Held this year on July 14-17, 2016, the festival feeds this curiosity with high-caliber global sounds, both established names (past headliners include Lucinda Williams, Richard Thompson, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Ani DiFranco, Ziggy Marley, Cake, Michael Franti, Los Lobos) and startling discoveries (past artists: DakhaBrakha, Beats Antique, Yemen Blues). This vivid diversity rocks multiple stages (8 stages of music for 3 days and 4 nights, to be exact) and has built a community of diehard fans: WorldFest regulars often buy tickets and reserve campsites at the woodsy Nevada County Fairgrounds site before the festival’s first act is announced.

In honor of its 20th year, WorldFest has just started a new chapter, one that manages to be both more community oriented and globally minded. They now offer a conscious living element, where they do classes such as preservation, canning, bee-keeping and nature education. The Global Village will be expanding this year as well, offering more workshops, demonstrations, music and dance. Festival goers will have the opportunity to meet the artists, learn about traditional instruments, dance, costume, crafts and expand their awareness of Indigenous cultures worldwide.