Nestled beneath the ancient oaks of Mendocino County’s storied Black Oak Ranch, Dead On The Creek will once again gather Deadheads, bluegrass pickers, and roots-music revelers for three days of song, fellowship, and creek-side camping from Friday, August 8 through Sunday, August 10, 2025. This year’s edition carries special weight: the Saturday of the gathering, August 9, marks exactly thirty years since Jerry Garcia’s passing—an occasion the festival will honor with heartfelt tributes, collaborative jams, and the communal spirit that first sparked on the Dead’s own “family” ranches half a century ago.
Conceived nearly two decades ago as a backyard hootenanny and now limited to just 500 tickets to preserve its famously relaxed atmosphere, Dead On The Creek offers the rare chance to experience the music of the Grateful Dead up close, without arena barricades or endless beer-line waits. Attendees can wander shaded campsites, float the gentle creek, and drop into tie-dye workshops, yoga sessions, kids’ activities, and craft stalls while a hand-picked roster of artists keeps the soundtrack rolling from late morning till the last reprise of “Ripple” rings through the redwoods.
The 2025 lineup tilts lovingly toward the Dead’s vast songbook while leaving room for kindred Americana flavors. Bay Area favorite Stu Allen & Mars Hotel headline Saturday night with a set certain to channel Garcia’s exploratory guitar fire. All-female powerhouse Brown Eyed Women bring fresh harmonies and fearless improvisation; Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams inject honky-tonk twang; and Allman Brothers tribute Freestone Peaches promise soulful Southern scorchers. Rounding out the weekend are Broken Compass Bluegrass, Shakedown String Band, Shakedown Strings, Alamo Mission Band, Mason’s Children, and Northern California jam mainstays Achilles Wheel—each ready to weave their own colors into the Dead’s kaleidoscopic legacy.
Beyond the stages, Black Oak Ranch itself is part of the magic. Once home to legendary Hog Farm gatherings and the beloved Kate Wolf Music Festival, the 160-acre property offers wide meadows, oak groves, and star-blanketed skies—the perfect canvas for the festival’s guiding lyric, “Listen to the river sing sweet songs to rock our souls.” Evening communal meals sourced from local farms further the sense of family, while the ranch’s easy, walk-able footprint keeps every fan within dancing distance of the music.
A limited number of three-day passes, which include tent or vehicle camping, are on sale now for $300 (youth discounts and RV upgrades available). Single-day tickets will not be released. Fans are encouraged to secure spots early at deadonthecreek.net or directly via https://tinyurl.com/4ky83njm; once the 500-person cap is reached, no additional admissions will be issued. Full event details, FAQs, and a link to the official Facebook event page can be found on the festival website.
This August, follow the lightning bolt north, gather by the water, and raise a toast to thirty years of Jerry’s cosmic echo and sixty years of the Grateful Dead’s enduring adventure. Dead On The Creek awaits—where every song feels like it’s played just for you.
