Onset Debuts in the Berkshires this September, showcasing music, aerial arts, and community

A new festival is set to join the Northeast’s cultural calendar this fall, promising an intimate experience where music, performance art, and nature converge in the heart of the Berkshires.

Onset Festival, an inaugural boutique music and arts gathering produced by Onset Productions LLC of Brooklyn, New York, will take place September 18–20, 2026, at Camp Timber Trails in Tolland, Massachusetts. Designed as an all-inclusive weekend campout, the festival aims to host between 200 and 500 attendees, prioritizing community and curation over scale.

Unlike large-scale festivals that prioritize capacity, Onset is intentionally launching small. Organizers are targeting an initial audience of roughly 200–300 attendees despite hosting the event at a venue capable of accommodating more than 600 guests.

Billed under the mantra “Come Back to Someplace New,” Onset positions itself as a community-first destination for discovery—where attendees can immerse themselves in live music, aerial arts, wellness programming, and outdoor experiences across a sprawling 400-acre lakeside venue.

“We want to create an experience that feels personal, participatory, and creatively rich,” the festival’s organizers said. “The goal is to build something lasting—one that people recognize not only for incredible talent, but for its attention to detail and sense of belonging.”

Onset’s inaugural lineup features 13 artists spanning synth-pop, hip-hop, funk, punk, bass music, jazz, and Afro-fusion, with additional acts expected to be announced.

Highlights include:

Vincent Antone, known for future funk and bass performances incorporating live guitar and previous appearances alongside GRiZ and Pretty Lights.

Supertaste, the Brooklyn synth-pop duo celebrated for Chic-inspired grooves and dancefloor-ready hooks.

Prizilla, blending jazz, soul, funk, and pop through the artistry of saxophonist and vocalist Izzy Duncan.

Dap The Contract, whose Lagos-to-New York journey informs a genre-bending mix of hip-hop and Afro-fusion.

Daisychain, a female-fronted Chicago act delivering moody blues and psychedelic rock.

Dashmoon & Epsounds, combining global bass with live saxophone and flute improvisation.

The lineup also includes performances from Blahsum, Atlas.B, Stolen Tapes, Fixations, Common Thread, Atara, and Jack the Lantern.

Collectively, the announced artists represent an aggregate social reach exceeding 100,000 followers, with festival organizers leveraging collaborative content campaigns and artist networks across New York, Boston, and the broader Northeast.

Set against early autumn foliage, Camp Timber Trails offers a distinctive backdrop for the festival experience. The venue features cabin lodging, camping options, a communal dining hall, an outdoor amphitheater, a late-night indoor venue with a sprung dance floor, and a private lake complete with boats and its own island.

Located approximately two to three hours from both New York City and Boston, the site places Onset within easy reach of major metropolitan areas while maintaining a secluded, retreat-like atmosphere.

Festival organizers describe mornings by the mist-covered lake and evenings around the fire as integral elements of the experience—not merely amenities, but part of the festival’s identity.

The festival is led by a multidisciplinary team of producers, musicians, organizers, and creatives with more than 30 years of combined experience across music, events, and culture.

The leadership team includes producer and aerialist Erica Leh, music producer and engineer Raphael Estrach, event organizer Alex Byers, aerialist and wellness practitioner Sammie Scheer, DIY music advocate Sofia Pipolo, and strategist Taos Boudjemai.

Their backgrounds span organizations such as Spotify, Groover, independent music communities, wellness initiatives, and large-scale event production.

As the festival enters its first year, organizers are actively seeking media partners, sponsors, and cross-promotional collaborators to help establish Onset within the Northeast cultural landscape.

With its emphasis on intentional programming, artistic discovery, and community-building, Onset Festival arrives at a moment when audiences are increasingly seeking experiences that feel smaller, more human, and deeply immersive.

If successful, the inaugural edition may mark not only the beginning of a new festival, but the emergence of a long-term creative gathering in the Berkshires.

Onset Festival takes place September 18–20, 2026, at Camp Timber Trails in Tolland, Massachusetts. Additional lineup announcements and ticket information are expected in the coming months.

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