How Dirtybird CampINN Showcases the Magic of Independent Festivals

In a scene where competition is often the default, house music brands could seem like they're battling for the same territory, chasing similar fans, bookings and market share. But for Dirtybird's Label Manager and Talent Buyer, Deron Delgado, and Home Bass' Founder, Brian Thomas, a shared vision is an open door—not a dividing line.

That ethos laid the foundation for this year's Dirtybird CampINN, a resort-takeover festival happening over Labor Day Weekend in Orlando, Florida. As Dirtybird celebrates its 20th birthday, CampINN will offer stage takeovers to Defected, Desert Hearts and FriendShip.

Delgado said the collaborations reflect Dirtybird's goal of reclaiming one of EDM's core values: inclusivity. After two decades in the scene, he sees that value slipping away, replaced by a culture of competition driven by industry giants like Live Nation.

In a landscape where independent events are becoming an endangered species, Delgado says community and collaboration matter now more than ever.

"Dance music in general has always been inclusive, but sometimes in this world of festivals and concerts, it's like, 'I have my radius and you can't play within it.' It can be very competitive and exclusive," Delgado tells EDM.com. "But independent festivals can kind of do what they want. We can all live in the same universe together. It doesn't have to be so competitive. And that's where these takeovers came in."

Delgado, who cut his teeth in the San Francisco scene with Dirtybird originators Barclay Crenshaw and Justin and Christian Martin, calls this collaborative mindset "expanding the flock": the brand's mission to unite fanbases and foster cross-brand partnerships.

With roughly 60 artists having released music on both Dirtybird and Defected, Delgado said it was "a natural thing to work together." That same synergy extends to FriendShip, whose offbeat energy and roster often overlaps with that of Dirtybird. When it comes to Desert Hearts, Delgado put it simply: they're "two peas in a pod" who share West Coast roots, a loyal following and a flair for the wild.

While some may view these brands as competitors, Delgado believes their shared DNA is precisely what makes these partnerships work so well.

"While the branding might be different, the vision is still the same," Delgado explained. "When you peel the layers of the onion back, you'll see we're all cut from the same cloth. For us, it’s trying to go back to the roots of being inclusive and making it about everyone, rather than, 'we need to have our section of the pie, and you can't have any bite of it.'"

For Thomas, who first pitched the resort-takeover concept to Crenshaw over dinner pre-pandemic, the freedom to curate truly diverse lineups is another reason why boutique festivals like CampINN have such an edge.

"That's what's so great about independent festivals: we get to create things how we want," he said. "We have that flexibility and we really think about the community. That's what I love."

Anchor festivals like Ultra and EDC often serve as a gateway for new ravers, but once fans get that first taste, they start looking for something more personal. That’s where independent events like CampINN shine.

"We get a lot of people who are exploring new music," Thomas said. "Once people get hooked on festivals, they ask, 'what else is out there?' [CampINN] is what else is out there. This is where we get to deliver that experience to new people who want to do something different."

With the creative freedom comes a sense of responsibility, and a deep trust between the community and the talent buying team. But that trust hasn't been built overnight—it's been 20 years in the making. 

Known for curating genre-bending lineups that merge house, bass, hip-hip, techno, trap and more, Dirtybird has long embraced its role as a tastemaker. Instead of following trends, the label focuses on uplifting emerging talent and betting on sound over status.

"We've always been the underdog in a sense, and people dismiss the silly guys," Delgado says. "For our festivals, we don't go and sign artists who are the number one person on Beatport right now. We just feel the music is great and we want to give that shot."

Many of Dirtybird's tracks come from artists who have never had a release before, Delgado explained, and that same spirit carries over to their event bookings. Instead of recycling the same ticket-selling names weekend after weekend, Dirtybird lineups rarely repeat.

"It's not one big bird at the top of the helm. It’s more about giving people the opportunity to to be a part of something, and to use that brand power to lift people up, rather than chasing hits," Delgado explains. "The power of what people feel is important to us. We've been lucky, after 20 years, to still be able to have that freedom to put people on, and to be known as a curator, in the sense that people trust the brand."

As CampINN prepares to make its return after a two-year hiatus, it is once again leaning on the trust and loyalty of its fanbase. For Thomas, who secured a new, larger hotel venue 2025, staying true to the festival's "original values," including their iconic summer camp-themed activities, is an essential part of the process.

"It's crucially important to keep the core: the team leaders, the Gator Gangs, the Flamingo Fams, and the Scuba Squads, while not changing too much else of what the community values," Thomas explains. "We're enhancing the environment, the venue, the staging, the production, and all those pieces correlate with the experience. But, it's the community that enhances it so much more."

Striking the balance of staying true to CampINN's quirky roots while delivering something fresh and exciting is paramount for the organizers. As EDM culture expands beyond the club into daytime parties in coffeeshops, pizza joints and other unconventional spaces, the music landscape and fan desires are quickly evolving. 

Delgado embraces this shift, recognizing the need to "create something that's unique, that people are going to want to spend their hard-earned dollars on."

"In times like these with uncertainty, high prices and recessions, people are like, 'why would I want to go have the same experience, when I can have something different?'" he reflects. "What we're trying to do is create an experience, because the fans now want more out of their ticket price."

Dirtybird has always had its feathers on the pulse of evolving fan expectations, from hosting barbecue parties to delivering their signature summer camp-style games, all in the name of serving up truly unique experiences. The brands color-wars activities were born from a desire to push the boundaries of what a festival can be, beyond the music.

Of course there will be music programming all day and night, Delgado explained, but what about the downtime? What happens when fans need a break from dancing for three days straight? That question sparked the creation of Dirtybird's now-iconic games, which are playful, ridiculous and designed to deliver a heavy dose of childlike wonder.

Thomas said he appreciates how the games encourage fans to "meet somebody new, have fun and let loose, and do something new that you wouldn't have tried if you hadn't come to CampINN."

"The music is what brought us together, but the games and activities is what grows the community deeper and better," he says.

In addition to playful absurdity of speed-walking contests, sack races and egg tosses with festival-goers, the games also involve the artists themselves. Instead of a typical meet-and-greet with artists signing merch behind a table, Dirtybird takes a different approach.

Fans could find themselves playing dodgeball with Sacha Robotti or teaming up with Will Clarke in archery. By weaving the artists into the games, the experience transcends beyond a handshake and a hello, to shared laughter and genuine connection.

Delgado said Dirtybird fosters "community and camaraderie between the fans, the artists and the production team" throughout every aspect of their festivals. This sentiment extends all the way to their stage design. Rather than building towering, unapproachable stages that starkly separate artists from the crowd, Dirtybird intentionally invites fans closer.

"We like people right there, where you can touch them and shake their hands, instead of fans looking up in awe and worship," Delgado says. "It’s more like, 'we’re on the same team here. I can't perform without you guys dancing, and you can't dance if I don’t perform. So how do we break that barrier down?"

This immersive, up-close experience is part of CampINN’s magic. The festival’s signature wackiness contributes to a vibe that feels both wild and deeply personal, a natural extension of the festival's commitment to breaking down barriers and keeping things human.

In a time when fans are craving experiences that feel fresh and unique, CampINN delivers. When you mix all that freedom with floaty races in the pool, comedy shows and all-night resort chaos, the result is some truly unforgettable memories.

For Delgado, one of the top highlights was seeing GRiZ—just ahead of his hiatus—playing a b2b DJ set with Justin Jay at CampINN 2023 after their solo performances. While the contrast between their respective artistries is striking, the unexpected performance worked perfectly. To Delgado, it was “the epitome of exactly what we’re trying to do and accomplish."

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Thomas, who has a particular love for CampINN's playful prank culture, shared a standout memory when he was on the receiving end.

"I got a call on the security radio to go to the women’s restroom because there was something going on over there," he recalls. "I walk in, and it's the Flamingo Fam dressed up as shrimp, handing out shrimp cocktail. It was one of the wildest experiences, seeing people singing, cheerleading and eating cocktail shrimp in the bathroom."

While the festival landscape is increasingly dominated by the predictable, CampINN is proof that events can still surprise you, especially when they're built on inclusivity, diversity and pure silliness.

Scheduled for August 29th to September 2nd, Dirtybird CampINN 2025 will feature performances by Destructo, VNSSA, Eats Everything, Kevin Saunderson, TroyBoi, Rusko, The Glitch Mob, Mikey Lion and EDM.com Class of 2022 star ACRAZE, among many others. Tickets are available here.

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