Borderland Festival, a multi-day music and arts festival in Western New York, is returning for its 6th year to Knox Farm State Park with headliners Black Crowes, Caamp, Marcus King, and many more. The festival is very excited and proud to announce the return of its Borderland Sober Space for the 2nd year. Hosted by The Phoenix, Marcus King’s Curfew Fellowship Fund, and Divided Sky Foundation, this substance-free area offers a comfortable place for festival attendees to meet, relax, recharge, and enjoy non-alcoholic beverages from the festival’s mocktail truck, Tap Truck Buffalo. The Sober Space is open to all festival-goers, including sober fans, allies, friends, and families, providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone.
“The Borderland Sober Space has become such an important area for our festival. Different forms of substance use and misuse have impacted many of us, including my own family. The festival wants to make sure we provide that supportive sober space for fans to feel comfortable, included, and validated on their journey. We are grateful to have three amazing organizations facilitating this area throughout the weekend,” says Festival Promoter Jennifer Brazill.
Borderland Sober Space will be hosting games, raffles, support groups, tie-dye parties, as well as providing sober support upon request for artists performing at the festival by on-site Recovery Support specialists from The Phoenix and Divided Sky Foundation.
Raffles will be held all weekend at the Borderland Sober Space. Gibson Guitar has generously donated a guitar, which will be autographed by Marcus King, who is also performing at the festival on Sunday afternoon. The guitar will be raffled off on Sunday, with donations going to the Curfew Fellowship Fund. Additional raffle prizes will be announced for Friday and Saturday, benefiting The Phoenix and Divided Sky Foundation.
“We are really excited to bring back our Sober Space at Borderland for the second year in a row, especially during National Recovery Month,” says Phoenix Music Director Bill Taylor. “The more we see festivals embrace these opportunities to offer a safe and supportive space for those who choose to live a sober lifestyle, the more we begin to see it being woven into the fabric of the music industry.”
With more than 48.7 million people struggling with substance use, there is a need to change the approach to addiction, which currently treats people as broken and isolates them from society. The Phoenix — a national sober active community that provides free, active, and meaningful programming to anyone impacted by substance use, including those in recovery and their allies, and anyone who chooses to live a sober lifestyle — is harnessing the innate power of community, empowerment, and belonging as a long-term recovery model, so members can reach their full potential.
Divided Sky Foundation, a nonprofit residential recovery retreat in Ludlow, Vermont, was founded by Phish's Trey Anastasio. The facility, which recently opened in the fall of 2023, has a diverse and multidisciplinary staff composed of peers in recovery who have created an educational, introspective curriculum that challenges guests to continue past the initial stages of change and into a model of lifelong growth through group-based seminars, literature discussions, and activities, as well as onsite community-wide 12-step meetings. Their foundations in the 12 Steps and community-based recovery models are enriched by emotional sobriety, mindfulness, and the reinvigoration of the body and mind through action, creative expression, and meaningful contact with the natural world.
Marcus King is a GRAMMY®-nominated fourth-generation musician from Greenville, SC, who started playing guitar at 8 years old, following in the footsteps of his guitarist father and grandfather. Marcus has been open about his challenges with mental health in his songs and throughout his career, and has launched various mental health initiatives, including a guitar auction collaboration with MusiCares. Most recently, The Curfew Fellowship Fund — a new foundation dedicated to raising funds for various causes close to King's heart — will develop a support system for musicians from all walks of life who are battling challenges with mental health and addiction. Additionally, the foundation advocates for mental health, sobriety, and addiction support, aiming to combat isolation by offering a hotline for those in crisis and emphasizing the importance of community support.
ABOUT THE PHOENIX
For more information about The Phoenix movement, visit www.thephoenix.org/movement or download The Phoenix app.
ABOUT THE CURFEW FELLOWSHIP FUND
The Curfew Fellowship Fund is a charitable initiative started by Marcus King to support causes close to his heart, particularly with an emphasis on musicians from all walks of life who are battling challenges with mental health and addiction. For more information, visit Curfew Fellowship Fund.
ABOUT DIVIDED SKY FOUNDATION
Divided Sky Foundation’s mission is to provide educational and introspective programming to foster a sober and productive foundation for individuals affected by addiction. For more information, visit Divided Sky Foundation.
ABOUT BORDERLAND FESTIVAL
The Borderland Music + Arts Festival is a three-day celebration of music, art, and culture, set against the stunning backdrop of Knox Farm State Park in East Aurora, New York. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit borderlandfestival.com.
