Gypsyfest: a party of magnitude

About 20 miles east and a week after In-Koh-Pah 4, on June 10 San Diego Gypsyfest returns, to be held again at the nudist De Anza Springs Resort. Like last year, there will be 35 artists on four stages, including Clint Westwood, the Ass Pocket Whiskey Fellas, and Quel Bordel, the “gypsy punk” band fronted by SD Gypsyfest founder Jake Skolnick.

Skolnick says last year’s gathering drew 700 attendees. “We had a slight loss of a couple thousand dollars but it was worth it to throw a party of that magnitude…. One of my team mates said if I really wanted to make money at this, I should make it an EDM festival. We still work together, but he no longer works on Gypsyfest.”

Skolnick says having nudists traipsing around a music fest did not end up being a big deal. “A friend of mine came up and said, ‘Dude, I love your party but I had no idea this was a nudist colony. I brought my fucking sister here.’ I told him to cover his eyes. Nudists were there but it was not overwhelming. The bottom line is it was not a creepy vibe. Our security told us it was the tamest crowd they ever had to deal with.”