September is passing fast, and festival season isn’t over yet. We just found out we’re headed to Same Same But Different Festival! Come along as we break down all the lovely little components that make up this small, yet still mighty festival taking place September 25 through 27.
Location
This festival sits on the beautiful Lake Perris in Southern California. This man-made lake was completed in 1973 and has been serving campers and outdoor enthusiasts ever since. It’s an extremely popular location all summer long. The lake even boasts a small island to explore, named Alessandro Island.
Photo Credit: Lake Perris State Recreation Area
©2016, California State Parks, Brian Baer
SSBD makes great use of the space, offering opportunities for boat trips over to the island or even getting you up and over all the action with the best views imaginable in a hot air balloon. They take it to the next level with a whole stage set up on what SSBD calls “Nakey Island,” as well as partnering with Skyline Balloons to give you the chance to see soaring views from above.
While both the island trip and hot air balloon tours are extras that require additional purchases, there is still a plethora of activities that don’t require you to possess anything more than your festival ticket.
Workshops
With over 75+ workshops to explore throughout the weekend, there’s no way you’ll ever run out of things to do throughout the course of the festival. We are really looking forward to all the meditation and yoga, but check out the schedule below to plan for attending the ones that look most intriguing to you.
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More info on SSBD activities is available here.
Camping
Like many other fests, SSBD includes standard walk-in tent camping with your festival ticket. However, there are various add-ons and upgrades to consider as well. The festival site breaks it down for you pretty well. More info can be found here. Besides basic tent camping, there are options for car camping, RV spots with hookups, and some pretty lux glamping options.
One thing that makes us especially excited about camping at Lake Perris is that all festival campers will have free access to the fixed, state-park-maintained showers. Not only is it free, but it’s not a trailer either! To make it even better, if you end up in a camping area that contains one of the park-sanctioned fire pits, as long as you bring your own wood, it is yours to use for the weekend.
With this being a smaller fest, none of the campground locations seem to be very far from the festival grounds. No matter which one suits you, you’ll never be very far from the vibes.
Photo Credit: SSBD – Nick Isabella Photography
Lineup
You might say this year’s lineup is an experimental bass oasis, hosting three hugely influential headliners and showcasing a ton more niche artists to make for a more than vibey set list. Of The Trees just finished hosting his festival, Camp Alderwild. We started this year’s festie season with a headlining set from him at Lightning in a Bottle, and we cannot wait to see him once again in a headlining spot.
LSDream is making himself an integral part of this year’s fest, headlining Saturday night but also bringing us a LightCode set Sunday morning. His Trippy Bee Records takeover is going to have us riding high, but he doesn’t stop there. We also get a workshop hosted by the man himself, so check out what he’s got cooking.
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The last night sets the stage for none other than Tape B. We’ve been following him since he first burst into the scene, and watching him grow into headliner status has been an absolute pleasure. We know he’s got a two-night show coming to Seattle in December, but we’re never going to miss a chance to see him sooner, either. We know he’s got some surprises in store for us at SSBD.
We’ll be trying to attend as many sets as possible throughout the weekend, and some others we are sure not to miss include Gramatik, Effin, Steller, Vincent Antone, Contra B2B Chef Boyarbeatz, Saturna, Truth, and Wonkywilla. We could keep going, but you get the point, this lineup is a heater.
Food and Vendors
Since it’s a smaller festival, we’ve heard the food selection can be a little smaller than at other fests, but it still offers a good variety and includes plenty of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. There is also a limited, reservation-only five-course Thai-inspired meal option if you can snag it. Whatever your craving, you’re sure to find something delicious to fuel your fest.
If you like to shop small, fests like SSBD are some of the best places to do it. We already know our friend Seeds of Life Crystals is setting up shop in the Creation Station, and we’ve heard that Vendor Village usually hosts over 100 businesses to browse through. Festival shopping is always special and one of our favorite parts of exploring. We can’t wait to see what one-of-a-kind pieces we come home with next.
Photo Credit: SSBD – Jeffrey Neubauer Media
FAQ
There is so much more to discover about this festival, and we are overjoyed to share the experience with you. If you have any lingering questions about how best to navigate SSBD, their website has a great FAQ section.
SSBD is already over 90% sold out, so grab your tickets here. Make sure you can dance with us along the shores of Lake Perris. We’ll see you so soon!
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