Snapped: Northern Nights, Piercy, California

Photos: Christine Ciarcia

Last Friday a convoy of cars stretching over the horizon pushed down a dusty back road into Northern Nights, NorCal's largest campout festival. Tucked between the Giant Redwood groves of Humboldt and Mendocino County lies an all-encompassing party where Bay Area ravers can get down to future bass, and hippies can zen out in the forest.

Now in its third year, Northern Nights has managed to draw a crowd of around 5,000, and deliver some top sets from some emerging and established US bass acts. Big show visuals played against gorgeous scenery, and small town charm carved out a unique niche for this gathering in the growing world of transformational festivals.

Northern Nights Co-Founders Andrew Blap & Peter Huson created the festival with the intention of "People from different walks of life coming together to relax, showcase their talents, pick up a new skill, and discover music they never knew existed— all the while, dancing on the banks of the Eel River."

CRNKNs set at the River Stage on Friday brought out wild, frenzied moves that would carry into the Polish Ambassador's headlining spot later that night. Saturday saw a more tranquil and cerebral tone, with some fire indie dance from Aussie trio Rüfüs Du Sol and some heavy live psychedelics from WeDidIt founder Shlohmo. The weekend came to a close on an epic note with back-to-back performances by a masked Slow Magic and 90 minutes of bangers from Sweater Beats.

You can check out the gallery above.