As a writer specializing in the arts, I’ve been dragging my kids to all sorts of exhibits and concerts since they were tiny, treating their childhood as fodder for my reviews of family-friendly events. Now that they are getting older, instead of me writing about how great an event is for families, I let my kids speak for themselves. That way, I’m free to write about the art itself, and readers get to hear what kids really think. What follows is my teenager’s account of this year’s Timberfest. I have only edited it for spelling and punctuation.
Timberfest is an annual music festival that is held in Carnation WA. The festival is very family-friendly and has many activities that the whole family can participate in. Timberfest’s sponsors are the reason why activities like Camp Timber, s’mores, jenga and stand up paddleboarding are possible.
Camp Timber is a great way to keep your kids entertained and having a great time in the morning when you are sitting and drinking your coffee from Cafe Vita. From nine to twelve crafts, special concerts, and games in the red barn are provided by BECU. These morning activities are important because on most days none of the bands perform until at least one o’clock. Many activities you need to have a reservation for, like the tree climbing, moonlight kayaking, and the gourmet cooking workshop. I would strongly recommend reserving a spot as early as possible for the tree climbing, because spots are few, and coveted.
Timberfest has two main stages, the Campfire Stage and the Main Stage. The Campfire Stage is across the river and is tucked away in an open patch surrounded by trees. Unfortunately, along with nature’s beauty comes mosquito bites and sunburns. During the day temperatures can reach the high seventies, so a hat and sunscreen are a must. Also by the campfire stage when the sun is setting the mosquitoes like to come out, this is when bug spray becomes crucial. {Mom’s note: If only someone had offered her bug spray before she got stung. }
The river near Timber is open to swimming at all times but be warned, the water is a lot faster when it starts to pull your floaty downstream, so please make sure kids have an adult or buddy to keep them safe. Timberfest has a variety of food choices, some of these include Dumpling Tzar, a cafe, Athena’s food truck, and a hot dog place.
One of the more well-known artists that played at Timber was Mark Lanegan. Lanegan is an alternative rock musician and singer-songwriter. He played on Friday at the Campfire Stage with the Passenger String Quartet, from 10:30 to 11:45. This time was not ideal and I often found myself drifting off as he performed. I saw many other kids in my same situation, drifting off because of how late the show went.
At Timberfest the bands mainly played indie music. But the performances themselves can range from having other bands join them on stage, to encouraging the crowd to participate. Many of the bands are local, coming from Seattle to Portland. I don’t personally listen to too much indie, but some of the bands like All Star Opera and Sleeping Lessons held my interest throughout their set.
Another group that stood out was Baja Boy. They are all teenagers and have songs on YouTube, Spotify, and Pandora. They also participated in the KEXP SOUND OFF Competition as finalists.
Timberfest is a good place to discover new artists and bands, and to meet new people with similar interests. You can often find the bands that you might have seen the day before strolling around the campground. This is a good example of how chill Timber is, and how you feel comfortable just hanging out there. Overall, Timberfest 2019 was very enjoyable and I would highly recommend it to families looking for a good family trip, or who wish to integrate music into their children’s lives.
