Our long, strange trip began in 2025, when a handful of Grateful Dead fans from across Europe came together with a simple vision: to connect Deadheads across the continent and create more opportunities to enjoy this music together.

We didn’t start from nothing. Dedicated fans had been keeping the spirit alive for years through gatherings, festivals and tribute bands, particularly in countries such as Germany, the UK and Spain. Yet despite these efforts, many of us remained scattered across borders.

Ever since, we have been driven by the desire to change this. What started as a handful of Deadheads finding each other online quickly evolved into an ever-growing number of folks happy to finally get to know each other. New friendships were formed, travel plans made, concerts organized and stories shared. For the first time, many of us felt part of a broader Deadhead community in Europe.

Today, Europe Deadheads connects Heads through a network built around our WhatsApp community, Facebook group, Instagram page and the newsletter Further Europe. These platforms help Deadheads across borders stay in touch between shows and plot the next ones together. They have become the backbone of a community that is active year-round rather than only meeting occasionally at festivals or shows.

Much of what happens within Europe Deadheads is created by the community itself. From local meetups to festivals, gatherings, artwork, websites and other projects, fellow Heads constantly bring new ideas to life and inspire others to get involved. This spirit of participation and mutual support continues to shape the community.

At its heart, Europe Deadheads is about more than music. It is about friendship, kindness, curiosity and the adventures that happen when people come together.

NFA