Same Same But Different (SSBD) has opened the final community round of its WeFunder campaign, giving fans one last opportunity to become equity owners in the independent festival. Its first investment round brought more than 100 fans into the ownership group, raising over $780,000 and helping fund new initiatives, including a major change to the festival’s ticketing model that has already delivered savings for attendees.
One of the most significant outcomes has been SSBD’s move away from traditional ticketing providers to ShopTickets. The transition reduced ticketing fees to just $0.75 and helped lower 2027 General Admission prices by $60 compared to the previous year. The benefits extend to the entire festival community, not just those who invested.
The additional funding has also supported the festival’s growth beyond its annual gathering. In 2026, the team produced eight regional events in the San Diego area, expanding considerably from the single regional event held the year before. The campaign and its fan-ownership model also attracted coverage from Billboard, highlighting an alternative approach to independent festival growth.
“We’ve always believed that every attendee joining us is just as much a part of Same Same But Different as the people putting it on. And by inviting our community to become owners, look at what we’ve already been able to accomplish together. Your investment gave us the freedom to walk away from traditional ticketing, cut fees, and bring 2027 GA prices down by $60. That’s a win for everybody, whether they invested or not. To me, that’s what this is all about. Building something that gets better for the people who make it possible. We’ve spent seven years proving that an independent festival can thrive by putting its community first, and we’re just getting started. This is one last opportunity to own a piece of what we build next.”
— Brad Sweet, co-founder of SSBD.
Over seven years, SSBD has built a profitable independent festival at Lake Perris, welcoming more than 40,000 attendees and generating over $3 million in annual revenue without major outside investment or corporate backing. The festival has reported 20% year-over-year growth, while more than 40% of its attendees return annually, exceeding the industry average.
The new investment round is intended to help accelerate that progress rather than simply keep the festival operating. Future plans include expanding into new markets, finding additional ways to reduce costs, improving the festival experience and creating more opportunities for fans to participate in its development.
Investors receive an equity stake in SSBD’s parent company, giving them an ownership interest that extends across future events. The campaign also offers festival-related benefits, including tickets, annual meetups, opportunities to vote on creative decisions and additional perks.
Fans who have already purchased a 2027 pass can still participate without losing the value of their ticket. If an investment earns them a festival pass, SSBD will refund the corresponding ticket purchase.
With its final community investment round now open, Same Same But Different is continuing to build its future around the people who attend, support and help shape the festival. The campaign offers fans one more opportunity to take part in that growth while supporting an independent model that has already delivered tangible benefits to its community.
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