From Dusk Camp Till Dawn

On May 17-19, Dusk Camp brings an eclectic lineup of underground DJs to Pauma Valley

On May 17-19, an eclectic lineup of DJs will usher in the inaugural Dusk Camp -- an intimate EDM festival set to take place on the La Jolla Indian Campground (located in Pauma Valley off Highway 76) in conjunction with the upcoming weekend's full moon.

Produced and helmed by long-time LA event promoters and DJs Heidi Lawden, Jeniluv and Masha, the off-the-grid, 21-and-up event boasts one main stage that'll host a plethora of genre-expanding underground artists including DJ Harvey, DJ Nobu, Jennifer Cardini, Elena Colombi, Massimiliano Pagliara, Solar, Peaking Lights, Magic Touch, Lovefingers, Bears in Space and Analog Soul, among many others.

The primary ideology behind Dusk Camp? To produce an immersive, music-first, inclusive festival that shines a spotlight on both LA-based acts and underrepresented communities of the DJ world, including female, gender-fluid and gay artists.

"We felt our world wasn’t being catered to," Lawden explained to MixMag's Lily Moayeri in a recent interview. "There’s room for what we want. A lot of us aren't getting booked on the big festivals. A lot of us aren’t getting booked on smaller festivals. I’ve traveled around enough to know we have world-class DJs here that are being overlooked, forgotten and ignored. There is a lot of camaraderie and support amongst us locals. We’re just not making enough noise. And we need this festival."

There's no headliner for Dusk Camp -- all DJs are listed equally on the festival's poster/lineup and they'll all be performing on the same stage. It follows the communal vibe of the campout, where attendees and performers alike can come together to coexist in an idyllic, outdoors setting that features music nearly 24 hours a day.

Festival-goers are allowed to bring their own food and drink, including alcohol. Just know that Dusk Camp is not a Coachella-esque affair set up to cater to "influencers" and celebrities -- there are no VIP packages, beer gardens or even power available; it is a back-to-basics camping experience.

Differing reports list capacity of the fest between 800 and 1,300 persons. Single-day tickets are available for $80 each, while two-day passes are $160 each and three-day passes are $225 each. Group passes (four three-day tickets) can be had for $700, as well as car camping and RV camping on-site passes for $125 and $250 each. There are fees for each ticket/pass purchase. For more information and tickets, visit theduskcamp.com.

Dustin Lothspeich is SoundDiego's senior associate editor, a San Diego Music Award-winning musician, and talent buyer at The Merrow. Follow his updates on Twitter or contact him directly.

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