to come together to dream, connect, learn and inspire each other. Built on the 7 pillars of sustainability, education, art, music, spirituality, movement and health, this festival provides a variety of immersive experiences meant to better connect the global community to nature and each other. Watching the sunset from the beach with an audioscape of psytrance, folk or an impromptu drum circle on the sand are all possibilities of the Envision experience. In past years, performing artists were a mixture of local reggae and punk bands as well as EDM, house and psytrance DJs.
This event draws people from around the world and since many people camp the festival has tents available for rental. This event is currently sold out, but there is a waitlist for potential ticket drops.
Mundo De Oz
When: April 20-24, 2022
Where: At Aldeia Outro Mundo near Lagoinha, Brazil
What To Expect:
This psychedelic music festival in the hills of Brazil provides expansive views of the Brazilian countryside and a place for nomads to come together under the flashing lights and heavy beats of local and international DJ’s. Most festival-goers come and camp for the vibrant community and to experience the power of coming together under the colorful flags and painted wooden structures in expressive movement and union. The festival venue, Aldeia Outro Mundo, has a bed and breakfast on the property but all rooms in the inn are booked for performing artists. Many festival-goers find accommodation in nearby towns or camps.
This is just a sampling of upcoming trippy events. As more people experience the benefits of psychedelic events, more communities and venues create visually immersive and connective experiences. If you end up attending any of these events or have in the past, we would love to hear about your experience in the comments below.
