The Best Place to Stay for Frendly Gathering 2026 (That Isn't a Tent)

We love the Frendly Gathering. The music, the mountains, the Vermont summer air, the whole vibe — it's one of the best weekends of the year in Southern Vermont. But after a long day of dancing in a field, there's something to be said for a real bed, a hot shower, and a plate of scrambled eggs waiting for you in the morning.

That's where we come in.

What Is the Frendly Gathering?

If you haven't been, the Frendly Gathering is one of New England's most beloved grassroots music festivals, held every summer at Timber Ridge in Windham, Vermont. Born from the snowboarding community — founded by pro riders Jack Mitrani and Olympian Danny Davis — it's grown from a 250-person gathering into a full-scale festival while somehow keeping its intimate, community-driven heart.

Think: incredible music across multiple stages, yoga, skateboarding, hiking, live art, great food vendors, and a crowd that actually talks to each other. The motto is "there is no I in Frends," and if you've ever been, you know they mean it.

Frendly Gathering 2026 is July 17–18 at Timber Ridge, 431 Glebe Mountain Road, Windham, VT.

The 2026 Lineup

The initial lineup was just announced and it's stacked. Here's who's playing:

Headliners & Featured Acts: Gatsby's Revenge (featuring very special guests) · Neighbor · Satsang Main Lineup: Will Evans · Ryan Dempsey · Marvel Years · Coyote Island · Cool Cool Cool · Jatoba · Bombargo Additional Acts: JARV · The Big Takeover · Rigometrics · The Quasi Kings · MJT · All Night Boogie Band · Nick Bredice · Kanganade

Beyond the music, the festival also features camping, wellness activities, sauna, yoga workshops, food trucks, skateboarding, kid activities (kids under 13 get in free), and the signature Frendly community vibe that keeps people coming back year after year.

Why Stay at COHO Instead of Camping?

Camping at the festival is a blast — we'd never talk you out of it. But for a certain kind of festival-goer, having a real home base nearby is the move. Here's why: You'll sleep. Actually sleep. In a real bed, in a quiet room, with blackout curtains and a pillow that doesn't smell like campfire. After two days of music and sun, this matters more than you think.

You'll shower. Enough said.

Free breakfast every morning. We serve a rotating complimentary breakfast every day — fresh-baked blueberry muffins, scrambled eggs, bacon, bagels, fruit, yogurt, granola, and great coffee. Fuel up properly before you head back to the mountain. A cold drink waiting for you. Our guest lounge serves local Vermont beers, hard ciders, and curated wines. Come back from the festival, sit on the porch, and decompress like a human being.

You can actually bring stuff. Staying at an inn means you can pack a real bag. Clothes for two days, a phone charger, dry shoes, a dress for the evening set — all the things you squeeze out of festival camping.

How Far Is COHO from Timber Ridge?

COHO Inn & Motor Lodge is located in Weston, Vermont, just a short, scenic drive from Timber Ridge in Windham. You're traveling through classic Southern Vermont countryside — green hills, farmstands, covered bridges — and you'll be at the festival gate in no time.

It's also worth knowing that Weston is one of the most charming villages in Vermont. The Vermont Country Store is right down the road, there are great restaurants nearby, and Route 100 is one of the most beautiful drives in New England. Make a real weekend of it.

About COHO Inn & Motor Lodge

We're a small, family-run inn and motor lodge sitting on scenic Route 100 in the heart of Weston. We took over in 2024 and have been pouring everything we have into making COHO a place people genuinely love coming back to — and the reviews have been pretty kind about it (Yankee Magazine named us Vermont's best affordable lodging, which we're still a little giddy about).

We have two types of rooms:

Motor Lodge Rooms — our classic, comfortable rooms, several with private porches. Perfect for festival-goers who want a clean, cozy base without the fuss. All of our Motor Lodge Rooms come equipped with AIR CONDITIONING, which you will want after a day of dancing in the July sun.

Inn Rooms — more character, more charm, the full Vermont inn experience. Great for couples or anyone who wants to treat the Frendly weekend as a proper getaway.

Both come with complimentary breakfast, access to our guest lounge, and the kind of personal attention you only get from a small, owner-operated inn. We live on property, which means if you need anything, we're actually here.

Book Early — Frendly Weekend Fills Fast

We're not going to pretend otherwise: the weekend of July 17–18 is one of our busiest of the summer. Festival-goers discovered years ago that staying in Weston is a smart move, and rooms go fast once the Frendly lineup drops.

Our strong advice: book as soon as you have your festival tickets. You can always adjust your plans — but you can't add rooms back to inventory once they're gone.

👉 Book directly at cohoinn.com for the best rates and most flexible policies. Booking direct supports a small Vermont business and skips the OTA fees that eat into independent inns like ours.

A Weekend Itinerary: Frendly + Weston

Here's how a perfect Frendly Gathering weekend at COHO might look:

Thursday (optional early arrival) Check in, grab a local cider from the lounge, walk around Weston village, have dinner at a nearby restaurant. Sleep well.

Friday, July 17 Wake up, enjoy breakfast at the inn. Head to Timber Ridge for gates open — you're fresh, fed, and ready. Day one of the festival. Drive back to COHO at the end of the night, real shower, real bed.

Saturday, July 18 Another proper breakfast. Back to Timber Ridge for day two. Catch the headliners. Drive home to COHO whenever the night winds down.

Sunday morning Sleep in. One more breakfast. Take a drive down Route 100 on the way home. Arrive home feeling like an actual person.

Ready to Book?

Rooms for Frendly Gathering weekend go fast. Don't wait.

Book your stay at cohoinn.com →Or call us directly — we're real people and we answer.

COHO Inn & Motor Lodge | 287 Vermont Route 100, Weston, VT 05161

Have questions about the area, the festival, or what to pack for a Vermont summer weekend? Drop us a note — we're happy to help.