MOMENTUM

Twenty-five years ago, a small group of people in the Sierra Nevada foothills set out to create something special: a film festival that could bring a community together, celebrate the natural world, and turn powerful stories into meaningful action.

Rooted in the movement to protect the Yuba River, Wild & Scenic has grown from its Nevada County beginnings into a nationally recognized environmental and adventure film festival. Its films now travel to communities across the country, reaching audiences far beyond the foothills where it began.

The heart of the festival hasn't changed. It's still about connection—between people and place, between a story and the action it inspires, and between a community and the river that helped bring it all together.

For its 25th anniversary, there's something new to celebrate: Wild & Scenic's first official soundtrack. MOMENTUM is a collection created to honor where the festival started, the people who have carried it forward, and the stories still waiting to be told.

There's a natural connection between Madcap Records and Wild & Scenic. Both have roots in Nevada City, a place with an extraordinary creative community and a deep connection to the surrounding landscape. And both understand how art can bring people together and give important stories a lasting voice.

As Wild & Scenic's official music partner for its 25th anniversary, Madcap is helping bring music back to the heart of the festival through live performances, pop-up shows, music-focused conversations, and this commemorative soundtrack.

The collaboration brings independent musicians into conversation with filmmakers, environmental advocates, and audiences from across the country. It also creates a new stage for the talent and creative spirit of Nevada County.

Madcap's approach is rooted in genuine songs, intentional artist development, and the recording craft that allows music to connect on a human level. That feels right at home alongside a festival built on meaningful storytelling. A great song, much like a great film, can stay with you long after it ends. This partnership gives those stories another way to travel.

"Music is built on momentum — one note leads to another."

The festival's 2027 theme, MOMENTUM, speaks to a truth Wild & Scenic knows well: lasting change rarely happens all at once. It builds through years of persistence, everyday acts of courage, and communities showing up for what matters.

Music has its own kind of momentum. One idea becomes a melody. A melody becomes a song. A song finds its way to someone else—and sometimes becomes part of a story much bigger than its beginning.

Curated and produced by Madcap Records, the anniversary soundtrack is planned as a collection of approximately 10–12 original licensed songs from independent artists across Nevada County and the nation. The final artist lineup and tracklist will be announced as the release takes shape.

Rather than simply accompanying the festival, MOMENTUM offers another way to experience its spirit: something to take home, listen to from beginning to end, and return to long after the final screening.

One of the most meaningful parts of Wild & Scenic's 25th anniversary is the return of artist and festival co-founder Kathy Dotson. Kathy helped bring the festival to life, later serving as its director and helping create the national touring program that brought Wild & Scenic films to communities across the country. Twenty-five years later, she has returned to create the artwork for its milestone celebration.

Her illustration is filled with the familiar beauty of the Sierra Nevada foothills—mountains, trees, rivers, and wildflowers—with a colorful pinwheel at the center. The pinwheel reflects the theme of MOMENTUM: the changing winds, shifting challenges, and generations of people who have kept the movement going. A salmon flowing through the artwork speaks to the Yuba River watershed and its enduring cycle of return and renewal.

Paired with the soundtrack, Kathy's artwork makes this anniversary release feel especially full circle: a piece of Wild & Scenic history created by someone who helped begin the story.

2027 Wild & Scenic Film Festival anniversary artwork by Kathy Dotson.

THE YUBA SWIRL VINYL EDITION

Inspired by the unmistakable turquoise and emerald waters of the Yuba River, MOMENTUM will be pressed on custom-colored swirl vinyl. The natural variations in the pressing process mean no two records will look exactly alike.

Each copy will feature an individually numbered silver-foil Limited Edition Collector's Badge, commemorating its place in this exclusive small-batch pressing. Together with Kathy Dotson's anniversary artwork, the numbered badge and special vinyl color create a collectible record that celebrates the music, the community, and a milestone year for Wild & Scenic.

A physical record invites a different kind of listening: putting the needle down, spending time with the music, and keeping a little piece of the occasion with you. Individually numbered and made to last.

Wild & Scenic's story begins with the Yuba River. Long before the festival brought inspiring films to screens around the world, the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) was bringing neighbors together to protect the watershed that defines this community. That work continues today through river restoration, education, advocacy, and the dedication of people who care for this extraordinary place.

Twenty-five percent of proceeds from MOMENTUM will benefit SYRCL and its initiatives to protect and restore the Yuba River watershed. It's a meaningful part of this collaboration: a way for the music to give back to the river and the community behind the festival.

Expected shipping: Early February 2027, ahead of the festival. Exact fulfillment timing may change with vinyl production.

Festival pickup: Complimentary pickup in Nevada City during the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, February 18–22, 2027. Exact pickup instructions will be sent before the event. Festival pickup orders must be collected by February 22, 2027.

Production and delivery dates are estimates and may change. We'll email customers if pressing or fulfillment timelines shift. Questions: info@madcapmusicgroup.com