Kandi at Bass Canyon
Three days of bass and camping at The Gorge: bone-and-black cuffs, how many singles to string for a hot weekend, and the official rules to check before you go.
Dates and venue
- Last edition
- August 14-16, 2026
- Where
- George, WA
Verified on August 30, 2026 against the organizer's own page. Dates, hours and policies change — check the official page before you book anything.
2027 dates were not published when we checked on 2026-08-30 — the most recent edition ran August 14-16, 2026 at The Gorge Amphitheatre, with campgrounds opening earlier in the week. Check the official page for the current year.
Age policy
The organizer's FAQ states: "All Bass Canyon guests must be 18 years old to attend and 21 to purchase and drink alcohol."
That is the organizer's policy, not ours. This site is written for adults regardless of who the event lets in.
Palette prompts
- Black
- Bone
- UV Blue
- Smoke
- Chrome
Colors, not artwork. Nothing here copies the event's own visuals.
How many to prep
There is no correct number. These are ranges for 3 days, based on how hard you plan to trade — round down if this is your first one.
15
Light
You will trade if someone asks. Mostly singles, one piece you like.
30
Trading
You are starting handshakes. A full trade arm plus a cuff to remember.
60
Active trader
You prep for weeks and restock daily. Bring cord and spare beads too.
More on the split in how many kandi to bring.
What people trade here
The Gorge in August is hot, bright and extremely dry, and the crowd is there for one thing. Kandi trades here run practical — survival lines land better than jokes because everyone is genuinely dealing with heat and hearing. SUNSCREEN, FIND SHADE and EARPLUGS are funny and useful at the same time, which is the sweet spot.
Bone, black and cold blue hold up against dust and daylight, and they still read once the sun drops behind the canyon. A single UV bead in an otherwise neutral single does more at night than a whole rainbow does at noon.
Carry plan
Camping weekend: build a trade arm each afternoon and leave the bin at your site. Anything you carry down the hill you are carrying back up it.
Bring more water than kandi. Then bring one cuff you are proud of, and give it to somebody on the last night rather than trading it away on Friday to the first person who asks.
Bag policy
Check the official FAQ and any allowed-items page for the year you are attending, and read the campground rules separately from the festival-grounds rules — they are not the same list.
Wear the kandi in on your arms. Loose beads, cord and scissors in a bag are what slows a gate down, not a stack you are already wearing.
Three to make for it
Ten lines that land here
- THE GORGE
- BASS GREMLIN
- EARPLUGS
- SUNSCREEN
- FIND SHADE
- DAY 3
- DUSTY
- HYDRATE
- FOUND YOU
- GO HOME SAFE
Letter beads run out around twelve characters on a single. Browse the whole phrase library.
Trade etiquette, short version
Ask before you trade. Never pull anything off somebody's arm, and never take a piece somebody says is a keeper. If someone says no, that is the whole answer — you are not owed a trade, and neither are they. A gift is a gift: accepting one does not put you in debt.
Full version: trade etiquette and the PLUR handshake.
Leave no trace
Loose beads are litter. Cut cord ends, dropped letter beads and the plastic bags they came in all end up on the ground where you strung them. String over a tray or a towel, bin the offcuts, and pack out what you brought in — campgrounds especially.
Before you go
Water, food, hearing protection, and people who will notice if you are not okay. Read festival safety and the organizer's current rules — the official page wins over anything on this site.
Independent kandi guide. Not a craft kit brand. Not affiliated with or endorsed by any festival, promoter, venue, or artist. Festival names are used only to identify the events discussed.