The inaugural Arizona Roots Music & Arts Festival has come to an end, and our hearts are full from the good vibes of the weekend. This festival was quite the change of pace for us. California Roots, the “parent festival” of Arizona Roots, is well established in its west coast home, so its creators (we spoke with them about the move here) decided to switch things up and take on another market. The roots took well in the dry soil of the Arizona desert! The weekend went off without a hitch, from the friendly attendees to the dope food. The reggae vibes were real. Adults, kids, and even dogs filled Rawhide Western Town & Event Center with smiles! Here is our Arizona Roots 2019 top 15 photo recap of the weekend:
15.
One of the best things about Arizona Roots? People of all ages, shapes, sizes, backgrounds, you name it. This peaceful gathering really brought out the best Arizonians…and their kids and pets! No matter the creature, we guarantee they were having a blast.
14.
Our bodies were movin’ during The Movement‘s set.
13.
This festival brought music lovers of all genres together. It let many fans escape their usual music “scene” and explore something new!
12.
J Boog had us groovin’ with their wide array of instruments. A treat we don’t often get in most electronic dance music shows!
11.
Not only music, but artwork as well, surrounded the venue and kept attendees intrigued.
10.
Artists from near and far came to celebrate the very first Arizona Roots.
9.
Hoops, sage baths, and hugs… oh my! Entertainers and friends of all abilities and types were not only on stages but within the very crowd that surrounded you.
8.
The legendary Movement of Jah People art car made a special appearance for the weekend. This traveling art display has made its way to festivals around the country, including Burning Man!
7.
Oh yeah, did we mention that there were instruments?! Like, a ton of them.
6.
Food and beer vendors had us jumping for joy.
5.
“When Collie Bud come around, a pure ganja man tune, just a lick from the sound, yeah.” Collie Buddz had everyone singing along.
4.
Rebelution pulled everyone in for a night of feel-good, rasta-infused reggae rock. Definitely our favorite set of the weekend.
3.
The Midwestern duo Atmosphere was most definitely our other favorite set of the weekend. Slug and Ant have been killing the game and serving up ambient raps since 1996.
2.
The nights were chilly but the beats were warm. If trippy and mellow had a baby, it would sound and look just like a Stick Figure set.
1.
Just a bunch of “AZ rockers promoting peace, love and smoke rings,” the Black Bottom Lighters made for a fun afternoon. We hope to see these Arizona locals on the main stage next year.
We are beyond confident that Arizona is ready for the return of Arizona Roots festival again next year. This chill weekend left us with an appreciation for a ton of new artists and genres. It also provided us with the reminder that festivals don’t always have to be about flashy lasers and big ass bass drops (only kind of kidding). If you are looking for a little break from the constant craziness of electronic dance music’s scene, Arizona Roots is the place to be next year.
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*Feature Photo Via Joshua Andrews*
