Following the success of its recent Spring edition, bi-annual music and arts festival Joshua Tree Music Festival has revealed the Phase 2 lineup additions for its upcoming Fall 2024 event. Taking place Thursday, October 10 - Sunday, October 13 at Joshua Tree Lake Campground in Joshua Tree, CA, the four-day, family-friendly global music affair will once again feature a genre-diverse lineup backdropped by a uniquely inclusive, community-oriented atmosphere - a combination that had made the event a repeat Mojave Desert destination for camping festival-goers, and USA Today’s #1 U.S. festival in their 2024 10best Readers Choice Awards.
The Phase 2 lineup additions will welcome a diverse array of seasoned acts making their Joshua Tree Music Festival debuts, such as 2024 NPR Tiny Desk Contest Winner The Philharmonik, Kentucky-natives The Local Honeys (who have toured with well-known artists including Tyler Childers and Colter Wall), Brooklyn singer-songwriter and pianist with North Indian roots Ashni, versatile Manhattan love-inspired songsmith Evie Joy, Nashville-based singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Purser, global music alchemist Pau Castro, and the genre-hopping DJ AlKimmy.
Beloved veteran acts that will be returning to the festival include the traditional Eastern-electronic fusionist Mah Ze Tar, The Disco Shaman Is Real, New York-based alt-rock duo Sgt Splendor, and blues-inflected harmonizing duo Lisa Sanders & Brown Sugar.
They join a bevy of previously-announced artists from across the genre and cultural spectrum, including Polyrhythmics (ft. Adryon de Leon), Lowdown Brass Band, Al-Qasar, Basic (formerly known as Chris Forsyth), Siren & Seer, and Mario Lalli & The Rubber Snake Charmers, in addition to acts such as Saritah, Honeywild, and House of Hamsa.
Additional artists from the festival’s Phase 1 lineup include Adryon de Leon, Stephen Lewis Big Fun Duo, Rosa Pullman, Corinne West, Ding Dong, and Haute Mess.
Joshua Tree Music Festival isn’t new to developing sonically and culturally diverse lineups, boasting a 20-year reputation as an expert curator of rising acts, many of whom have gone on to have massively successful careers. Notable artists who got their start at Joshua Tree Music Festival include Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Trampled By Turtles, The Revivalists, The Avett Brothers, Greensky Bluegrass, Trombone Shorty, Maktub w/ Reggie Watts, Valerie June, Elle King, John Butler Trio, The Floozies, Mdou Moctar, The Main Squeeze, Rising Appalachia, Rubblebucket, Ibibio Sound Machine, Neal Francis, Polish Ambassador, Dirtwire, Orgone, Moon Hooch, and many more.
Keeping up with this tradition of discovering singularly important acts, Joshua Tree Music Festival is honored to host the culturally rich supergroup Tanfis II, who will be making a stop at the Fall 2024 event as a part of their exclusive West Coast tour. Tanfis is a musical collective series organized by the non-profit Remix ⟷ Culture, first starting in 2022 with Tanfis I (which revolved around artists from Southwest Asia & North African heritage). The series’ second iteration is Tanfis II, which unites over 18 NY-based musicians/artists from Syria, Palestine, Iraq, and Lebanon. Forming in July 2023, Tanfis II saw these artists (who had previously not known each other) exploring and celebrating their community-rooted music amidst challenges of ethnic cleansing and cultural erasure. With their unforgettable live performance-style and powerful film component, Tanfis II will meld perfectly with the cultural and artistic ethos of Joshua Tree Music Festival.
Joshua Tree Music Festival stands out as a beacon of progressiveness in the music festival scene, particularly in its unwavering commitment to gender equity. With an impressive 59% of its upcoming fall lineup featuring female or gender fluid artists, or bands co-led by such artists, Joshua Tree Music Festival is setting a radically higher standard compared to industry norms, where representation is typically less than 25%. This intentional inclusion isn't a recent development but a longstanding ethos of the festival, reflecting its deep-rooted belief in the importance of diversity and representation in music.
The festival’s partnership with KEYCHANGE US (which is returning for a second year) further underscores Joshua Tree Music Festival's dedication to advancing gender equity within the music industry. Known for its initiatives promoting greater inclusion, KEYCHANGE US launched a talent program last year aimed at supporting emerging female and gender minority talent in the United States. Last fall, Joshua Tree Music Festival showcased three of the artists from its talent program, and will proudly highlight three more— Purser, Evie Joy, and Ashni— this October.
The festival’s non-music programming is also a large part of what gives the festival its supportive community vibe, with areas such as the Queer Salon, a safe space for QTBIPOCC and LGBTQIAA+ individuals that includes three days of drag, queer and trans art, skills-share, racial justice talk, youth and local resources, and more.
There’s also the Positive Vibration Station, where attendees can participate in Qi Gong, sound healing, dance, yoga, breath work and more under 1200 square feet of shade by the lake; the Sanctuary, a circular earthen bench space created for conversational gatherings, mindfulness talks, and hanging out; the Astro Mojo Dojo, JTMF’s tea lounge that features experiential learning, mediation, and of course, tea; and the Healing Oasis, where a community of healers from all walks of life offer many and varied types of healing modalities.
Another unique element to Joshua Tree Music Festival is its embrace of being an all-ages celebration centered around its Kidsville area - a family-friendly space with activities such as arts and crafts, face painting, yoga, and puppet, magic and improvisation shows, and more. Situated at the heart of the festival grounds, Kidsville is a bustling haven of non-stop activities, abundant shade, and captivating entertainment designed specifically for families. While many parents often feel sidelined from festival fun once they have children, Joshua Tree Music Festival is a place where families can immerse themselves fully in the festival spirit without compromise, reinforcing our commitment to being a genuine family-friendly event.
Joshua Tree Music Festival is also known for its repeat, intergenerational attendees; artisan, hand-crafted aesthetic; and intimate, easy-to-navigate layout that allows guests to seamlessly transition from music, workshops, and campsites.
The Joshua Tree Music Festival community returns to the event's progressive, inclusive environment every year, having fallen in love with the festival’s anti-hierarchical, NO-VIP policy - which creates a space where every attendee and performer exist on the same plane.
All festival tickets include walk-in tent camping (where you park in day parking and walk your gear into the campground), and single-day tickets include camping for that night. If you wish to have your vehicle in the campground you need to purchase the appropriate vehicle pass. Attendees can also inquire about reserved RV sites with power/water hook-ups, Cozy Camper Trailers, and more lodging options.
Joshua Tree Festival Fall 2024 lineup (A-Z)
Adryon De Leon
Al-Qasar
Ashni
Basic (formerly known as Chris Forsyth)
Corinne West
Ding Dong
DJ AlKimmy
Evie Joy
Haute Mess
Honeywild
House of Hamsa
Hyper Object
King Madre
Lowdown Brass Band
Mah Ze Tar
Mak Nova & The Homies
Mario Lalli & The Rubber Snake Charmers
Leisan
Lisa Sanders & Brown Sugar
Pau Castro
Polyrhythmics feat. Adryon De Leon
Purser
Rosa Pullman
Saritah
Siren & Seer
Sgt Splendor
Stephen Lewis Big Fun Duo
Stoley
Tanfis II
The Disco Shaman Is Real
The Local Honeys
The Philharmonik
