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A FESTIVAL LIKE NO OTHER
Since its debut in 2022, the female-founded and curated Pure Imagination has become a standout experience, seamlessly merging music, nature, and culture with an eco-conscious ethos. Nestled in the stunning Granite Dells—the traditional lands of The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, The Yavapai-Apache Nation, and The Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe—the festival fosters a minimal-impact, high-energy experience where attendees can immerse themselves in live music, interactive art, and nature-driven adventures.
Festival-goers can explore scenic hiking trails, on-site kayaking, and the vibrant Prescott Night Market, featuring artisan vendors, immersive art activations, and mesmerizing performances by aerial artists, fire dancers, and more.
The driving force behind Pure Imagination is Candace Devine, frontwoman of Ponderosa Grove and CEO of Further West, the company behind the festival. Inspired by a passion for arts, culture, and community, Devine created the festival to help position Prescott as a thriving creative hub in the Southwest. The city is surrounded by 1.25 million acres of the Prescott National Forest, offering a haven for outdoor enthusiasts with premier mountain biking, hiking, and rock climbing.
“Pure Imagination is about more than just music—it’s about creating an unforgettable experience where people can connect, be inspired, and celebrate the power of art in one of the most beautiful places in the world.”shares Candace Devine, Founder
Last year’s lineup featured memorable performances from The Flaming Lips, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Ozomatli, Sylvan Esso, Tanya Tucker and The Pharcyde among others. In 2023, the festival boasted performances from Ziggy Marley, Lucinda Williams, Los Lobos, Capital Cities, Allison Russell, Nappy Roots, Dirtwire and others, while the inaugural event saw Dawes, Talib Kweli, Fantastic Negrito, Nikki Lane, Rising Appalachia, Phantom Planet, Katie Pruitt and more take to the stage.
Past commentary on Pure Imagination Festival 2024:
“It’s an impressively eclectic lineup, as always…”
–Ed Masley, Arizona Republic, January 25, 2024
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| From left, Ponderosa Grove's Candace Devine and Drew Hall performing at the Pure Imagination Festival in 2024. Photo credit: Daryl Weisser |
“A truly wonderful lure of the Pure Imagination Music Festival staged at Watson Lake in Prescott, Arizona over the weekend (May 17-18, 2024) was the strong and diverse field of artists who performed in a truly wonderful setting set on a grassy field with massive otherworldly granite boulders serving as a dramatic backdrop to the musical action. Rock, electronica, country, Americana, rap, Native American, world fusion and more styles were all on tap courtesy of the wide-ranging lineup of celebrated veterans and rising names; a wealth of food and art vendors added to the welcoming environment. Talented acrobats performed in an area near one stage and there was even a fun parade on Saturday afternoon…The Pure Imagination Music Festival is quickly becoming an essential part of the American Southwest’s thriving music and arts scene.”
–Robert Kinsler, Desert Local News, May 21, 2024
“On a gorgeous Prescott spring weekend, Watson Lake was transformed into a sight that was nothing short of magical. The Pure Imagination Festival, which was held on May 17-18, was a two-day music and arts festival that lived up to its name…a gorgeous weekend with plenty of amazing music to tickle that craving with people who have become friends and family over the past few years. What more in life can one ask for?”
–Chris Ortiz, The Daily Courier, May 22, 2024
The line up for Pure Imagination 2025 is:
Cheap Trick
Matisyahu
Arrested Development
The English Beat
Gone Gone Beyond
Kelsey Waldon
Ponderosa Grove
Bird and Byron
Kids In America
Pijama Piyama
Dutch Holly
Take The Stage contest winner
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Robert Kinsler
