Symbiosis Gathering is an expressive arts, music, and community event based on transformational development,[1] notable for its international festival collaborations[2][3][4][5] and lack of corporate sponsorship.
[18][19] Symbiosis Gathering was first held at Cutter Scout Camp near the Santa Cruz mountains in 2005, for a crowd of around 800 people and it grew to over 15,000 for the 10 year anniversary in September 2015.
The festival also boasts the most evolved demonstration of Art Boats,[15][28] which has likely come from the influence of nearby DIY events Burning Man and Maker Faire.
Called the "jewel of Symbiosis' production" was the "Swimbiosis" stage which saw the sound system pointed out on the water where the dancefloor extended to thousands of people on rafts, makeshift boats, and swimming in the reservoir.
[34][35][36] There are strong participatory elements[37] in many aspects including participants bringing their own art, live painting[14] both on and off stage, and installations that one can touch and climb.
[14][41] Symbiosis Gathering includes an ecological component[7][42] that encourages sustainable lifestyle choices and to leave places in better condition than when they arrived.
[35] Many performance troupes can be found integrated with the programming including the producers of the Edwardian Ball, Bay Area's Vau de Vire Society, and Lucent Dossier Experience, among others.
The music selection of Symbiosis has been called eclectic,[46] diverse, quirky,[7] obscure,[41] and underground[12][8] including live bands such as CocoRosie, Les Claypool, and STS9 among others.