Snohomish County officials have barred a planned three-day techno music festival this weekend at a nudist camp north of Sultan.
The event diverges too far from the county’s special rules governing the Lake Bronson nudist camp, county Auditor Bob Terwilliger said in a letter to promoters on Monday.
The event, called Stompin’ in Da Woods 3, was expected to draw about 400 people to hear 85 DJs on three stages.
The event’s promoter, Scott Hanson of Lynnwood, said his event will be held.
“It’s happening, guaranteed,” Hanson said. “I’ve got lawyers all over it. It’s definitely happening.”
He wouldn’t say where the event would be held.
“I’m not going to release any more information, even for those who want to go, until the day before the event,” Hanson said.
The event was billed as costing $30 each for camping and music July 1-4, with concerts lasting from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Lake Bronson’s family nudist camp is governed by rules dating to 1993 that allow large events only if attendees are members of the American Sunbathing Association, members of the Lake Bronson Club or their screened guests.
Lake Bronson officials told the county they are not offering memberships to the techno musicians or fans for the event, Terwilliger said.
A large, planned public event with general admission, such as the techno concerts and camping, are not allowed, Terwilliger said. The number of concert attendees wasn’t controlled until the organizers, Klubstompers, proposed it be a private event with bracelets for entry.
If the event proceeds as planned, it will do so unlicensed and would jeopardize the nudist camp’s special conditional use permit, Terwilliger said.
The sheriff and other county departments said they could pursue civil or criminal actions if the event were held.
In his letter, Terwilliger provided a phone number for Camp Sheppard in Enumclaw as an alternate site.
The county approved a large event this past weekend at Lake Bronson, saying it complied with the underlying rules for the camp, Terwilliger said.
The difference: Lake Bronson officials said they gave temporary nudist camp membership to Critical Massive members, who planned last weekend’s workshops, arts and performances in a local spin-off of Burning Man, a popular event in the Nevada desert at which a large wooden effigy is burned.
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