We’re just a few weeks away from the annual Catskill Chill Music Festival, which is set for September 23-25 (tickets and info here), and getting more and more excited for the event by the day. Now in its 7th year, the festival has a great lineup that features the likes of Mike Gordon, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Greensky Bluegrass, Lettuce, Electron and more. The biggest change, however, is the festival’s relocation from Camp Minglewood in Hancock, NY to “New Minglewood,” a site located in Lakewood, PA.

With the festival fast-approaching, organizers have shared some beautiful aerial footage of the new site. “New Minglewood” is looking as sharp as ever, and ChillFam can hardly wait to make this site their home. Watch the footage streaming below:

Naturally, longtime fans will have many questions about the new location. Fortunately, festival co-founder Josh Cohen sat down with us and answered a few of them for you! Read on below for this exclusive interview.

L4LM: First things first….Catskill Chill has moved sites, tell us a little bit about that.

Josh Cohen: Ya know, we couldn’t have dreamt up a more perfect site than the one we had when we started the Chill at Camp Minglewood. Thanks to Larry (Larry Siegel, Co-Founder), we had access to this world renowned Performing Arts camp that his family started years ago. He and Dave (Dave Marzollo, Promoter/Co-Founder) had the perfect foundation to build upon. Here we are, as grateful as can be, coming up on our seventh Chill. As we all know, the best things in life can’t always last forever.

Camp Minglewood was incredible, but guess what… from the moment we set foot on the grounds of NEW Minglewood, we knew it was meant to be, that everything in life really does happen for a reason. The great thing is… just like a teenage love…y ou grow up, move on and often find something to fill that space which may be even better. That’s exactly what we have here. Not only have we found the perfect home for the Chill, but the property owners are some of the most gracious hosts we could ask for ~ really great people.

L4LM: What are some new things about the site that you love?

JC: I could go on and on.

1. Even Ground – At the old venue, we had really large hills to deal with – from parking down to camp was quite a hike, as was from certain parts of camping down to the stages. At New Minglewood, the entire site is practically flat, with the slightest pitch in a couple spots. 

2. Parking – at the old site, Chillfam had to either hike down giant hills with all of their gear to find a camping spot or they had to wait in line for a shuttle to drop them off where there was a slightly less giant hill (I kid..slightly). At New Minglewood, we’ve secured the farm which borders the length of our venue. The parking fields are flat and immediately adjacent to camping. No shuttles necessary, no long hikes, no giant hills. 

3. Stages – Our old site’s stages were great because they were covered, but they did not allow for great viewing for everyone in attendance. At New Minglewood, we have a beautiful Main Stage field. It has the slightest of pitches and can hold everyone in attendance, and then some. We’re also really happy to be able to gather on the grass, under the sky as one – there’s something special about that and we haven’t been able to do that in the past. Our B-Stage is also much larger than in the past. It is a covered outdoor hockey rink, with open sides and plenty of room for the Chillfam to spread out and watch from both under the cover and outside it. Then we also have Club Chill, an indoor theater and a Late Night Hall, which is a big gym which borders the lake. Traditionally, we’ll still have our DC Corner Stage outdoors as well. 

4. Pools! – For VIP and Artists, we have use of both the indoor and outdoor pools, along with a Jacuzzi – there’s a giant deck attached to the pool area, which overlooks the lake – it’s awesome.

5. Cabins – the cabins at New Minglewood are a bit nicer than the old ones. It’s still camp, but the mattresses are real, there are A/C units in them and they’re set up in a more traditional style which we think will lead to even more community building (as if that’s even possible at the Chill!) – now, the cabins are set up closer to each other, forming a circle in two different sections of the camp. It will be fun to see what unfolds with this setup. 

6. Woods Camping – we’ve never had woods camping before and now we have a really cool area where folks will be able to camp under an umbrella of trees.
 
L4LM: What do you think both returning and first-time Chill Fam will enjoy about New Minglewood?

JC: Everything I mentioned above, plus everything we’ve always enjoyed together – first and foremost being each other. I understand the need to paint a picture of New Minglewood before we get there, to give peace of mind to everyone who’s used to our old site, but the reality is that above all, the Chill is about the people. The attendees, the staff, the vendors, and the bands. There is a certain intention that comes along with buying a ticket to the Chill, working at the Chill, vending at the Chill and playing in a band at the Chill – an unwritten “terms of use” if you will – that when you come to the Chill, you are bringing with you an attitude of love, of family, authenticity, unity, acceptance, a true appreciation for great music and you are ready for a true celebration of life!  That will continue to be the most exciting thing about the Chill, and the highlight of New Minglewood.
 
L4LM: Is this site larger? If so, will the Chill look to expand in scope and attendance?

JC: The site is about the same size, however we have more space to work with overall. The venue is bordered on one side with a farm, where we will park everyone and on the other side with another camp, which we have secured for admin and staff. Our capacity as a festival remains the same. We feel as though we have a wonderful experience in the Chill and part of that experience is getting to see top-notch music in an intimate environment. We have just the right amount of people to be able to meet new folks every year and feel the energy of a big festival crowd at the end of a set but also be able to find your friends at any given moment, or walk up to the front row to jam out on the rail.

L4LM: Are there any other new experiences in store for attendees?

JC: Yes! We have swimming pools and Jacuzzi for vip’s and we also have a movie theater, complete with movie theater seats & cup holders! We’re looking forward to adding movies to the list of fun activities at the Chill. We’ll also be expanding on our Wellness Village, which, along with our yoga program, has grown into one of the most popular and fulfilling activity areas of the Chill.

Tickets and more information about the festival can be found via the official Catskill Chill website.