Freakshow: PsyTribe's Halloween campout in Sequoia National Forest, California

PsyTribe has been throwing psytrance gatherings in California since Andy Barakuda founded it in 1997, which makes it one of the longest-running crews in the US. Freakshow is its Halloween party, now a three-day campout in Sequoia National Forest. For me, nearly three decades of the same crew count for more than any single line-up. This is a gathering for people who already know the scene, with 21+ rules and no in-and-out. If that suits you, it's one of the few US psytrance events with real history behind it.

The site is private land in Sequoia National Forest, about 225 miles from both Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, reached by a county-maintained gravel road. The exact location is emailed to ticket holders the day before. You can camp anywhere on the property, and there are seven yurts and five cabins for rent. Phone reception is patchy and works best on higher ground. The venue has changed over the years: in 2022 Freakshow was listed in Simi Valley.

There are three areas: the Freakshow Stage, the Tarot-Kroma Stage and The Dome, a psychedelic lounge. The 2026 line-up includes Ritmo, Sandman, Martian Arts, Atai, Humanoids and Psychaos on the main stage, and Jossie Telch, Brad Moontribe and Armando Kroma on Tarot-Kroma. PsyTribe doesn't spell out subgenres, so I won't either. The names point to a broad psytrance weekend rather than one narrow style.

PsyTribe is a Los Angeles institution. In 2017 it hosted a set on the Kalliope art car at EDC Las Vegas, and over the years it has presented artists like Infected Mushroom, Astrix and Ace Ventura. Freakshow itself is much smaller: costumes, a row of vendors from coffee to pizza, and, given PsyTribe's long history, I'd expect plenty of regulars. PsyTribe also runs Spring Frequency, its spring gathering; the website mentions a 2026 location but no dates.

PsyTribe names LAX, SFO, Burbank (BUR) and Oakland (OAK) as airports. From any of them you need a car, and the last stretch is gravel. Arrive early on Friday if you want to camp close to your car. Gates open at 4 pm on Friday and close at 6 pm on Sunday, and everyone leaves by 7 pm unless they bought the Sunday night pass. There are no in-and-outs: leaving means buying a new ticket, so don't book a hotel nearby.

Tickets are sold without fees on TicketForLife. PsyTribe's website lists five price tiers for 2026, from $225 (super early bird, until 15 July) to $249 (late, 16–31 October). Vehicles need their own pass: $25 for a car, $125 for a camper van up to 21 feet and $250 for an RV up to 30 feet. A Sunday night pass costs $39. The event is 21+, while children 12 and under get in free with a parent. Bring your own drinks: no alcohol is sold on site, and glass, fires, charcoal grills and dogs are not allowed.