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Brief History
Mikee Bridges' TOMFest ("The Other Music") was legendary and enjoyed wild popularity from 1995 to 2008. Following TOMFest's sudden departure from the Skamania County Fairgrounds in 2004, a handful of musicians and attendees could not let go of the memories of spending every Labor Day weekend in the Columbia Gorge of the Pacific Northwest and basking in the diverse sights and sounds of that alternative Christian music festival. We just had to keep those memories alive and wanted to continue making our own, so we launched our own festival. That first year, we called it NOT TOMFest. Yes, really. Thereafter and for years, we were XFEST NW. We did not at all enjoy the unbridled popularity of TOMFest, but it was evident that God blessed even our meager efforts to offer a worthy musical and spiritual experience to festival goers.
XFEST attendees would continue to hear a variety of Christian music artists, bands, and singer-songwriters. We traded TOMFest's popularity and throngs of attendees for a drastically more intimate setting where new friendships could easily flourish and a greater abundance of worship music could be heard. Early on, we started to feed all our attendees for free and even did away with all entrance fees. In time, our dedication to put on XFEST every Labor Day weekend became entirely non-negotiable in our own minds. We loved the fact that no matter how few or how many would show up each year, it was almost certain that one would come away with new friends, cherished memories, and a spiritually immersive experience that could not be had any other way.
As God continued to bless XFEST, we decided in 2022 to rebrand, and today we are FireFest NW. We continue to feed all our attendees for free and still charge nothing for attendance (camping fees are paid to the fairgrounds). Today we are able to offer multiple workshops, speakers, and children's activities so that one can do more than just attend concert gigs. Operating in a charitable fashion as we do, we are not able to feature A-list Christian artists due to the fees they charge to play. Instead, more than 4 dozen bands or artists choose every year to volunteer their talents and bring us diverse and quality Christian music each festival. The way it has worked out over these 24 years, even humble and virtually unknown bands have become A-list in our own minds. In truth, this wasn't so very different from how it was at TOMFest. Those who passed Labor Day weekend at these fairgrounds since 1995 have taken away musical treasures that the world does not know. God has used this festival to convey His love and redemption through every kind of music expression. Today, that is what we yearn for at FireFest.
XFEST attendees would continue to hear a variety of Christian music artists, bands, and singer-songwriters. We traded TOMFest's popularity and throngs of attendees for a drastically more intimate setting where new friendships could easily flourish and a greater abundance of worship music could be heard. Early on, we started to feed all our attendees for free and even did away with all entrance fees. In time, our dedication to put on XFEST every Labor Day weekend became entirely non-negotiable in our own minds. We loved the fact that no matter how few or how many would show up each year, it was almost certain that one would come away with new friends, cherished memories, and a spiritually immersive experience that could not be had any other way.
As God continued to bless XFEST, we decided in 2022 to rebrand, and today we are FireFest NW. We continue to feed all our attendees for free and still charge nothing for attendance (camping fees are paid to the fairgrounds). Today we are able to offer multiple workshops, speakers, and children's activities so that one can do more than just attend concert gigs. Operating in a charitable fashion as we do, we are not able to feature A-list Christian artists due to the fees they charge to play. Instead, more than 4 dozen bands or artists choose every year to volunteer their talents and bring us diverse and quality Christian music each festival. The way it has worked out over these 24 years, even humble and virtually unknown bands have become A-list in our own minds. In truth, this wasn't so very different from how it was at TOMFest. Those who passed Labor Day weekend at these fairgrounds since 1995 have taken away musical treasures that the world does not know. God has used this festival to convey His love and redemption through every kind of music expression. Today, that is what we yearn for at FireFest.
Our Mission, Values
We exist to operate a grass roots Christian music festival that showcases independent Christian artists, and to forge a cohesive faith community that enjoys the diverse creativity of the Body of Christ during 3 days of camping and fellowship.
We seek to offer to the general public an annual music festival that is Christian at heart and in essence. We offer this Labor Day weekend experience at the Skamania County Fairgrounds in Stevenson, Washington without charge, providing ample opportunities to hear and enjoy diverse Christian musical artists, bands, and singer-songwriters, as many as 4 dozen in 2026. Our performers are representative of diverse Christian backgrounds. In view of our inevitable differences, we seek nevertheless to fulfill Jesus' prayer in John 17:21-23, "that they all may be one" in a way that glorifies God and builds up each person in the faith. We derive no monetary profit or like material benefit from this festival endeavor. All who organize or support or perform for this festival do so on a volunteer basis, often bearing the financial cost of doing so. Being a nonprofit endeavor under the auspices of the Tree of Life Church, we seek out and are grateful for donations, whether monetary gifts from the public or fresh food with which we feed our attendees. We are very grateful to the City of Stevenson, Washington for hosting us on these fairgrounds year after year, and desire to be a blessing to them as well.
We seek to offer to the general public an annual music festival that is Christian at heart and in essence. We offer this Labor Day weekend experience at the Skamania County Fairgrounds in Stevenson, Washington without charge, providing ample opportunities to hear and enjoy diverse Christian musical artists, bands, and singer-songwriters, as many as 4 dozen in 2026. Our performers are representative of diverse Christian backgrounds. In view of our inevitable differences, we seek nevertheless to fulfill Jesus' prayer in John 17:21-23, "that they all may be one" in a way that glorifies God and builds up each person in the faith. We derive no monetary profit or like material benefit from this festival endeavor. All who organize or support or perform for this festival do so on a volunteer basis, often bearing the financial cost of doing so. Being a nonprofit endeavor under the auspices of the Tree of Life Church, we seek out and are grateful for donations, whether monetary gifts from the public or fresh food with which we feed our attendees. We are very grateful to the City of Stevenson, Washington for hosting us on these fairgrounds year after year, and desire to be a blessing to them as well.
Location, Maps
Skamania County Fairgrounds
710 SW Rock Creek Drive
Stevenson, Washington
Directions from Portland
A. Take I-84 east out of Portland. Get off at Exit 44 Cascade Locks / Stevenson. Follow brown signs for "Bridge of the Gods / Stevenson." Proceed to toll booth and pay required fee; cash or credit card accepted. Cross the bridge to Washington State. At the STOP sign, turn right and enter onto Washington state route 14 heading east to Stevenson / Kennewick. Proceed to Step C below.
B. Take either I-5 north or I-205 north into Washington State (notice: extremely heavy congestion during afternoon rush hour). Merge onto Washington state route 14 heading east. After a long drive through Washington on SR14, about 41 mi. from the I-5/SR14 ramp, or 35 mi. from the I-205/SR14 ramp, you will pass Bridge of the Gods on your right, which goes to Cascade Locks, Oregon. Stay on east bound SR14. Proceed to Step C.
C. From the Bridge of the Gods, proceed 2.5 miles, at which point you have entered into the town of Stevenson. On the left hand side, there is a Chevron gas station. Immediately before the gas station, turn left onto Rock Creek Drive, which winds around a little. After only 3/10 mile, there is a driveway to the left, and you may be able to see a barn red building at the end. Turn left onto this driveway and proceed all the way to the red building, which is the Exhibition Hall, the main hall which contains the indoor stage and where all community meals take place. You have arrived! Tent camping and RV hook-ups are located in the large open field adjacent to the main hall.
Click on the maps below to expand.
710 SW Rock Creek Drive
Stevenson, Washington
Directions from Portland
A. Take I-84 east out of Portland. Get off at Exit 44 Cascade Locks / Stevenson. Follow brown signs for "Bridge of the Gods / Stevenson." Proceed to toll booth and pay required fee; cash or credit card accepted. Cross the bridge to Washington State. At the STOP sign, turn right and enter onto Washington state route 14 heading east to Stevenson / Kennewick. Proceed to Step C below.
B. Take either I-5 north or I-205 north into Washington State (notice: extremely heavy congestion during afternoon rush hour). Merge onto Washington state route 14 heading east. After a long drive through Washington on SR14, about 41 mi. from the I-5/SR14 ramp, or 35 mi. from the I-205/SR14 ramp, you will pass Bridge of the Gods on your right, which goes to Cascade Locks, Oregon. Stay on east bound SR14. Proceed to Step C.
C. From the Bridge of the Gods, proceed 2.5 miles, at which point you have entered into the town of Stevenson. On the left hand side, there is a Chevron gas station. Immediately before the gas station, turn left onto Rock Creek Drive, which winds around a little. After only 3/10 mile, there is a driveway to the left, and you may be able to see a barn red building at the end. Turn left onto this driveway and proceed all the way to the red building, which is the Exhibition Hall, the main hall which contains the indoor stage and where all community meals take place. You have arrived! Tent camping and RV hook-ups are located in the large open field adjacent to the main hall.
Click on the maps below to expand.
Camping Information
ONSITE Tent camping is free. Note that we do accept donations.
ONSITE RV Camping is $25 per space per night, which includes electrical hookup. However, due to a limited number of five spaces, a 2-night minimum stay with a payment of $50 plus fees ($55.20 total) is required. There are more RV spots with electrical hookups, adjacent to our site at the Skamania County Fairgrounds RV site. You pay this fee online when you register for FireFest. Click the button below to register and reserve your space.
IMPORTANT **OFFSITE Tent and RV Camping is available on the other side of the fairgrounds across from the Hegewald building. Fees for Tent and RV Camping are $20/night without electricity, $25/night with electricity. You MUST pay fees directly to the Skamania County Fairgrounds at the Office Dropbox. Payment envelopes are provided. Cash only.
Invitation to Volunteer
FireFest NW exists because of the generosity of those who happily volunteer to assist with the festival's many tasks, especially those relating to the kitchen as we feed several hundred people. Click on the button below to see what needs and opportunities there are over the three-day span. This is mostly food prep, serving, and cleanup. We encourage you to sign up here, but you are always welcome to lend a helping hand, most especially on Labor Day (Monday) when we close down the festival and leave the fairgrounds tidy on our way out. Thank you for your volunteer service!
Bless Stevenson
Since 2004, we have been very privileged to exclusively occupy the Skamania County Fairgrounds every Labor Day weekend. This takes place in the town of Stevenson, Washington, a small modest community on the Columbia River. As God highly blesses us every year with fantastic music, food, and fellowship, one of our aims is to be a blessing to the Stevenson community itself. One way we do this is by frequenting Stevenson businesses, especially restaurants and markets. Even though we provide all our attendees with appetizing, nourishing meals twice a day, some people take pleasure in going into town for a coffee or meal, or to stock up on snacks or breakfast food. If you are up to it, you can even just walk into town to do this. It's about a half mile on foot. As good guests and as God's children on this earth, let's bless Stevenson!
FireFest Posters
Feel free to use these posters to tell others about FireFest. Post them in emails, text messages, and on social media.
Rules and Policies
NO FIREWORKS, NO CAMPFIRES OR PIT FIRES ALLOWED DUE TO HIGH FIRE HAZARDS • NO DRUGS, NO ALCOHOL, NO FIREARMS. • SMOKING, VAPING only allowed in designated areas, and cigars and butts must be extinguished in water cans. No Marijuana. • QUIET HOURS are 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. Please respect and honor the camping community's quiet hours. • CHILDREN: As a preventive measure, no young children are ever to be left unattended. • SAFETY POLICY - REPORT IMMEDIATELY TO EVENT STAFF if you witness any of the following or believe it poses a potential hazard, threat, or health risk: exposed or unprotected electric cords, any tripping hazard; unsafe behavior that could result in harm; all injuries, illness, or incidents, even if minor (bee stings, choking, heat exhaustion, etc.); accidents, even If minor; wild animals posing a threat; safety hazards (broken glass, spills, etc.); any suspicious person, activity, violation, or threats from non-participants. • SECURING PERSONAL PROPERTY: TENTS & RVS - You are responsible for securing your tent, RV, and personal property while camping at these fairgrounds. FIREFESTNW is not responsible for lost or stolen items. If you lose or find something, please inform event staff immediately. • PET POLICY - Pets are allowed at FIREFESTNW provided they are always on leash OR in the owner's tent or ventilated vehicle. Never put your animal in an unventilated vehicle. Always remain at least 100 feet from any stage, whether a band ls performing. Service dogs are allowed wherever festival attendees are normally allowed as per ADA rules. Keep dogs quiet during Quiet Hours. If dogs are barking excessively without reason, we will ask you to muzzle them. • SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK - NO LIFEGUARD ON DUTY. Young children are never to be left unsupervised. Floating devices and life jackets are required for those unable to swim. Kayaking, jet skiing, boating, rafts and innertubes are welcome on the water at your own risk. Lifejackets (I, II, and III) are required for all boating activities. • BIKE, SKATEBOARD, ROLLERBLADE AT YOUR OWN RISK - Helmets are strongly recommended. Skateboarding is not allowed around groups of people, inside the Exhibit Hall or around its entrances or exits, or in tent camping areas. Skateboarding, rollerblading, and skates are only allowed on the midway road between bathrooms and the Exhibit Hall. • LOST AND FOUND - Items can be identified and retrieved in the kitchen area. If you find any items that do not belong to you, please report to any staff member. • SHOWERS AND BATHROOMS are close by and available for use during all hours. Showers are 50 cents. Please keep the restroom area clean and remove all personal items when leaving the facility. By attending FIREFESTNW, you consent to all these rules.