It was 4th of July weekend 14 years back and the sun was throwing a tantrum. Temperatures were soaring, but nothing stopped the flow of Mainers and out-of-towners pouring into the Oxford Fairgrounds in Oxford, Maine. They were armed with tents, sunscreen, and a thirst for some serious live music. 

The Oxford Fairgrounds transformed into a bustling campground for the first and only Nateva Festival. Looking like Woodstock’s smaller but more organized cousin, tents were popping up and campers had everything from plush air mattresses to the good ol’ sleeping bags that are only slightly better than sleeping on a rock.

The Nateva Festival boasted a killer lineup with a wide variety of performers. Headliners included my favorite performance of the weekend, The Flaming Lips. The air had slightly cooled and a sea of people were gathered around with their glow sticks, necklaces and any other bright neon object that you could think of. If you’ve ever seen Flaming Lips live, you know that it’s like a trippy circus with confetti cannons, giant hamster balls, and enough weirdness to make you question your reality. If you have not seen them, they will be at Thompson’s Point this summer on Thursday, July 25th. 

They were joined by Furthur, featuring former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Phil Lesh. If you didn’t know, Furthur’s jam sessions are so long and winding, you could probably leave to grab a snack, take a bathroom break and come back to catch the same song. Then there was moe. with their jam band vibes and electrifying solos.

Although leaning towards jam bands, there was something for everyone at Nateva. Whether you were vibing to the reggae beats of George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic or losing yourself in the psychedelic sounds of Lotus, there was never a dull moment.

Other performers included Passion Pit, Umphrey’s McGee, Sound Tribe Sector 9 and local favorites Rustic Overtones and the Mallet Brothers. The weekend also featured local food vendors serving up everything from lobster rolls (because Maine) to vegan dishes and even a ferris wheel. 

The scorching sun had everyone seeking shade, chugging water and sunburns were the unofficial festival accessory, with many learning the hard way that a little SPF would have been a great thing to use. 

As the weekend wound down, exhausted yet exhilarated campers packed up, leaving the fairgrounds covered in dirt with broken or lost flip flops. The Nateva Festival 2010 was one for the books—a perfect blend of music, good vibes and memories under the blazing Maine sun.

Despite its high attendance, the festival faced significant challenges that prevented it from becoming an annual event. Financial difficulties, logistical challenges, local regulatory issues, were just a few challenges that contributed to the Nateva Festival being a one time deal.