Boom Bound

Renee Verdier

Hippies, trippers and ravers worldwide have been counting down the days until this week's Boom Festival, the largest psytrance festival in the world. Held every two years in a desert near Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal, this is Boom's seventh incarnation. Boom Festival is known for being a truly multicultural experience, and this year upward of 40,000 people from 59 different countries have already purchased their tickets, with even more people expected to purchase tickets at the gates. The festival has expanded in scope as well as size.  This year, there will be chill-out and electro/dubstep stages in addition to the main stage, which will be playing psychedelic trance 24/7.

More than just a music gathering, Boom Festival is a platform for many forms of creative and artistic expression - including dance, sculpture, painting, film, and circus performance - which will be featured within the festival's Liminal Village. Additionally, scholars and activists from around the globe will be holding presentations, forums, and panels on their areas of expertise. Boom Festival will also continue its tradition of promoting sustainability and environmental awareness with projects like dry toilets, biological treatment of water, alternative power sources like solar energy panels and windmills, and biodiesel generators. With a killer lineup featuring the best of both renowned and underground DJs, this festival is not one to miss.

Those who are attending Boom Festival and would like to link up at the festival should leave their contact and travel information in the comments section. It would be wonderful to coordinate a meetup with other festivalgoers! Hope to see some of you there