By: Cole Epley

The Big Bounce at Belden Festival – June 18-21, 2010

Belden Town Resort & Lodge – Belden, California

www.bigbounceatbelden.com

Emerging from humble beginnings, the Big Bounce at Belden returns this year to deliver an all-star cast of electronic artists from all reaches of the continent and beyond. Perched rather comfortably in the Plumas National Forest and mountains of beautiful northern California, this year’s Big Bounce promises to clear out many an ear canal with its commendable bass-saturated lineup of artists, including this summer’s ONLY California appearance of Dubtribe Sound System. Roll up that sleeping bag and pack your tent and get ready to rumble through the Big Bounce weekend beginning Friday, June 18 at 9 a.m.

Accompanying headliners Dubtribe Sound System in this beatific soiree will be Cali’s own Beats Antique, along with breaks vet Deekline, Sub Swara, VibesquaD, Black Rock City All-Stars, Bluetech presents: Satori Social and Eliot Lipp. Also in the mix of things you can expect to see DJ Vadim, Lynx & Janover, MiMOSA, Random Rab, Bass Science, Kraddy and Marty Party. The Big Bounce plans on announcing more acts soon, along with days and set times: click to see the rest of the lineup.

Tickets: Tickets to The Big Bounce Festival are being sold at the festival website. Currently available are the $100 Early Bird passes, which are being sold in a limited amount. Due to limited space on site for camping and parking, on-site parking passes are being sold for $50, in part to encourage carpooling to the festival. Weekend passes may be bought in advance for $130, or you may take your chances and buy them at the gate for $150. Don’t forget to check the link on the festival site to the rideshare forum to secure a spot in a carpool!

Camping: Camping is included with the fees for the event passes, and if you buy a vehicle parking pass for $50 (or travel in a vehicle that has one) you will be guaranteed a camping place. As space is limited, camping is offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. There are also a limited number of RV passes being sold for $175 which include access to full onsite hookups. Note that there is an offsite parking lot complete with a shuttle to-and-fro the festival grounds, in which organizers permit cars and RVs to park.

Shuttle Schedule:

Friday—10 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Saturday—9 a.m. to 12 a.m.

Sunday—10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Monday—8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Stages & Vendors: This information will be available as soon as the organizers release it!

Facilities: The Big Bounce Festival stresses the importance of acknowledging the dangers of high fire season. Please place all cigarette butts in a container rather than casting them onto the dry ground. Accordingly, no fires, fireworks or fire dancing will be allowed at the festival. There is a full bar and restaurant on-site where you can get your grub on or take the edge off of the previous night with an ice-cold shot of Jager (or anything else you might/might not be able to stomach). Bottled water and ice will be available for purchase at the bar, but attendees are allowed to bring their own drinks (both hard and soft) with them to the festival. Neither credit/debit cards nor checks are accepted, so bring all the cash you will need for the weekend with you as the nearest ATM is about 30 miles away from the festival site. Numerous Porta-Potties will be located throughout the site along with hand-washing stations. Be advised also that Verizon is the only cellular service provider that seems to function on the grounds.

Activities: Besides enjoying the more than 70 artists on the lineup, The Big Bounce encourages any swimming, tubing, kayaking or canoeing (at your own risk) in the beautiful Feather River. Bicycles, unicycles, skateboards and the like are also encouraged for your recreational pleasure but there are no unauthorized motor vehicles permitted—i.e. mini-bikes, ATVs, etc. Make new friends and establish sunrise yoga groups, meditation sessions or whatever makes your heart content!

Natural Surroundings: The Big Bounce Festival takes place in the heart of the Belden Town Resort & Lodge, which finds itself situated on the serene Feather River. The famous California Zephyr trains operated by Western Pacific RR used to run through the Feather River canyon, which is right where The Big Bounce takes place. Channel your inner Kerouac and try to take in the incredible views: wild grape, thick valley oak trees and old growth pine and fir varieties characterize the Plumas National Forest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Festival goers may hike on the Pacific Crest Trail, which will provide up-close views of the local flora and fauna featured in this beautifully rugged terrain—however, beware of the poison oak, which will be in full force at this time of the summer. Also note that temperatures in June in the Sierra Nevadas reach the upper 90s during the day and drop to chilly lows at night. Come prepared with proper attire and sun protection.

Sustainability: Festival organizers stress the importance of making The Big Bounce a ‘leave no trace’ event. The concept is pretty self-explanatory: leave the site exactly as you found it, if not cleaner than before you got there. Garbage bags will be available at the information kiosks and all festival goers are urged to utilize the provided recycling bins that will be found scattered throughout the site. Feather River canyon, as you will find out, is a beautiful example of the majesty of the Sierra Nevada range, and organizers intend to maintain that majesty by respecting the environment and grounds upon which the festival takes place. ALL local, state and federal laws apply.

Untz Featured Genres: breaks, dubstep, psychedelic, downtempo, hip hop, glitch, electro, house, livetronica, psytrance and drum & bass.