Stone Family Field Trip brings tunes and ‘ecosystem of kindness’ in annual event

As the annual Stone Family Field Trip returns to the Zephyr Lodge this weekend, Allen Stone’s mission continues to highlight intimacy, build connections and quality performances.

In the late 2010s, a good friend of Stone and his wife, Dan Spalding, invited them out to a new property he had acquired on Liberty Lake. What was once a roadhouse turned hotel turned church camp would become the Zephyr Lodge of today, which primarily acts as a wedding venue surrounded by pines right on the water.

“It feels like you’re transported to this fingerprint of the Pacific Northwest that I think is not always on the dinner plate,” said Stone, who grew up in Chewelah. “There’s just a signature of the Pacific Northwest that calls back to our ancestry and the people that settled here … I think we lose a good amount of that when we congregate in the cities.”

Spalding wanted to host a music event on the property, so in 2017, they did an invite-only event consisting of friends, family and other musicians Stone had met with while touring. For seven months of the year, Stone is usually on the road, where he meets a plethora of talented musicians, especially at large festivals sometimes featuring more than 100 people on the bill. But he often struggles to find deeper connection due to the fast-paced nature of regular festivals and touring.

“The thought was, ‘Well man, what if we did this event that was almost like a musical reunion with all the people that I don’t get to see a ton throughout the year but have made great relationships with, that would be really fun,’” Stone said.

Eventually, Stone’s business manager became one of the main reasons the event became open to the public in 2021.

“He was like, ‘Hey, what’s this thing that you’re doing in the middle of summer that’s just got a big old leaky hole in the side of your financial ship?’” Stone said. “And I was like, ‘Well, I’ve been throwing this party.”

Even when the Stone Family Field Trip became a true festival, he still wanted to keep the event as intimate and personal as possible. Stone and members of his family continue to be the primary organizers. Tickets are somewhat limited in comparison to usual festivals, and artists continue to hang around after their set instead of flying to the next show.

“We try to limit the capacity as best we possibly can as to really lean into the charm that we’re looking for in a festival experience,” Stone said. “Really in an attempt to try and have an experience that’s not so transactional with not only the artists, but with the audience as well.”

Stone headlines both nights of the Saturday and Sunday event. Although Stone will be the first to say how lucky he is to have played all over the world, there’s something magical about performing back in the Inland Northwest.

“It just feels like home,” Stone said. “There’s always this massive emotional buildup where I don’t want to screw anything up because my hands are so tied to the soil of this event … but always once that first set starts on Saturday, that totally goes away and it’s this wonderful cloud that you get to float on with all your favorite people.”

Whether it’s Stone, artists he has “convinced” to fly into Spokane like Stephen Day and Theo Katzman, or local performers like Vika and the Velvets and Blake Braley, concertgoers can expect a fully live, intimate experience designed for building relationships and for people from all walks of life. Stone Family Field Trip may be a larger show than it was initially, but it’s still a party, and everyone’s invited.

“Yes, the music’s going to be amazing, we have great food out there this year, we’ve got a killer property and grounds,” Stone said. “But ultimately, I think we’ve somehow managed to cultivate an ecosystem of kindness and charm that is really different from other festivals I’ve ever been a part of.”