(This article excerpt was taken from Outside Online Magazine)

Refuge Outdoor Festival

Carnation, Washington / August 18 to 20, 2023

Held at Tolt MacDonald Park in the mountain-ringed, river-cut Snoqualmie Valley east of Seattle, this three-day campout celebrates the diverse experiences of Black, Indigenous, and other people of color in the outdoors, although it’s open to all. The events on tap honor the myriad ways we find connection in nature, with a schedule that carves out equal space for those who crave adrenaline or those who would rather seek a quieter experience. Tons of traditional recreation activities are on offer, including mountain biking, hiking, fishing, stargazing, and birding, but attendees can also get their groove on at a silent disco or join an array of workshops on outdoor skills, poetry, and spirituality. Just like with any campout, however, the secret sauce is the community formed around the campfire each night.

Shawnté Salabert is a SoCal-based outdoor and travel writer who generally prefers listening to sweet birdsong instead of thumping bass while out in nature. That said, she’s been a music festival nerd since the tender age of five, when she caught her first concert (Huey Lewis and the News) at Milwaukee’s 55-years-strong Summerfest.