LUDLOW, Vt. – Saturday, May 16, was the kind of day that gives the Green Mountain State bragging rights. Wispy, white clouds floated through bluebird skies, and the hills of Okemo Mountain glowed green like emeralds.
This year, Okemo welcomed the third annual Music on the Mountain, part of Divided Sky’s Big Weekend, in partnership with The Phoenix sober community. The weekend jam-fest kicked off on Friday evening with Musicians and Mocktails, an intimate dinner concert held at the Coleman Brook Tavern. That was followed by the Campfire Jam, an outdoor, acoustic musical performance featuring artists Anders Osborne, Jackie Greene, and Daniel Donato.
At 9 a.m. on Saturday, runners in the 5K Fun(d) Run took off from the Jackson Gore Ice House, and at noon, gates opened for a day and night of world-class music, food, and alcohol-free fun.
The talented, young musicians of the Trombone Shorty Foundation Band led the crowd in a second line parade, playing a rousing rendition of “When the Saints Go Marching In,” among other tunes.
Osborne and Greene took the stage together, where they performed songs from each of their catalogs and asked for audience requests. They were joined onstage by guitarist, singer, and songwriter Daniel Donato, prompting Osborne to joke, “Should we start a band?”
“Yes!” roared the fans in response.
Funky, five-piece group 2LOT performed, followed by Karina Rykman, an indie singer and songwriter from New York City. Her gold bass guitar reflected the afternoon sun as she rocked the crowd. People were still arriving as the evening approached, with the headlining bands, Eggy and LaMP, being two of the event’s biggest attractions.
The music continued into the night with the Big Weekend All-Stars After Party, where some of Saturday’s musicians were joined by even more performers, such as Dogs in a Pile, and trumpeter and vocalist Jennifer Hartswick, an original member of the Trey Anastasio Band.
Other than the huge variety of amazing musicians and vocal artists, there were vendor booths, a variety of recovery services, a giant bounce house, activities for kids, and food from some of the area’s best, like Goodman’s American Pie and Letti’s Besitos. Ocreemo was on site serving their homemade ice cream, and Copper Horse Coffee sold coffee and cold brew.
A substance-free festival raising money to benefit the Divided Sky Foundation and support the sober community The Phoenix, Music on the Mountain is a joyful community event bringing people together to celebrate music, human connection, and a sober lifestyle.
Scott Strode, executive director and founder of The Phoenix, as well as the author of “Rise. Recover. Thrive: How I Got Strong, Got Sober, and Built a Movement of Hope,” first got sober more than 29 years ago.
Strode said what he discovered was his “intrinsic strength.”
“You can see from the top of the mountain what you cannot see from here,” Strode declared.
With the help of friends who shared their journeys, Strode found sobriety through physical exercise and training, finding meaningful activities, and community. Twenty years ago, he began The Phoenix as an extension of that healthy lifestyle and mindset, and, like the symbolic renewal of the phoenix rising from the ashes, The Phoenix has now given hope to more than 1.3 million people since its inception.
Currently, The Phoenix hosts sober events across the U.S., including programs throughout Vermont. Strode reported that as The Phoenix grew, it launched a tech program to connect participants. That was relaunched as New Form, an app where users can find Phoenix events and activities, plus more than 120 nonprofits for mental health and addiction recovery support.
Once Strode connected The Phoenix with Divided Sky, the two organizations started an informal partnership, and five years ago they held the first 5K Fun(d) Run at Okemo. Now, the event has turned into a full weekend of activities and become a real destination for families and others, who travel to Okemo from all over New England and elsewhere.
By bringing visitors to the area, the festival benefits Ludlow-area businesses, including the Jackson Gore Inn, which is typically at 5% occupancy this time of year, but was fully occupied over the weekend.
The Phoenix’s Musical Director Bill Taylor has worked as a music-industry professional for decades. After getting sober 14 years ago, Taylor began working with musicians in recovery as a way of giving back.
“Sobriety saved my life,” said Taylor. “It was important to me to find a way to help others dealing with addiction and mental health.”
Taylor continued, “Any musician that lives the life of being on the road, traveling town to town, that’s a brutal lifestyle.” Streaming services have limited the revenue musicians make from recording songs, so, Taylor remarked, “they have to go on tour.”
Based in New Orleans, Taylor connected with The Phoenix five years ago and started to do more with them to organize sober music events.
When curating an event, Taylor lets the region or city dictate the type of event that would fit with local culture.
“I knew we were on to something special,” Taylor remarked, speaking of Music on the Mountain, “the moment I looked out [from behind the stage] and saw everyone without drugs or alcohol just having a blast.”