Jubilee Field: Building Sacred Ground for Community, Music, and Connection

Sometimes you don’t walk into a space and think, this is different —you walk in and think, this feels familiar in the best way ever.

That was our experience the first time we visited Jubilee Field.

Having spent years attending festivals and creative gatherings of all kinds, the space immediately felt like a small festival ground in its early stages — not in scale, but in possibility. The kind of place that hasn’t fully become what it’s meant to be yet, but clearly knows where it’s headed.

After visiting Jubilee Field multiple times over the past few months — and spending time talking with and observing its owners, Isaiah and Courtney — our team at Angels & Embers decided to offer a complimentary media session. Not as a promotion, and not as a campaign, but as a way to document something we felt was being built with real care.

This article is a reflection of that session.

If you’re someone who cares about how creative spaces are actually built- how leadership, design, sound, and community intersect; this story is for you.

A Space Designed With Intention

Jubilee Fields was never meant to be just another venue.

From the beginning, Owners Isaiah and Courtney Dietrich imagined something slower and more thoughtful, a place designed not only for music and entertainment, but for real human connection.

As Courtney explains:

“The ethos of the space as a whole, and what we’re really trying to create, is for this to be a sacred ground that sparks joy and cultivates real connection.”

That idea of sacred ground isn’t metaphorical. It’s practical. It shows up in how the land is treated, how guests are welcomed, and how decisions are made, even when those decisions are harder, slower, or less immediately profitable.

Electric Forest: A Ritual of Growth and Reflection

Electric Forest isn’t just a festival Isaiah and Courtney attend — it’s part of who they are.

They’ve been eight times. And over the years, it’s become something closer to a ritual than an event.

They talk about it as a yearly check-in — a moment to step away from routine and responsibility, and take an honest look at where they are as individuals and as partners.

“We went pretty early on in our relationship,” Isaiah shares,“and it became a way to look back at the last year — how we’ve changed, what we’ve done, and what we want the next year to look like.”

The environment matters. Being immersed in nature, surrounded by art, music, and intentional design, creates space for that kind of reflection.

“It separates you from your responsibilities for a little bit,” Courtney adds.“Your mind isn’t focused on all of the normal pressures from life.”

They’re particularly drawn to the origin story of Electric Forest — not for its scale, but for its intention.

“The creator of Electric Forest was a Vietnam veteran who came back and said, ‘There’s all this fighting and dissension in the world — what can we do to bring people together?’” Isaiah explains.“So he got his friends together and said, ‘Let’s go plant a forest.’ That intention went into the land with a vision of what it could become. It was a really selfless act.”

That story resonates deeply because it frames land not as a commodity, but as a gift — something stewarded so others can experience joy, safety, and expression.

Jubilee Field carries that same philosophy.

Isaiah and Courtney often speak about imagining what this space could be decades from now, not just next season.

“We think about what this place could be forty years from now,” Isaiah says, “not just what it needs to be today.”

Heart-Centered Hospitality, Practiced Daily

Hospitality at Jubilee Field isn’t performative — it’s built into the culture.

Every vendor, collaborator, and staff member who enters the space is introduced to a shared framework grounded in two core values: respect and stewardship.

“Respect is the first one — and it’s the biggest one,” Courtney explains.“Respect for others, respect for the space, and respect for yourself.”

They intentionally chose respect over love, not because love isn’t present, but because respect leaves no one out.

“Love can sometimes feel exclusive,” Courtney says.“Respect is universal. You don’t have to agree with someone — but you can respect them.”

Stewardship, for them, means shared responsibility.

“If you see trash, pick it up. If something’s wrong, say something,” Isaiah adds.“We’re all responsible.”

That mindset defines how guests are treated, how staff are supported, and how accountability functions in the space.

Sound, Production, and an Artist-First Experience

One of the most overlooked aspects of live music spaces is how deeply the artist experience shapes the guest experience.

Isaiah and Courtney understand this intuitively, because they’ve lived it.

With an extensive history of attending festivals and live music events, they know what good sound feels like, not just technically, but emotionally. They’ve experienced the difference between spaces that treat artists as an afterthought, and those that design environments where performers can truly settle in and deliver their best work.

That awareness has been built directly into Jubilee Field.

Isaiah has spent days doing unglamorous work, digging trenches, laying conduit, planning cable paths, so artists can arrive, set up easily, and focus on their performance.

“We want to do as much work up front as we can so it’s seamless for as long as possible,” he explains.“When an artist sees that level of consideration, that’s our return on investment.”

This artist-first approach ripples outward. When performers feel supported, confident, and comfortable, guests feel it too.

The sound is clearer.

The energy is steadier.

The experience is more immersive.

Jubilee Field isn’t guessing at what works, it’s being built from lived knowledge.

Jubee, Design, and the Art of Welcome

The intention behind Jubilee Fields becomes especially tangible once you step inside.

At the heart of the space is Jubee, a playful, welcoming presence that also feels like a quiet guardian of the venue. Jubee appears throughout the property, most notably as a lantern created by a local artist, suspended within the space.

When lit, the lantern projects intricate, shifting patterns across the walls and ceiling, bathing the room in color, and texture.

It’s whimsical, but it’s also grounding. A reminder that this space values imagination as much as function.

The interior itself feels like a blend of gallery, gathering space, and festival hideaway. From the stunning tables to the mesmerizing displays found in the restrooms- art isn’t an afterthought, it’s part of the experience.

That same care extends to the bar.

Cocktails at Jubilee Fields are seasonal, intentional, and craft-forward — designed to feel playful without being gimmicky, and thoughtful without being pretentious.

Inside or out, the space invites people to settle in — not rush through.

A Community Space, Still Becoming

Jubilee Field is honest about where it is in its journey.

Isaiah and Courtney speak openly about challenges — road closures that affect visibility, seasonal shifts, and the energy required to build something sustainably.

“The beautiful thing is we’re creating really great experiences,” Isaiah says.“The hard part is that we're facing the upcoming winter months”

Rather than forcing growth, they’ve chosen patience.

“We're excited to build towards a calendar full of events,” Isaiah explains.“We’re going to close down for the winter, really consider all of the feedback from the community, and take the time to do this the right way.”

At the same time, they remain intentionally open to collaboration.

“If this is going to be a community space, we need input from the community,” Courtney says.“People come to us wanting to throw such unique events — and we’re so here for that.”

The goal isn’t control. It’s shared ownership of experience.

It’s that posture- openness without ego, adaptability without compromise, that makes us believe Jubilee Field will endure.

So often, businesses are built with tunnel vision: an experience designed solely around the owner’s preferences, assumptions, or shortcuts.

But when leaders slow down enough to consider the people they’re serving, when they ask for input, listen closely, and remain willing to adapt without sacrificing their values... something different happens.

Spaces stop being transactional.

Experiences stop being forced.

And what’s created has room to breathe, evolve, and belong to more than one person.

That’s where the intangible magic lives... and it’s also where lasting businesses are built.

Jubilee Fields isn’t trying to dictate what the community should be. It’s creating the conditions for the community to shape what comes next. And that distinction matters.

If this story resonates with you, follow along, share this story, show up, and help spread the word.

Support can look like attending an event, sharing their work with someone who would appreciate it, collaborating as an artist or organizer, or simply staying connected as the space continues to grow.

Jubilee Field is still becoming — and the people who show up early help shape what it becomes next.

Connect with Jubilee Field:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jubileefield/

• Website: https://jubileefield.com/

• Event Calendar: https://jubileefield.com/event/

• Collaborations & Inquiries: jubileefieldky@gmail.com

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Why Angels & Embers Chose to Support Jubilee Field

(Angels & Embers · Community Storytelling & Business Support)

At Angels & Embers, our work is rooted in community storytelling and business support — but only for people who are building something bigger than themselves.

We’re drawn to business owners who lead with integrity over optics.

Who show up when no one is watching.

Who treat their staff with respect, their vendors as collaborators, and their community as something to care for — not extract from.

Success, to us, isn’t independent. It’s communal.

That’s why Jubilee Field stood out.

We’ve been here three times over the past few months — simply as guests. Each visit reinforced the same pattern: involvement, humility, and care.

We watched Isaiah and Courtney make drinks, help clean, check in with guests, support vendors, and adjust details in real time... not because they had to, but because that’s how they lead.

That care aligns with something Courtney articulated clearly:

“Time is the most valuable resource we have. When someone gives you their time by coming here, it’s an honor.”

That belief, that people matter, is what led us to offer this media session freely.

Not as a promotion.Not as a campaign.

But as our way of supporting people who are building with intention, generosity, and long-term vision.

This is simply us sharing what we’ve seen.