Music, mountains and weed delivery—the recipe for any good music fest

Same Same But Different

The Same Same But Different Festival (SSBD) is returning for its fourth year, adding 20 new additional artists to its already stacked lineup. The art-and-diverse-genre-music festival returns to the beaches of Lake Perris Sept. 8th-11th.

“We chose Lake Perris State Park because it’s truly a hidden gem,” says Brad Sweet, the festival’s co-founder and CEO. “Everywhere you look, there are stunning views of the lake, mountains and trees.”

Though staying true to its former location, organizers sought out a new area this year within the same park. But don’t worry, guests can expect the same scenic views as well as plenty of grassy areas, electric car camping, park-maintained bathrooms with hot showers, and RV parking hookups.

And of course, this year’s event wouldn’t be complete without floatopia. Each day of the festival, the Coconut Club becomes a waterfront stage where attendees grab an adult beverage cool off in the water, and listen to their favorite musicians all day long. There’s also the signature Funky Floatie Competition which encourages festival goers to create the most unique floatie to win a ticket to next year’s event.

Headlining this year will be Tipper, Vulfpeck, Chromeo and GRiZ while 60+ artists will perform across four stages throughout the weekend. But, choosing which acts made the cut this year, was more than just choosing the top bands of the moment—it was in itself, a love letter to the city.

“The majority of the core festival team are from San Diego,” says Peter Eichar, the festival’s co-founder and director. “We go out in San Diego, we play music in clubs in San Diego, and we see shows in San Diego. This festival has more of San Diego in it than any other city, and might play host to more local San Diego talent than any major music festival in California,” shares Eichar.

In addition to the performances, attendees can get their creative juices flowing with workshops led by yoga, breathwork, meditation, reiki, dance, and art experts. Or enjoy the new CannaBass Oasis, a waterfront hangout spot for cannabis aficionados, where guests can order a range of cannabis products for delivery within the festival grounds.

And, in case you’re worried about the fest’s environmental impact, Sweet shares that they’re trying to work toward being a negative carbon footprint organization. Currently, for every ticket purchased, SSBD plants groups of trees to help restore and enhance ecosystems. Last year, SSBD planted more than 18,000 trees and this year, they hope to go even bigger with a goal of more than 40,000.

During the fest, guests can also purchase upcycled and locally crafted handmade goods a the Vendor Village. Vegan, vegetarian and raw food options will also be available and of course,  compostable and recyclable silverware, cups and plates will be on hand. “SSBD was named the ‘Best Emerging Festival’ of 2020 by USA Today, and we continue to build off of that momentum.” Eichar says. “The 2022 lineup will be the largest in the festival’s history.”

The post Same Same But Different: A Nod to SD’s Music Scene appeared first on San Diego Magazine.