Grateful Dead Gathering brings mini-Woodstock to Arava oasis for three-day festival

The Grateful Dead Gathering, a three-day music festival, will take place September 17-19 at the Khan Gamalia oasis in Ein Yahav, Arava. The event features 10 live bands, including Dead tribute band The Hardest Daze and Neil Young tribute The Rusties, along with curated DJ sets. A kabbalat Shabbat and communal Shabbat dinner are planned.

The Grateful Dead Gathering is set to transform the Khan Gamalia oasis at Ein Yahav in the Arava into a mini-Woodstock for a three-day festival from September 17-19. The event, which has been held on and off for over 15 years, brings together Deadheads and jam band fans to celebrate the music of the San Francisco band and its musical descendants. This year's lineup includes 10 live bands, headlined by The Hardest Daze, one of Israel's premier Grateful Dead tribute bands, and The Rusties, a Neil Young tribute act. Additional performers offer original psychedelic music inspired by the Dead's more adventurous side. The festival also features curated DJ sets described as showcasing the best, weirdest, and most esoteric of the San Francisco legends. Organizers have planned a kabbalat Shabbat and communal Shabbat dinner, with the oasis pool available to attendees. The main attraction, according to organizers, will be the hundreds of Deadheads, both native Israelis and transplanted Americans. Tickets can be purchased for individual days or the full festival, and Shabbat-observant attendees can remain on site through the end of Shabbat.