Some people's favorite day of the year is their birthday. Some prefer the fun of dressing up on Halloween. Others like the summery scene of barbecuing on the Fourth of July and watching fireworks. Me? I like hanging out by a lake with Washington's gem of a soul singer and his musical family.
Since 2017, Spokanite Allen Stone and a group of his closest musical compadres have gathered at Zephyr Lodge in Liberty Lake for Stone Family Field Trip, an intimate music festival showcasing his musical buddies for an audience of (the event's title doesn't lie) his friends and family. But beginning in 2022, Stone opened the festival and now also sells a limited amount of tickets to the public.
This weekend marks the festival's third year as a public event, and hence the third iteration of the best weekend of my life. I can truly say — without a fraction of a doubt — that Stone Family Field Trip (affectionately referred to as "Field Trip" by festival frequenters) is the absolute highlight of my year. Maybe that seems like hyperbole, but it's what I feel deep in my heart.
The magic begins each year around this time as I remove my work parking pass from my rearview mirror and replace it with one reading "Stone Family Field Trip Parking Pass." My dashboard has become a graveyard for Field Trip parking passes of years past, but I keep them there as a reminder that pockets of magic exist for those who seek them out.
Nothing beats walking down the steep, dirt switchbacks to Zephyr Lodge, seeing the clearing in the trees and settling in for a weekend of the most killer musical performances you'll ever witness.
Field Trip began as a way for Stone and his friends to spend time together surrounded by music in a relaxed atmosphere. No pressure, just good music and good times.
"It kinda started with the idea of an anti-festival," Stone says. "Because festivals are chaos. As a musician who's played festivals forever, they're really really fun because you get to see all of your buddies, but it's also really stressful."
Field Trip is anything but stressful. It's impossible to feel dread, anxiety or worry when sitting underneath a canopy of Evergreen trees watching up-and-coming musicians simply have a blast on Zephyr's rustic, wooden stage.
The whole event is organized and run by Stone and his family. It's truly a family affair. Stone's sister is the grounds manager, and it's not uncommon to see his mother- and father-in-law riding around in golf carts with their grandkids in tow making sure the festival is going smoothly.
Stone curates the lineup himself, gathering close friends, new sonic discoveries and other talent from as far away as Australia.
"I'm literally just texting my friends 'Hey, would you play Field Trip this year?'" he says.
Past standouts include Theo Katzman and Joey Dosik of Vulfpeck fame. Teddy Swims played the festival in 2022 before "Lose Control" became a radio sensation. And there's always room for Spokane local favorites like Blake Braley and Tristan Hart Pierce (who play keys and guitar in Stone's touring band, respectively) and Jenny Anne Mannan.
This year's lineup boasts Long Island-based R&B singer-songwriter Mac Ayres, Canadian soul singer Katie Tupper, Australian soul powerhouse EJ Worland, talk-box master Steve Watkins, plus Stone occupying his usual headlining spot.
Stone joins each artist for a song or two during their sets, and it always results in absolute sonic wizardry. Impromptu jams and unexpected duets are par for the course at Field Trip. Since the festival is all ages, there's always room for kids to join Stone and Co. on stage for a song. The array of emotion I've witnessed ranges from touching and heart-wrenching memorials on stage to marriage proposals in the crowd. With all of the magic swirling in the air, anything can happen at Field Trip.
Admittedly, I'm not the world's toughest music critic, but I've never seen a bad (or even subpar) set at Field Trip. I walk away each year with several new artists in my rotation and one or two that end up in my year-end wrap-ups.
But most importantly, I walk away from Field Trip with an incredible sense of connection to complete strangers, new friends, and an even deeper appreciation for music and its power to bring people together.
With just 1,000 tickets available each year, the festival feels more like a giant hangout than a traditional music festival. Artists walk around the grounds and chat with festival-goers, Stone is often engrossed in meaningful conversations and tight hugs with attendees. You'll probably find yourself engrossed in one of those conversations with Stone whether you initiated it or not, as the gregarious singer wants to talk and genuinely connect.
"The hope is that the people who attend this feel like they are connecting to the community of music," Stone says. "A lot of times at music festivals there's a backstage where all the artists are, and they come out and they stand on a stage that's 15 feet higher than them. They perform with all of these lights and fire, and then they leave the stage and there's no connection. It's just a performance. What we've been handed as musicians is that there's a separation between the music, the fan and the musician. And, you know, in my career I've never had a major hit record. I'm not rich by any means. But the reason why I have friends and fans come back to events that I put on, I believe, is because I'm creating an amount of connection and value in their lives. That's the goal of this festival: connection."
It's always hard to drive away from this little slice of heaven at the end of the weekend. It's tough, too, when I ceremoniously remove my Field Trip parking pass from its lofty perch for it to spend 12 months in glove box hibernation. Replacing it with my work parking pass the following Monday morning feels like a gut punch, but I'm still riding a flicker of a high because the magic of the Stone Family Field Trip never truly ends. ♦
Stone Family Field Trip • Oct. 18-19 • $199-$299 (Free for children 12 and under) • All ages • Zephyr Lodge • 1900 S. Zephyr Road, Liberty Lake • stonefamilyfieldtrip.com
