My good friend Sydney Benner is a fitness instructor, but with a twist. Sydney is one of the few instructors that I’ve come across who has a true passion for EDM music, and is a festival attendee herself. (Her last even pre-quarantine was Burning Man). Sydney’s workout class isn’t about shuffling (cuz I’m nowhere near coordinated enough for that) but have some simple dance moves mixed in with standard workout moves to keep you grooving. 

Most of Sydney’s classes take place on Zoom, but I got the chance to work with her on 5 moves to get your body moving in quarantine! Focused on, of course, your rave booty!

Here are 5 Moves to Get the Perfect Rave Booty: 

1. Pelvic Tilt - single leg kick out - Repeat 10x on each leg

Lay on your back and lift your booty off the floor and your pelvis high leaving your shoulder blades and triceps on your mat. Next lift one leg straight up while raising your glutes higher, then bring it into tabletop gently lowering the glutes (hovering off the mat) all while keeping your booty lifted and tight!

With your foot flexed, repeat 10x then switch to the other leg!

2. Table Pose - Booty Lifts - Repeat 10x on each leg

Position 1:

Next, flip over to tabletop and lift one leg high and your arms slightly ahead of your shoulders. Keep your leg straight, it’s less about lifting your leg high, and more about extending your leg with control while in alignment with your hip.

Position 2:

Next, move your leg forward toward your elbow, leaning your whole body toward your arms for position two. Flow back to position one to complete the move, and repeat 10x! After that, switch to the other leg!

3. Squats Into Pulses - 10 squats, 10 pluses, 4x

Oh, who doesn’t love a classic squat to get that booty working! Sometimes I get lazy with my squats, so use Sydney’s form below to make sure you get the most of your squats! Squat low, then stretch high extending your arms each time. 

Do 10 squats like this, then pulse for 10 low squats. Repeat this 4x!

Position 1:

Position 2: 

4. Side-lying kickbacks - Repeat 10x on each leg

Position 1- 

Make sure your mat is nice and cushioned under your hip bone for this one! Use your bottom arm to brace your body weight (forearm pressed into the mat with your elbow under shoulder), and the top arm should equally press into the floor. 

Bend your bottom leg back and extend your top leg on an angle behind you. 

Position 2:

Then, bring the leg into a crunch letting your thigh touch your elbow, then extend it back out again. Repeat these positions 10x, then switch to the other leg!

5. Single-Leg lunge to squat - Repeat 10x on each leg

These, KILL ME. Pick which leg to go forward first, then maintaining balance squat down making your back leg parallel with the floor. 

Repeat 10x on each leg. If you’re looking for even more of a challenge, after doing 10 on one side, do 10 pulses at the bottom! This is a great move that also makes you hold your core!

Steal Sydney’s Look: Boujee Baby Marabou Trim Top, Backstage Babe Mesh Biker Shorts, Malibu BB High Cut Bottoms, It’s the Right Time Dad Sneakers

I hope you enjoyed these moves! Remember, it’s not about working out and getting in shape, it’s about moving your body and feeling good! If you want more, check out Sydney’s Instagram for class times to join the dance party!

Share your pics trying these moves in your homegameauction workout gear (or rave gear turned workout) on Instagram!

Be sure to tag @iheartraves, @SydneyBenner, and @FestFashions for a chance to be featured! 

Giving back, doing charity work or finding ways to help others not only supports what PLUR really stands for, but makes you a happier person. It’s proven, you feel happier and better about yourself when you do things for others! So give back, and do good! 

There’s lots of ways to participate in this within the EDM community, so I want to highlight a few ways the community is giving back and some ways you can contribute as well!

Insomniac Cares

Insomniac Cares is dedicated to making a positive impact on issues facing the communities and neighborhoods where Insomniac Events are held. For every event that sponsors Insomniac Cares, $1 per ticket transaction and all guest list attendees are required a mandatory donation which helps fund the programs. 

Since 2011, Insomniac Cares has partnered with over 50 local and national charities and community organizations, donating over $2 million. Projects in the past have focused on defunct children’s art and music programs, providing housing for homeless youth, funding cancer research, and reforesting local parks.

Each year, the milestone event for Insomniac Cares is their EDC Las Vegas Charity Auction. Hosting numerous items up for bid from helicopter rides into the venue to artist meet and greets, the Charity Auction is an awesome opportunity for artists to give back AND fans to contribute in a larger way to the community!

In 2019 alone, the EDC LV Charity Auction raised $70,000 for Communities in Schools of Southern Nevada, a nonprofit devoted to working with schools and providing resources that are needed to help low-income students in K-12 succeed.

You can learn more about Insomniac Cares here.

Tomorrowland Foundation

Insomniac isn’t the only events company that gives back, the Tomorrowland Foundation is also doing amazing things to send good back to the world. They focus on children and young people ages 40-21, living in developing countries or regions in crisis, with parents that are preoccupied with ‘survival’ or with unequal chances in life.

These children are very often raised in poverty and have a high risk of spending themselves their whole life in poverty. The Tomorrowland Foundation wants to break this vicious circle by giving them chances to express themselves creatively and work on their self-esteem.

On April 18th 2018, the first Music & Arts School opened in Sekha, a small Nepalese village situated in the heart of the Himalayas. This Music & Arts School features four fully-equipped classrooms, a central courtyard and a stage. Teachers offer the children instruction in music, dance, art and theatre. 

This school is 100% funded with the gifts of our festival goers and was officially opened by Lost Frequencies who represented the People of Tomorrow. 

In 2019-2020 the Tomorrowland Foundation will collaborate with Mobile School, a nonprofit organization focused on working with street children all over the world. There are currently 57 mobile schools in 30 countries across four continents. Thanks to Tomorrowland Foundation they are able to continue and expand their great work around the world.

Tomorrowland Foundation is funded by a yearly contribution from WeAreOneWorld (the organization behind Tomorrowland) and attendee contributions. During the festival there are Donate Here carts where visitors have the opportunity to donate 2 “Pearls” (the Tomorrowland currency) to directly support the foundation. Plus all guest tickets require a mandatory contribution to the foundation.

Even cooler, each year, a secret restaurant is hidden inside the magical Tomorrowland Mainstage, where an exclusive dinner created by a world-class chef and his team is served to a select group of people. The full price of this experience is 100% donationed to the foundation. 

You can learn more about Tomorrowland Foundation here.

There’s also lots of artists that have started their own foundations or organizations or unique ways to give back.

Bassnectar’s Be Interactive

Bassnectar is notorious for encouraging his fans to give back to their communities in various ways. For two decades the Bassnectar Team has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity and invested countless hours in creative campaigns which catalyze giving, good deeds, and volunteer DIY charity activism. 

In 2018 he the team established Be Interactive -- a nonprofit organization inspiring ‘the empathic to make an impact through radical kindness, respectful creativity, volunteering, and charity.’ Four times a year they announce a new theme to rally around, and ways fans can collaborate with them. They also give money they raise from shows back to the community by funding projects directly in a grant application that anyone can apply for.

Funds come from $1 for every ticket sold to a Bassnectar-produced event, as well as fundraising events or donations made at the Love Here booth at Bassnectar Events. 

Learn more about Be Interactive here. Be sure to follow their Instagram too if you want to stay up to date.

There’s also a lot of DJs doing charity that we don’t hear about at times until something major happens and they use their social platforms as a speaker box. 

Recently, with the wildfires destroying Australia, lots of DJs have made a point to talk about how they are donating or how fans can as well. Flume (an Australian native, spoke about his personal donation, and Alison Wonderland updated her store for the month of January so that 100% of all profits will go towards helping. 

Sometimes finding out how your favorite DJs are giving back is all about following their socials and seeing what they’re up to.

Matoma announced something awesome on his socials on Jan 15 about the importance of climate change and the effect touring has on the planet. He announced that his next tour of the US will be the first tour in the WORLD to use carbon drawdown initiatives to remove the carbon footprint it creates. He’s done work like this before, with is 2018 tour which was climate positive, as certified by the United Nations.

I think Matoma is onto something great, and we should all pressure our favorite artists and events companies to look into doing something similar.

Many events work really hard at sustainability and focusing on their environmental impact. This is something we should all consider when we attend an event, and do our part to positively impact the environment. Whatever event you’re attending, check out their website for details on how they are giving back, and if you can’t find anything, maybe reconsider that event. We need to put pressure (with our dollars) on event organizers to think about this stuff ahead of time! 

I could literally turn this article into a book with the ways you can give back, be sustainable and help out the community via EDM. It is so easy to spread PLUR outside the festival. Our EDM community is already a great one, so doing some charity work or donations with groups in the community just helps show others how special we are. What will you do to give back this year? Share in the comments below some opportunities I didn’t mention!

You can easily DIY distressed jeans! Here's how to How to Make Ripped Jeans:

I started with a $20 pair of jeans and decided to distress them myself for a cute look. I love DIY projects, and finding a good deal on these jeans made it a fun activity for me to experiment with!

First thing I did was try on the jeans to see where I would want to make holes. Using chalk, you can draw lines or marks. Chalk washes out super easy, so that’s why I recommend it. Typically if you're distressing jeans, the rips begin at the knees, so I made marks there, and also just chose little spots all over that I liked.

From there, it was onto the hard work! And I’ll admit it, it was quite hard (but rewarding) work! 

There are lots of ways for how to make distressed jeans, and depending on exactly how the denim is stitched, you can try a few and figure out what works best.

The tools I tired were sandpaper, an old razor and scissors. I also learned pretty quickly that having a lint roller on hand while working was important too!

Sandpaper didn’t work super well for me, but my best friends were the razor to get the holes started, then my hands to pull on the threads! Using the razor shaves off lots of little fuzz, so I had a lint roller by my side to roll up the extra fuzz as I went so that I didn’t have a huge mess. 

The razor usually helped make the threads underneath visible, so that then using my fingers I would push the denim farther away from the hole. It exposes white strands that you can also pull through the woven denim. You have to be gentle though with these, as they can rip easily.

I also started to get frustrated with how long it took to razor holes, so at some points, I began using my scissors to just start cutting larger holes. I then used the razor over top to shave and fray the ends. These holes definitely looked different than the only razored ones, but I think it added to the naturally distressed look for my DIY distressed jeans to have holes of different types!

And there you go! I styled my DIY distressed jeans with a little bralette and a headscarf for a look that is ready for a cooler rave or festival! What tips do you have for distressing jeans Comment below!

HARD is well known for dropping some of the best lineups for summer raves. We all know this, and we eagerly anticipate any of their lineup drops. This year, they’ve of course not disappointed again, with headliners like Kid Cudi, Major Lazer and even better, some incredible B2B sets that have me super excited.

Here are 5 sets that made MY list of ones that I’ll be bouncing and grooving to all weekend long!

1. DROELOE

Droeloe has those summer vibes I’m looking for to get my Saturday started. Let’s be honest, I’ll probably get in pretty late that day, and their music is exactly the style I want to get my night started! Bounce tunes with a little bit of drag to the sound has me moving and grooving just enough in the sun. These two hail from the The Netherlands, the mother country for EDM, so they can be trusted if you’re not a fan yet and looking for somewhere to chill. They are also known for the way they weave elaborate artwork and graphics into their set, so it’s more like a live art experience than just a music set.

Listen Ahead:

2. Dillon Francis 

Ok honestly, I haven’t been to one of his sets in a while, but now that he’s reviving DJ Hanzel, I’m curious to see what other antics Dillion Francis is up to this weekend. He’s a total goof, his music is a party, and I want to be part of the fun. This is really where things will start to heat up for the night. He’s been dropping singles all year long like hotcakes, so I know his set is going to be jumping all over the place as he tries to mix in everything -- and I mean this in the best way -- it’s gonna be hype.

Listen Ahead:

3. DJ Snake B2B Malaa

HARD has been keeping this B2B set a secret from us until July 27th when the let us know that DJ Snake B2B Malaa would be closing out the Pink Tent Saturday night. This surprise B2B is probably the best one of Saturday if you ask me. The duo have been joining each other on stage all festival season long, so it’s no huge surprise that they’ll be here together. Their set will 100% be where you can find me closing out my night at Hard.

Listen Ahead:

4. Duke Dumont

Sunday is going to be a busier day for me. I’m hoping to get in early to start with Anna Lunoe, but my first must-see of the day is Duke Dumont. I used to see his sets ALL THE TIME with my best friend and I’m ready to get back on that train. We always love his sets because they’re bouncy and poppy. They have lyrics to join in with and Ocean Drive is the ULTIMATE summer jam.

Listen Ahead:

5. Flux Pavilion B2B Netsky 

Hard is throwing some serious B2Bs at me this year. This one, in particular, has me stoked because it’s two of my favorite artists doing a B2B together for the first time. For those not super familiar with Netsky, it’s drum and bass and Flux Pavilion is more dubstep -- with some drum and bass mixed in. Flux has some of my favorite drops, and I can’t wait to hear the two of the B2B to close out my Sunday night!

Listen Ahead:

and 

Here’s my schedule (I colored in those sets I’m going to try my best to make):

 HARD Summer Set Times Sunday, graphic courtesy of HARD 

Hard Summer this year is pretty much going to be the apex of neon fashion this summer. The event takes place Saturday, August 3 - 4th in San Bernardino, CA. A summertime racetrack event, it promises to be hot-hot-hot. No SoCal rave feels more ‘summer’ than Hard Summer, and I can’t wait to be out there checking out the fashion.

In preparation for the event, here are a few neon looks I’ve come up with to inspire your looks for the event, or for another summer rave in another state, or heck another country! 

Twin With Me

Why this name for this look? Because this is what I’ve bought to wear Sunday of Hard. And you know what they say, twinning is winning! 

But in all seriousness, I thought this outfit was super adorable. It reminds me of a neon, rave ballerina!

Neon Fishnet Thigh Highs: $4,87

Sparkly Daisy Petal Pasties: 9.95
Dreamland Sequin Ruffle Crop Top: 29.95

Dreamland Sequin Booty Shorts: 26.95

Geometric Layers

Mixing all the neon colors is a great look too! I love this mini skirt with the shorts under, it’s super comfortable and cute. The sneakers also have that reflective material on them (where the gray is) so they’d look super cool in some shuffling videos(make sure to have your flash turned on)!

Cutting Shapes Mini Skirt: 10.36
Cybernetic Neon Contrast Bodysuit: 21.95
Famous Wavez Sneakers: 36.95

The Harness Is Not Out

I repeat the harness is not out! It’s still a great staple to mix into looks this year! I love how it looks layered with this top, especially since it looks more comfortable than just on the naked boobies (if that's your vibe, than you do you, no judgment here!) Also if you wanna save on some biker shorts, cut some old fishnets above the knee!

Technologic Neon Sequin BIkini Top: 24.95
Daisy Corsets Dark Rush Bra Harness: 36.95
Technologic Neon Sequin High Waisted Bottoms: 24.95
Freaky Fishnet Biker Shorts: 19.95

Neon Dudes

There are some fun looks for guys to be colorful at Hard as well! You can mix a pair of shorts with Graphic Tee, or try an alt style with some pasties and wild shorts! My friend is getting the Iridescent Dreams shorts because it’s going to match my neon yellow look!

Adding Neon

Ok, I wanna talk about accessories here because you don’t always need to order a whole new look to get in on a trend! It’s always fun to just re-work a few pieces you already own and save on costs! The neon trend is SUPER easy to just accessorize with because it matches black or white perfectly. For example, take all the racetrack checkered print items you rocked last year, and mix in a neon piece to make a new look!

Going in Circles Belt: 9.95

Atlas Bag: 43.99

PWR UP Corset: 42.95

Black Matrixx Platform Sneakers: $101

Still need more inspo to Go Hard? Check out these badass babes' looks (all available on homegameauction.com!): 

Photo Credit: @loveejasminn_

Photo Credit: @festivalpassport 

Photo Credit: @_basskitten

Stoked to see you all in your neon looks at Hard Summer! Tickets are still on sale. You can buy a single day or two-day tickets! The event is 1 pm to 11 pm each day (woo! Early nights!) There are even city shuttles you can take, check out the SoCal locations they’re picking up here.

Lightning in a Bottle is taking place this year May 8 - 13, 2019 at Buena Vista Lake in Kern County, CA. This year the festival has moved to a new location, closer to LA, and a smaller attendee size. I love LiB so it doesn’t matter to me where it is, I know they’re going to fire on all cylinders no matter what.

LiB is filled with lots of art. There’s Big Art which is all the giant sculptures and interactive pieces of art around the festival. There’s the Live Painting which is over 50 amazing artists creating beautiful pieces around the festival all weekend long, and then there’s the ArtClave, in its second year which offers an experiential art environment for attendees to participate on their own.

Big Art

These sculptures and pieces are always so additive to the LiB environment. I love walking around and discovering them around the festival, perfectly blending into the environment. This year, there’s some return pieces, some return artists, and of course some new ones. This is one thing I personally don’t like to read too much on before because I prefer to be surprised upon arrival, but if you want to read more about each piece and the artist, you can do so here.

Live Painting

This year there are over 50 artists from around the world invited to turn blank canvases into incredible works of art. Literally, this always amazes me at the festival, and I love checking back each day to see where an artist is in their work. Some artists finish quickly, and some layer up each day, changing their piece. What’s really cool, is that there’s mobile bidding on the art, with a final Art Walk on Sunday for people to place their final bids.

One day I am going to have enough money to buy a piece that inspires me at LiB. How cool is it to purchase something where you were part of its creation?

ArtClave

Last year was the first time we saw the ArtClave at LiB and I don’t even know how we lived without it! It’s such a perfect addition to this already creative festival, and I’m looking forward to checking it out again. These classes filled up super fast usually, but they always tried to make room for anyone who attended which was awesome. These are the types of things I like to do a lot of reading up on before so that I know where/when I want to attend.

This year the lineup includes:

• Art Must Be Easy: Drawing Techniques By Adam One
• Might try this one!
• Bookbinding: Make Your Own LIB Journal! By Amy Kells
• Body as Canvas: Body Painting Basics by Radhika Hersey & RIO Sirah
• Build an Earth Mandala By Megan Sara
• I’d like to learn more about this one!
• Collaborative Expression: Painting without Attachment By Asirios
• Seems interesting as well
• Crochet Your Way to Happiness: By Odyssey Designs
• Cult Making 101: Crew Symbol Design By White Cube Society
• I love the idea of this
• Digital Mandala Activations of the Higher Self: Mixed Media By Benedigital
• Doodle Flow Sketch Storytelling: Art Therapy By Party Snail
• Free Your Mind, Free Your Hair! Hair Crafting by Dreece
• This is intriguing
• Headwear Design: Basics of Millinery By Ava Youssefi
• Paper Metamorphosis - From Two Dimensions into Three By Jeff Morrical
• Serpent Wire Wrap with Kundalini Meditation: Jewelry Making by Itzli-Children of Venus
• Shibari: Japanese Rope Art By Pirate Gentleman
• Suminagashi: The Japanese Art of Marbling By Hamid Naemeh
• both of these Japanese art ones seem cool to me
• Exploring Projections Through Painting: Art Therapy By Party Snail
• Watercolor Painting Techniques: From the Fundamental To the Experimental! By Amy Kells

If you want to read a few more details on each one, check out the LiB site, and make sure to download the app before you head in! Lots of details will be there too, and you can build your schedule with alarms to go off during the day for each experience!

This photos above are from one of my favorites last year presented by Juniors Pickles, and I’m super excited to see he is back again!

There’s always some fun drinking ones, but this is always a good place to go and escape the heat. There’s a full list of classes, so this is another experiential part of LiB that I suggest reading up on beforehand, so that you can add them to your app schedule.

My friends and I often read through all of the offerings in the LiB app on the drive in since we have a captive audience then. I like to do my own list beforehand, then read again together with everyone!

You can read more about each class on the LiB site, but here is also the full list, with which ones sound interesting to me!

• Flavors of the Forest: Cooking with Wild Food
• Tantalizing Turkish Taste Ritual
• Mural: Adventures with Agua Fresca Cerveza
• heck yes! This is one hosted by New Belgium Brewery and it’s always about their latest brew, and has refreshing samples!
• Om Yum: Nourishing Body & Sould with Ayurveda
• Superfood Detox for Boundless Energy & Brain Brilliance
• 25 Tools of Self Love front h Kitchen
• Sprouted Nut N.O.G.: Nectar of the Gods
• (sorry we can all giggle at this title together)
• Pickle Brine Benefits, Elixir and Mixers
• yes, pickle me up Junior!! I sense pickle backs in my future!!!
• Art of Fermentation: Kimchi, Sauerkraut, Coconut Yogurt & Nut Cheese
• I’ve been super into pickling things lately, so I’d like to check this one out!
• Let’s Taco-Bout Taco Salad!
• Tossed! A Salad Workshop
• This sounds yummy
• Healing & Heavenly Desserts
• DESSERT YESSS
• A Taste of Tantalizing Tonics
• You had me at ‘taste’ – also their description says they’ll be making Gaucho’s Golden Horchata, Cucumber Aloe Refresher and Activated Charcoal Lemonade – which sounds super interesting
• Eat Flower: Yummy Fast Food
• this sounds so bizarre that I want to hear more; I remember being a Girl Scout and learning about flowers I could eat….
• Perfect Weather: Tasting + Dance Party
• Granola to Grits: Breakfast Cereal Wake up with GoodDeeds!
• Heart Frequency Cacao
• Sensuous Raw Chocolate Aphrodisiacs
• Next Level Festival with a Plant-Based Keto Diet
• Four-Course Foreplay
• this sounds cool! it’s all about aphrodisiac foods!

Since we’re on the topic of food, I think now is also a good time to mention all of the food vendors coming to Lightning in a Bottle. LiB has a mix of food experiences, including some sit down dining ones. If I get a press pass this year I want to purchase one of the sit down dining ones, it’s just too hard to afford both right now, so fingers crossed!

I’m always super impressed by the food at LiB so while I pack a lot to eat at camp, I splurge on one meal a day from a vendor to experience something delicious!

Here’s this year’s lineup, and if you want to read more about what each one makes, just check out the LiB site and click each name to read up!

• 11th Hour Coffee
• Al Forno Pizza
• Amazebowls
• Awesome Sauce Kitchen
• Big Phan
• Bite Bowls
• Black Fin Sushi
• Bliss Cafe
• Blue Sun Cafe
• California Cuisine
• Chinese Laundry
• Coalesce Juicery & Whole Foods Kitchen
• Crepe Hearts
• Dough Lab
• Dump City Dumplings
• Get Fried Rice
• Govinda’s Veggie Bomb
• Gypsy Eats
• Hangry Moon’s
• Javagogo
• Joypop
• Killa Dilla
• Lydia’s Kind Foods
• Notcho Fish Taco
• Poutine Your Mouth
• Ruru Kitchen
• Sankofa
• Senior Corn
• Spiro’s Gyros
• Stay Cheesy SD
• Sunshine Organic Coffee Roasters
• Tante’s
• The Big Cheese
• The Ice Shack
• The Juicery
• The Mac
• The Middle Feast
• Tru Bruew
• Vida Vegan

See you at LiB!

Part of this journey is, of course, perfecting my hair for festivals and raves. In the past few years, we’ve seen glitter roots, space buns, festival braids and rainbow hair. I’ve experimented in literally all of these styles and more. 

There are lots of gorgeous photos out there of girls with their hair styled perfectly to these looks, but not all of us have the budget to hire someone or super talented friends in our repertoire to do it for us. That’s why I decided to try and see if I can take on braids, one of this year’s biggest festival hair styles, and handle it myself!

I’m hoping to have a whole series of ways you can style your own rainbow hair styles as I practice more, and find more simple styles to do!

My first piece is all about just creating one simple rainbow braid - not taking it too far, or making it too complicated.

Since I wasn’t sure exactly how to start the braid so that the top would look nice, I decided to part my hair super far over to add the braid almost like a hair wrap under a layer of hair. This way I was able to hide any messy beginnings of my style.

I took only a small piece of my styling hair, and looped it through a tiny hair rubber band so that it had two sides. I then looped the hair around a piece of my own hair just like any other pony holder.

I then simply braided the hair down until the end and tied it off with another rubber band. I clipped the edges to make them more even. If you have shorter hair, you can, of course, end your braid earlier and then clip the excess hair off.

I pushed my part over top of the braid to hid the messy top, then used a bobbi pin to clip it all back cutely. You could also use some prettier clips as well if you have them!

Voila! I had a simple fun addition to my hair.

Check out my DIY braids video below to learn how you can create your own festival braids, just in time to have awesome festival hair for 2019 festival season!

I think the best place to find them is in your downtown area where there are likely to be some cheap shops - try looking for a wig shop specifically. You’ll find better quality ones for sure. The most I’ve ever spend is $60 for a wig, which yes was a lot, but the number of times I’ve worn it, it’s so worth it!

Let’s get into how I put my wig on, and some tips along the way.

I always start by washing my hair. I do this for a few reasons. First, It’s a heck of a lot easier to braid hair that is usually thick when it is wet. It also helps then keep all the little flyaways down, which I have a problem with, too.

I also do it because when I braid my hair and let it dry in braids, I get really cute crimps, which is an easy day 2 look for an event!

Next, you start braiding one side. It took me a long time to learn to do braids, and even now I can only do them to myself and they are inside out! I used to watch my mom braid her hair (she could also not french braid anyone else’s!) and after watching a lot, I started trying to braid my own hair. 

Braid the other side the same way. Practice doing braids whenever you can, and you’ll get better over time. Even now mine isn’t perfect, but especially for just going under a wig or for crimping my hair they are good enough! It helps to have a friend watch you as you braid to help direct if you’re missing any pieces as you go.

Next, I cross the braids in the back making like a crown on my head. Don’t lay the braids on top of each other, as that will make them super thick and your head larger, but lay them right next to each other. Then use bobby pins to pin them down. I usually do pins at the bottom where they cross, at the top to keep the ends down and then a few in between.

I usually give my head a good shake to make sure nothing feels loose. It’s important to make sure these braids feel secure because if they don’t you’ll feel loose under your wig and won’t really have a way to fix it. So make sure you keep this nice and neat from the start.

I try and smooth my wig as much as I can before I put it on. I do any little brushing I need to before it is on. It’s really important to store your wigs nicely so you can wear them multiple times.

Also, some wigs have little adjustable sizes in the cap of the wig before you put it on. If you know what size you are, adjust before placing it on. Sometimes it's easier to test what size you need when your hair is down so you can take it on and off until you know exactly where it will need to be later.

Then, starting from the back, put your wig on, placing the bulk of the braids on the back of your head into the wig. I usually have my hands inside the wig as much as I can to then pull the whole thing over the front of my face.

Use your fingers to tuck and push any pieces of hair that snuck out around the edges. I then always add a hat of some sort because it helps keep my wig on. You can also instead use bobby pins to pin it again into the braids, just be sure to lift some hair and then insert the pins so you can’t see them.

Since I have cheaper wigs, too, wearing a hat helps make it look more “real” by hiding the fake looking part. As I’ve gone through more and more wigs I’ve also learned that while wigs with bangs initially felt weird to me, they are the most natural looking because of the part. So I also try to get wigs with bangs now, which I can style to a side if I don’t like them in the middle, but it helps it look more real!

That’s about it! That’s how I put on my wigs. When you’re done wearing it for the night make sure to brush it out and pack it back properly for next time!

Of course, as the cost went down, the quality went down as well. They were also still pretty expensive costing $50+ for a pair of tights. So I thought, maybe I could make them myself?

I ordered two pairs of fishnet tights to experiment with from homegameauction:

Nylon Fishnet Tights in Black for 3.95 

Spandex Diamond Net Tights in White for 6.95.

I wanted to experiment with the various colors and the various styles of tights.

Once I had my tights, I took a look around my bedroom for some beads I could maybe use. If you’re like me, you’ve been collecting things like this since childhood, so I, of course, had a few bead kits to start. One was more neutral tones that I decided to pair with the white tights, and the other was blue hues which I decided to pair with the black tights.

From looking at various versions of these tights on Etsy, I knew that layering beads with things like flowers added to the elaborate designs, so next I set out to find some beading sequins and flowers to layer up for my tights. I was actually able to find a pack of sequins at the Dollar Store, but the flowers were harder to find. I had to go to the garment district in Downtown LA to find flower shaped sequins to layer.

The shop in Downtown LA was great and super reasonably priced. I bought 5 packs of little flowers for $1-1.50 each. So my total financial investment was less than $20 for both pairs of tights. Now onto the sewing.

Honestly, the only way I could figure out how to sew the tights was to be wearing them. I put on my tights and picked an area I wanted to add details to. I started with the white, larger diamond fishnet tights.

I tied the two pieces of string that are created after you thread a needle, into a knot at the end so that there was a loop. I found this was the best way to then attach the start of the thread to the tights. I would just loop through a piece of the tights then through the loop I created with the thread, on the needle creating a starting place.

I initially thought that I would want to tie each piece as I added it because it would make the tights lose their stretch if I was looping thread all around, but that was WAY too time consuming and I found it didn’t really matter. So as I added pieces to the tights I would just weave in and out of the tights to each new spot I wanted to sew something.

When sewing beads I would loop through a few times, whereas the trick for stacking flowers was to loop back into the flowers, and I’ll show how to do that below.

The white tights were much harder to sew because of how far away each little cross of the tights was. The beads I decided looked way too little too for this style, and I’d have to invest in some larger embellishments I think for this look to actually work. Next time I’m Downtown in the garment district I’ll take a look at what larger items they have to sew on and see if that’s worth it.

Next, I tried the black smaller fishnet holed tights.

Here is the process to sew layered pieces onto the tights. First I would pick what I wanted to layer, usually a larger flower, then a smaller one and sometimes a bead on top of that or even a sequin in between the flower layers. The trick then is to loop back through all of the layers EXCEPT the top one to hold them all in a nice stack.

Then the way to continue adding pieces is to sew in between the layers of tights just adding whatever you want as you go! I didn’t really stick to a full pattern but tried to space the stuff out nicely. Make sure to stand up halfway through your sewing and look in a mirror to make sure you’re sewing in the right areas. I noticed when I stood up that I was missing half of the side of my leg so I then moved to sew more that way.

So my review? I’ll be honest, this took FOREVER to do. The back pain was also not great as I hunched in weird ways to sew on my own legs. I don’t really like how the white tights turned out, for bigger fishnet tights I think I’d definitely need larger beads and flowers to add.

The black pair was much more fun to make since the sewing was smaller with the smaller holes of the tights. I think the small flowers also look OK with the smaller fishnet tights. They will look cute and textured with a black dress for a work event or holiday party, or with some little bottoms at a rave.

So overall? If you’re feeling creative and like to sew, go for it; they’re fun to make! I would recommend sticking to smaller fishnet tights and get some larger embellishments. I totally get now how a pair could cost $200! Lots and lots of hard work go into making each pair!

The festival is taking place over five days this spring on April 3-7, 2019 on the Caribbean island of Barbados. This will be its second year marrying island relaxation and festival culture.

I love the idea of heading to an island for a music festival. Actually, I love the idea of heading to a new environment for a festival. I think that’s why I was always so into going to SnowGlobe, because it was such a unique environmental location for a music festival. I’ve never been to an island for a festival, and I really would love to go to one sometime.

The Caribbean islands are a fabulous location for a festival if you ask me. The clear warm waters, the tropical vibes, the proximity to the US (especially for East Coasters)! Vujaday plans on taking full advantage of the island by having the festival take place at a unique location each of the five days of the festival. It’s really cool because you’re given an experience on the island, beyond just attending the festival.

“The island is brimming with a vivid culture and amazing sights to take in, and we wanted to make sure that the festival format allowed for guests to experience more than just a single location while enjoying music from around the world,” says Ryan Kruger, Vujaday co-founder and president of The RKET Group.

Venue highlights from last year included Bellevue Plantation, a 100-acre property built in 1735 that included a pool, polo fields, and lush gardens surrounding the property. Another favorite was Cornwall House, which allowed those in attendance to witness a breathtaking sunrise while overlooking the gorgeous Eastern Coast of Barbados. Other venues were located directly on the beach and gave those in attendance the chance to sink their feet in the sand throughout the event.

The musical focus of the festival is different styles of house and techno. They’ll be showcasing internationally renowned DJs as well as some local favorites. So far the Phase 1 lineup has been released which features Welsh DJ and producer Sasha, a club set from Canadian electronic duo Bob Moses, All Day I Dream founder Lee Burridge, Detroit house and techno staple Moodymann and many more.

This year, Vujaday has also announced a new daytime party series, to keep the party going in between the main events.

Tickets are literally already selling out, so get them while you can. For more information, including ticket pricing, visit Vujaday's website. 

For me, one of my favorite parts about Escape is touring the Wonderland Asylum. It’s a 32,000 haunted house with production quality at Disneyland levels. This year’s haunt was the largest and most intricate yet, featuring over 150 performers, 25 individual sound systems, and 30 distinct rooms depicting scenes from eight years of Escape trailer storylines.

The fashion though is of course a favorite thing for me as well! Day one I dressed as a leopard and day two I was a devil. The weather kept pretty warm both nights, so it was easy to be dressed in your costume without having to cover it up to stay warm! Let’s check out some of my favorite looks from this year. There’s, of course, no wrong time to wear a costume to a rave, so take these looks as inspo for even your next event -- Halloween or not!

Rawr

Mesh Keyhole Halter Top: homegameauction, 19.95

Wild One Belted Utility Pants: homegameauction, 30.51

Fishnet Oversized T-Shirt: homegameauction, 15.95

Glitter Tiger Pasties: Neva Nude, 6.47

Sparkly Snakeskin Strappy One-Piece: homegameauction, 26.44

Wet Look High Neck Zipper Bodysuit: homegameauction, 38.95

Into the Shadows Zip Front Tube Top: homegameauction, 13.21

Into the Shadows Lace Up Shorts: homegameauction, 16.64

Night Walker Face Jewels: Neva Nude, 12.95

Animal Instincts Plunge Bodysuit: homegameauction, 44.95

Liquid Leather Bottoms: homegameauction, 32.95

Wet Look Thigh Highs: homegameauction, 18.95

Metallic Corset: homegameauction, 16.15

Gold Sequin Star Pasties: Neva Nude, 7.96

Liquid Leather Bottoms: homegameauction, 32.95

Chaps: homegameauction

The Empire Strikes Back

Holographic Sporty Cut Out Crop Top: homegameauction, 36.95

Micro Booty Shorts (Holographic & Black): homegameauction, 19.16

Fearless Fence Net Bodysuit: homegameauction, 15.95

Hologram High Waisted Booty Shorts: homegameauction, 19.96

Multi Strap Garter Utility Belt: homegameauction, 21.56

Liquid Leather Sporty Crop Top: homegameauction, 36.95

Vinyl Body Harness: homegameauction, 35.72

Holographic Mesh Cropped Tank: J Valentine, 19.95

Iridescent Daisy Jewel Pasties: Lunautics, 15.95

All Tied Up High Cut Bottoms: J Valentine, 34.95

Holographic Studded Heart Leg Garters: homegameauction, 18.36

Plur-oween

Delusion Bodysuit: Rolita Couture, 31.48

Glitter Robotic Pasties: Pastease, 7.96

Hazy Holographic Ring Choker: homegameauction, 7.96

Holographic Mesh Cropped Tank: J Valentine, 19.95

Hologram Scrunch Tie Sport Shorts: homegameauction, 26.95

Fence Net Thigh Highs: homegameauction, 6.95

Giant Butterfly Wings: homegameauction, 32.76

Bondage Harness: homegameauction, 17.89

Bejeweled Butterfly Pasties: Lunautics, 13.56

Liquid Leather Bottoms: homegameauction, 32.95

Wrapped in Lust Harness: homegameauction, 21.56

On the Brink Buckle Mini Crop Top: homegameauction, 23.95

Liquid Tripp Bottoms: homegameauction, 32.95

On Theme

Skeleton Pasties: Pastease, 9.99

Studded Garter Belt Harness: homegameauction, 29.95

Jet Black Bodysuit: homegameauction, 12.94

All photos taken by me, @festfashions. 

I was able to take some awesome pics of the fashion I found at the festival, and I’m so excited to share some of them with you here!

Butterfly Wings, Puff Ball Headband

Rave Princess One Piece, Fluffy Moon Dust Light Up Choker (girl), Monochrome Tie Dye T-Shirt (guy)

Rainbow Spiked Kaleidoscope Goggles, Light Up Tie Dye Cropped Fur Jacket

Rainbow Checkered Set

Sparkling Bandage Knit Set, Shooting Star Rhinestone Mesh Flares

I didn't get a chance to photograph these lovely ladies, but the homegameauction’ Unicorn Crew had super cute looks at Nocturnal, too!

Photo Credit: Stephanie Le Photography

Bewitched Sparkle Crop Top, Bewitched Sparkle Lace Up Short, Studded Garter Belt Harness (Purple Outfit)

Ready, Set, Go Checkered Tube Top, Ready, Set, Go High Waist Short, Wrapped in Lust Harness (Checkered Outfit)

Photo Credit: Stephanie Le Photography

Moonlight Mesh Maxi Skirt, Femme Fatale Lace Up Crop Top, Non-Slip Silver Glitter Leg Wraps

As I said, Nocturnal Wonderland always feels like the end of summer for me, which is a super bittersweet feeling. While that means that festival season is winding down, 2018 Festival Season was definitely one for the books and I'm excited to see what the rest of the year has in store. Next up, Escape!

For most of us, this ends up with us wanting to attend more events, but for some people, they’re left wanting to build a career in the industry and help create those moments for even more people. I had the chance to sit down with one of these people who was so inspired at Deadmau5’s set at EDC 2010 - his first rave - that he decided he wanted to make music on his own, and now as of August 1, 2018 he has been signed to Deadmau5’s label, Mau5trap.

This story is important because it inspires me that if you “find your thing”, work hard and follow your dreams, they will someday come true. I know a lot of us want to work in the industry, and finding what your niche is within it is important. For me it’s connecting with people in person and capturing them on film as a photographer and journalist. For someone else it might be designing the visuals to a set, producing music or managing an artist. There’s so many ways to be a part of this community and expand plur vibes every day.

Talking with Anakim [pronounced Ana-keem] was inspirational for me, and that’s why I want to tell his story, so that hopefully someone out there reading this can feel inspired too, and know that whatever their dream is that they are pursuing, with a positive attitude and lots of hard work -- it too can be achieved.

Anakim is a Los-Angeles based DJ. He grew up locally always having a passion for music but was never exposed to EDM until 2010.

“My friends were like ‘ we have an extra ticket to EDC you should come’ and I was like ‘oh I don’t know about that, I don’t know if it’s my scene’... but I had the time of my life, and I had no idea that 5-6 years later I would transition to behind the decks.”

Unbeknownst to him, what he experienced, at what was the last EDC in Los Angeles, was a turning point in his life.

“20/20 hindsight, it was a life changing moment. I just fell in love with the culture, I fell in love with the people in the crowd ... that PLUR vibe that everyone talks about was so real and so true back then that it literally took ahold of me. I literally went to every single rave and every single show that I could for 7 years straight.”

Sounds like a familiar story for some of us, right? I could totally understand what he was saying about how the scene took ahold of him. It’s a crazy feeling and I know many people who have felt the same thing.

7 years later, he decided to take his career path in the scene seriously by applying to and attending a music production school called Icon Collective. Icon Collective has an alumni list that includes Jauz, NGHTMRE, Slander, BlackGummy, Kayzo and many more.  

While in school, Anakim wasn’t sure wasn’t sure what style music he wanted to make or where exactly he fit into the music industry. Again under the pressure of a friend, he was invited to explore a new festival for him, Desert Hearts, where he had a realization moment of where his sound was going to come from.

“There was this artist who was playing this really sexy, deep style of intergalactic music - every time I closed my eyes to the set it reminded me of traveling through space - and I had an epiphany: this is the style of music I wanna make.”

He spent the rest of his year at Icon finding his intergalactic-deep-house sound and branding himself as Anakim. Which by the way, Anakim is a race of mythological giants who are descendants of a group called the Anak who apparently live on an undiscovered planet in our galaxy. Perfect name for a DJ who’s sound is inspired by intergalactic travel.

I caught his set at Mau5trap’s Day Trip event at Academy LA Sunday Sept 9th, and was really digging it. It had everyone bopping even if the heat had most of us wishing we were immobile. I could hear how various genres had inspired his music and thought it was cool how he was mixing what sounded like a soundtrack as we traveled with him on his musical journey.

Anakim’s new EP comes out today, and if you’re looking for something new I highly suggest checking it out. He’s resident DJ at Sound Nightclub in LA as well, so be sure to check him out live sometime for the full experience.

Our scene is about positivity, and I totally felt that radiating from Anakim. It’s exciting to see someone with such energy having such awesome successes. I’m excited to see what the future has for Anakim, and where he takes us to next on this intergalactic journey.

Remember, your camping pass is for up to 5 people, who all need to have wristbands to the event. Wristbands for the camping are handed out upon arrival. There were a few more options for camping this year: Lakeside (which offers closer access to the festival, dedicated restrooms, and mostly shaded spaces) or regular GA tent camping. There’s of course also RV camping and Car Camping. Nocturnal for me is close enough to the parking area that I don’t mind just doing regular camping, though the Lakeside this year sounds really nice and I’m excited to hear how people liked it!

To get everyone who is camping stoked on their time there, I’ve collected all of the awesome camping activities offered this year! There’s so much more than just sleeping there, so I want to make sure you have it all read beforehand so you don’t miss a thing!

• Thursday night there’s a not-so-silent Camping Pre-Party
• Every night once the festival closes there’s an awesome Silent Disco, usually 3 DJs performing and lots of space to dance
• Friday and Saturday afternoons there’s Open Deck opportunities! Anyone with a camping wristband can bring a USB with enough original content to play a 30-minute set! The first 8 people to sign up each day will get a slot, and sign-ups begin each day at the Silent Disco area at 11:30 am.
• Yoga to recenter yourself and stretch before all that dancing
• Arts & Crafts because this is like summer camp and we’re here to have a good time
• STARGAZING yes that’s in all caps because THAT IS JUST HOW EXCITED I AM to read that there are expert guides to take us through a curated view of the sky at Nocturnal!!
• There, of course, is the Water Park to cool you down during the day from 10am - 5pm with a wading pool and some awesome slides. A great place to scout for a rave bae.

As we get closer to Nocturnal, I’m also freaking out about the amazing lineup I’m about to see. It’s always hard for me to pick just one day of a festival because there are so many awesome artists. This year I’m excited for Flux Pavilion, Nora En Pure, Jai Wolf and Netsky on Friday. Saturday my must-sees are Kill the Noise, NGHTMRE & Slander and Audien. I’m excited to be bouncing around from stage to stage, and I must emphasize that you should check out the small sponsored stages at Nocturnal. They always have some amazing secret sets of your favorite mainstage artists, as well as an awesome space to relax and discover new artists!

And if you’re still struggling for inspo on what to wear this year, be sure to check out my article with some Nocturnal Wonderland inspired looks that I styled with some of my favorite items from homegameauction! Who knows, if you’re wearing one of the items from iHR I might just snap your photo for my fashion recap! Check back in after the festival to read my fashion recap on Studio 240. 

All this to say that Camp Flog Gnaw (CFG) has peaked my interest. It has some artists I really enjoy on the lineup and is taking place close to home at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. CFG is happening the weekend of November 10-11, 2018 and literally sold out in mere minutes. I’m not exaggerating when I say that the VIP tickets were the first to go, a rare feat for most festivals who sell out GA passes first.

Tyler, The Creator has been pumping this 2018 edition of Camp Flog Gnaw to the max in so many ways. Let’s start with the tickets, which, if you thought you were out of luck, there’s a Fan-To-Fan ticket exchange, where you can do your best to cop a ticket, and maybe some of the swag. That’s right, swag. GA tickets were the only ones that came without any swag and just carnival entry.

At a price of $395+fees, VIP tickets came with the usual dedicated entrance, viewing areas and a VIP Clubhouse, but what really pushed the purchase over the edge was that it came with a VIP merch package. This included a pair of Golf Le Fleur x Converse (you picked your size at check out) personally designed by Tyler. There was also a Golf Wang backpack, Golf Wang hat, a CFG disposable camera (because we all love these but would never buy one on our own), CFG socks, a CFG lanyard and a CFG patch.

These VIP tickets sold out quickly (literally like in 2 minutes) giving those who wanted the VIP experience one option: Super VIP Passes. At $1000+Fees this pass came with swag as well which included a pair of Golf Le Fleur x Converse designed by Tyler, a fully custom 2 person tent, sleeping bag, camping chair, rucksack backpack and stainless steel water canteen. For the record though, there is no camping at this event, but you'll be all set to go during your next camping adventure. 

So it’s safe to say the event is going to be nuts. It’s all ages so I can now understand why it sold out so quickly, there’s really not many events in LA with this awesome of a lineup that are all ages. If I was in high school, I’d totally be all over this event, it’s a rare opportunity!

CFG also has a totally awesome lineup. I just saw Billie Eilish and Post Malone at Lollapalooza this year, and was blown away. Billie was such a treat to see live, her voice is just as amazing in person. And then Post Malone, I mean, I can’t get over how much fun his set was. He was so genuine and likable on stage, not to mention his music live with a band was really actually great! Other favorites that would be worth checking out at CFG would be obviously Tyler, The Creator, SZA, Little Dragon, and A$AP Rocky. I saw A$AP Rocky once at Coachella (?I think that was where?) and had SO much fun at his set.

There’s also going to be carnival games and rides at CFG. The rides are all free with ticket purchase but games will be extra. They had a $65 Unlimited Games Pass you could add to your ticket too if you wanted. I wonder if they will have swag or just regular carnival prizes?

I love living in LA because I get the opportunity to see so many artists from so many genres. As someone who likes fashion a LOT, it’s awesome to dress uniquely to each of these events and express a different part of my personality each time. As human beings we’re multifaceted, and I love embracing all of the personalities that make me uniquely me.

So if nothing else, check out some of the artists I’ve mentioned here and listen to some new music! You’ll be surprised what you might like! I’ll share some Camp Flog Gnaw inspired looks styled by homegameauction as we get closer to the event!

Lollapalooza takes place at Grant Park in Chicago, IL over four days, August 2 - August 5, 2018. Grant Park is right in the heart of the city, so the festival each day is open from 11 am to 10 pm for noise ordinance reasons. As discussed in my previous article, the party doesn’t have to stop at 10 pm for you, as you can check out the Chicago nightlife or one of the Lolla after hours shows!

But let’s talk about wristbands for Lolla. Make sure that once you have it, you activate it, but DO NOT put it on until the day of the event.

Once you’re activated, there’s the option to add Lolla Cashless to your wristband. This is the easiest way to pay for merch, food, and more inside the festival. Basically you tap your wristband to pay! You’ll have a pin you set up as well, so don’t worry, if someone steals your wristband they won’t be able to just make purchases with it.

This cardless payment method is sponsored by Citi card, which of course means they’re offering some added benefits. I’m not a City card member, but my mom is… maybe I’ll ask to register her card to my wristband so I can get some of the Citi card member perks.

Card members who are 21+ get access to the Citi Viewing Deck, which offers a premium view to catch artists performing at the Grand Park Stage. AND each card member can bring one guest to this space too! Which is SUPER cool, so you don’t have to ditch your boyfriend -- or maybe don’t tell him if you want to ditch him, IDK your life.

The viewing deck is also cleared after each performance, so people can’t hang there all day. There is a limited number of people who can get there for each performance, so go early if you want a space for someone specific!

Also, if you register with your Citi card by Aug 1, the first 8,000 people will get $10 to use at the festival instantly! Then after Aug 1, the first 4,000 will get $5! Pretty sweet right!

Lightning in a Bottle (LiB) continues to be my favorite weekends of the whole year. I just can’t believe how fast the weekend passes, but also how long it feels at the same time. Every year feels like a totally new experience, but also like going home. You feel comfortable there, but it doesn’t ever feel routine.

On the way into Lightning in a Bottle this year I pulled up my article from the first year I went and read it to my friends in the car. It was appropriately titled ‘A Weekend Filled with Random Moments’. I am really happy I re-read about my first time before arriving. There’s a quote in this article from when I interviewed one of the LiB founders, Dede Flemming, that I want to revisit:

“People will say ‘what just happened’,” after attending LIB said founder Dede Flemming. “LIB is filled with random moments in time, captured, like lightning in a bottle”.

LiB is absolutely made up of these random little moments still today, and that’s what continues to make it so special. The number of attendees may continue to grow (just hitting 30,000 this year) and the venue may continue to expand and change, but each year you still have all those little moments coming together like magic.

This year we started our LiB experience a day earlier, arriving on Thursday for the first time. In the past we have always driven out Thursday after work but stayed in a hotel that night and drove into camp early Friday AM. This year we left Los Angeles about 5AM and headed directly to the festival. The ride to Bradley wasn’t long at all, but it was the final 10ish miles that took us the longest. Once we arrived in Bradley and got off the freeway exit, there was immediately a long line of stop and go cars extending to the festival grounds. There’s only one road in and out of Lake San Antonio for LiB.

Honestly we had read about this happening on Reddit before and I’m not totally surprised that we had to sit in the car for 2½ hours until we got inside. Lucky for us, we had some friends that arrived at the gate around 6 AM, waited until the gates opened by 10AM, and were able to save space right next to their car for us to camp with them. When I go again next year, I will either wake up early to arrive at the gate before 8 AM or just go later. We never really had a huge issue finding camping space Friday morning, so finding camping Thursday afternoon shouldn’t be a problem.

I was excited to experience Thursday night for the first time. We always heard great things about going in Thursday, that there’s a different feeling to the festival because there’s nothing going on at the mainstages. Instead, you get to explore more of the grounds and become familiar with the space.

This is the first year that I had a big camping group, the kind where you have a living room of space in the middle of your tents. I had always been super jealous of people who had spaces like this in the past, and finally we had one of our own. One of my good friends Daniel and his girlfriend Rachel (that saved us a spot) had a few other friends meet up at the same space as well. It was probably 12 of us total once everyone arrived.

After setting up our camp, (which by the way, we macgyvered one with a tarp) we walked into the festival to explore. The Lightning and Thunder stages were still having final touches added, but everything else was ready to go.

Thursday was definitely the party night. Everyone was out exploring. Everyone had just arrived. And everyone was so excited to be there. We were all drinking (you can walk around with your own booze at LiB), exploring and dancing at all the smaller stages. I was really happy with this night because it just seemed like a huge group camping trip vs a music festival where you’re tied to mainstages.

Friday morning I was ready to start some of my workshops and lectures. The first one we went to was ‘Earth Offering with Rainbow Eagle Dreamer,” a speaker whom we had seen last year. A little piece of cloth tobacco or sage into it, it into a little ghost like sachet then it close to your heart as you put your prayer or intention into it. Then, you tied it to a piece of string to keep it closed and to keep them all together. You were able to do as many little sachets as you wanted, but I did one for myself, one for someone else, one for my family, and one for the earth. After you finished all of yours you added your string to the altar made of antlers and a fox fur. Rainbow Eagle Dreamer said he would then take the altar back to Oregon, bury it and plant a tree to grow from it.

Honestly wasn’t long after this I almost started to cry about how happy I was to be back at Lightning in a Bottle. Walking around the lake looking at everything had me inspired. It was a beautiful day and I had just done something that made me feel more connected to the world and to myself already. I knew I was in for an amazing weekend.

On Friday, we also got to see another one of my favorites from past LiBs: Benjamin Pixie. He was on the schedule multiple times this year, and we attended two of his lectures. This year Benjamin Pixie was in full force, with magnetic energy. The man has so much charisma that he mesmerizes any crowd that comes to listen to him. Last year his talks were smaller, but this time they definitely grew in size. I really hope that the Do LaB team moves him into a bigger space next year because we were overflowing outside of his assigned spaces to listen.

Benjamin Pixie’s topic Friday was: ‘Artemis & Pan: Feeding the Gods of the Wild’. The lecture quickly derailed to discuss many other topics, which is exactly what I’m used to with Benjamin Pixie and half of the reason why I go. He’s a lover of poems, stories, nature -- especially bees -- and these infatuations seep into every part of his lectures. When he asks if he can recite a poem or sing-a-song for us I almost too quickly respond with a ‘yes!’ because I cannot wait to hear what he has to share. He had some excellent poems including one that had us in stitches laughing.

The passion he has for life is intoxicating. I hope that someday I can find something I feel so passionate about so that I can connect as deeply and honestly with it.

As for music on Friday I pretty much lived at the Lightning stage for three sets in a row: Sophie Tucker, followed by GRiZ, and then The Glitch Mob. GRiZ was my favorite, but I was looking forward to him the most all weekend so no surprise there.

Our first lecture Saturday was with Benjamin Pixie: ‘Magic & Medicine of the Bee’. This is his forte, so we were in for a real treat. We were able to sample honeys and medicines, meads and whiskeys, all things he’d made himself. It was really interesting to learn about the benefits of honey and the magical process bees take to create it.

LiB is full of wandering moments, mostly taking place with my best friend, Alex by my side. One of the spots we wandered upon this year was the newly established ArtClave. This was an interactive art space and I think a great addition to the festival. We made it to one that was about painting your inner galaxy, but there were many more that seemed awesome. I also still love all of the art that is sculptural, experiential and being painted before us all weekend long. It’s so cool to have these pieces mixed into the event.

Saturday was also the 3rd Annual Derby Race, which is one of my favorite things to check out. It’s a great event as I would argue it has the largest attendance of any daytime event. You get to chat with a lot of people and cheer on the cars as they race, tumble and crash down the course.

After the Derby we wandered a bit more and found ourselves in the New Belgium Brewing Company tent with beer tasting. I asked them about the LiB exclusive beer they made one year, and why it wasn’t back and they said that The Do LaB team challenges them each year to do something new. I think this is so awesome, and it got me thinking about all the new things I see each year, how they must challenge all the creators and artists to come up with new inspirations.

Saturday night we had one final workshop: ‘Pickling 101: Make & Take’ - Junior’s Pickles. I LOVE pickles, and actually have been making my own recently. I love going to The Learning Kitchen because many of the lectures or workshops have snacks, and the fact that this one said “make & take” had me even more excited. We each got to make our own jar of pickles to take home with Junior’s special recipe of spices. I can’t wait to try them probably at the end of this week. After this it was time to watch the sunset and commence part two: Saturday night!

I break Lightning in a Bottle each day into three parts. The first part, part one, is the daytime. Once the sun goes down with everyone howling as it disappears, part two beings. The final part, part three starts at 2 AM when the main stages close, the cleanup song plays, and new pop-up stages appear. Each of these three parts of the day I think are really different; the vibes are different and people feel and act a little different too. Saturday I felt like I really got to see all three of these stages.

Saturday had many of those little moments I mentioned earlier. Alex and I saw an awesome shooting star with a full tail as it disappeared into the sky. We made new friends at the Lightning stage as we watched great sets by Monolink, TOKiMONSTA and NAO. In between sets we found new spaces to explore and discovered things like the giraffe sculptures over the bridge were actually kissing if you looked at them from a particular angle.

One of the cooler things we explored that night was this big black building randomly at the end of one of the peninsulas. I went to explore with a new friend named Zack because I wasn’t sure if it was just production (since it was behind a stage) or something to be checked out. Turns out it was this awesome trippy maze building you went through. There were hidden doors and someone showed us a hole in the wall to climb through. We went through some sheets and soft pillows and came out into a room that was dressed like an attic. From there the maze building continued into a Christmas themed bar where we were offered a shot of vodka and a poem, and then finally a third room dressed like an office of some sort. Turns out we were there when it had closed and it was a lot creepier then vs when we went again with the group during proper hours.

After the main stages closed we all wandered a bit more and found a random pop up stage with a crazy rock band playing 10 minute long songs. It’s hard to not stumble upon this stuff and just sit there with a smile. I often find myself looking at my friends or a stranger with my face saying “you’re seeing this too, right?”

We went looking for a secret set by ZHU that night but it never happened so we headed back to the tents. On the way we stumbled upon a performance group called The Fungineers. They had an ice cream truck with a woman and a puppet singing in the window, and some “cone gnomes” dancing wildly on the roof. I would compare their dance style to the moves seen in ‘This is America’ by Childish Gambino. They were changing the lyrics to rap songs to match their theme and it was one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen. They were also making fresh waffle cones and handing out acai in them. If I ever quit my job it will be to join The Fungineers.

Sunday AM arrives and wow, it’s the last day. The feel really started to hit, as well as the exhaustion. Sunday turned out to be the hottest day. Even after the sunset we didn’t need our coats for a while. We avoided the sun as much as we could and rested so we could build up energy for the night. We didn’t want to sleep in too late though because you’d miss so much going on during the day. I can see why some people end up taking a cocktail of all sorts of things to stay awake. I consider myself lucky that all I need is half a can of Coca-Cola to give me an energy boost.

We made our way to The Learning Kitchen for the first workshop of the day ‘Get Saucy with Kayla Wexelberg’, because obviously: snacks. I loved this one and I officially want to buy a blender. From there we checked out another lecture we just couldn’t get into, so we went to find some music at various stages and stopped to rest in one of the tents for a bit. Then it finally hit me, I needed to cry.

I love Lightning in a Bottle. There is no other place in the world that I have ever felt so comfortable being myself. There was no other place that I’ve ever seen so many other people feeling so comfortable with themselves. No other place where I’ve felt so much genuine love from the people around me just wanting to make friends and have a good time.

During one of Benjamin Pixie’s lectures he read a poem by Diane di Prima and one of the quotes stuck with me: “The only war is the war against imagination all other wars are subsumed by it”. Imagination: something that I really try to keep as a part of me, something that I think helps me stay connected to a childlike spirit, and something that makes our world more bearable and exciting. At LiB we are free to use our imagination. To imagine a world where your neighbors help you out and are kind. A world where we sort our trash and praise the earth every time the sun sets, acknowledging how wonderful and lucky we are get to enjoy it.

My friend Daniel and I were discussing Sunday AM how being at LiB connects you back to your inner child. He mentioned how we are like little kids at a playground at LiB. We just want to make friends and play with them. There’s no malicious intentions or other undertones, just friendship and fun. I love seeing families with young children at LiB because they are a reminder of that. A lot of us allow our inner child to grow out of us, but our childlike self is so intrinsic to who we really are that we shouldn't let that happen. I wish we could all aspire to bring that child back and make her visible to the world. To be open to new experiences, to be the first one on the dance floor, to be free of judgement and to have patience.

All these things hit me at the Beacon tent and I had a good cry. About my life, about LiB, about my friends, my family, the feelings and the lessons I was learning. I loved being disconnected from my phone and just sitting somewhere learning something new from someone in person. Not from a YouTube video and not from a course that I needed to pass to graduate, but from a passionate area expert who just wanted to help make my life a little better by sharing their knowledge. I’m tearing up now thinking about the pure joy of the weekend and the soreness in my cheeks from smiling so much.

Sunday night we did a final workshop ‘Global Meditation: Your Inner Warrior Calling - Unify & RISE’ which was an awesome meditation course synchronized and live streamed with over half a million people around the world. My emotions were totally wearing thin at this point and this beautiful close to the day could not have been better. We then went to watch our final sunset by the lake and finish the night off with ZHU. I had to stop by The Fungineers one more time before heading to bed by 3AM.

This week reality is gonna be hard, like it always is post LiB. I’m really glad I got to bring some of my best friends (Rob & Samira) to experience this festival for the first time, and that they love it now as much as I do.

I say it every year but I really want to bring more pieces of my LiB experience into my daily life. There are a few things that I do try to implement each time and this year my list includes: looking into home composting, working more on my meditation, and spending more time believing in and becoming my best myself. I also want to make sure I ride this LiB high longer than a few months, I want to stretch this inspired feeling as far as I can.

For everyone who went this year make sure to register your wristband so you can be on the early access pass list to buy your ticket for next year at the lowest price. I do this every year as the tickets are tiered. For anyone who hasn’t gone, be sure to buy your ticket when they go on sale because you’re going to have the best time of your life.

“Maybe it’s about finding a tribe that lets you be who you are,” said a speaker Sunday afternoon. I think I’ve found my tribe, and they’re the people at LiB.

Some of the random little moments:

(Above) Found inside an interactive art piece.

(Above) Face and body painting at the newly designed Woogie Stage.

(Above) The Do-Over Bar, where you spin a wheel then get what they give you!

*All photo taken by @Festfashions.

Then I saw the sunrise two nights in a row. And I regret nothing.

Truly I still didn’t go “hard” I’d say, I only attended the festival on Friday and Saturday because I couldn’t take off another day of work to go Sunday night. This way I also gave myself some time Sunday to recover. I am still a little in shock of how late I stayed up each night, how time just flew by and all of a sudden it was 4:30 am.

EDC is an absolutely crazy place. I’m struggling with how to explain it exactly… if you like to party, this is the event. There’s so much going on, there are lights on everything and music coming from every angle. It’s a carnival for adults with rides and alcohol and costumes.

Insomniac is the best at throwing big production raves in my opinion. Their events are a combo of Disneyland-meets-Cirque-du-Soleil — two of my favorite things. My favorite part though of any event is getting ready, and you can see at Insomniac shows this is a lot of other people’s favorite part as well. We get to be creative and be colorful and just have fun.

We left for the festival around 6pm and it didn’t take us too long to get there. We had some fun moments in traffic with other headliners as we approached the event. At one point we almost missed a turn and had to cut in, and the other car said we only could if I (the passenger) did a shot with them. We “cheer” sd from our cars and they let us in. A couple minutes later we ended up next to them in some stopped traffic and I popped out to trade kandi really quick. It was hilarious because everyone was yelling from the other cars cheering us on. I live for these vibes.

I went with one friend to EDC, Rob (@PinkyPinkston on Instagram) this year. Rob’s great because he’s always down for whatever and we have a lot of fun together. He doesn’t mind if I lose him for a bit to take photos and stuff. Plus it’s always nice to go with a guy just to feel safe.

Once we got to the festival we took the route that leads you down the bleachers, where you get a full view of the whole racetrack as you walk in. This is my third time to EDC and my first time ever walking in this way, and I’m so glad I finally got the chance to! It’s one of those moments people always talk about, and I felt like I’d missed out so much before.

They give you a few moments to take a photo then make you go down all the way. It’s pretty cool to see the WHOLE event from that view.

Once inside we had tons to explore. Seven main stages, art cars, rides, interactive art pieces, sponsored interactive areas and so many people to meet. I feel like every step you take at EDC you’re meeting someone new. People just love to talk to new people here!    

Friday night, and I’m not totally sure how it happened, but I ended up meeting this group who had these cool bikes they were riding around the festival. They invited me to join them so we rode around and even went behind the stages to ride on the racetrack!

That whole night flew by, Kaskade’s set was amazing, per usual, and that was about when I realized that I TOTALLY lost Rob so I struggled with failed texts then finally found him. We danced through a few more areas then made our way back to the exit. On the way there we found this awesome art piece that had a LED ceiling and was playing classical music. Everyone was just laying underneath it relaxing. I knew one of the songs and busted out some ballet moves which ended with a round of applause from everyone there. What a moment.

We headed home, made it out of the parking lot really easy at 4 am and went to bed.

Saturday AM I pretty much felt like I couldn’t do this another day, but we rallied and headed to the pool to relax. After spending some time in the sun and eating some lunch I decided it was nap time, so we did a 2-hour nap before it was time to get ready for day 2.

On Saturday, I wore a mix of pieces from “old” outfits I’ve worn to raves. The top I actually wore to my very first EDC back in 2014. I liked this look a lot because it was one that I really couldn’t see myself wearing to any other event besides an Insomniac one. There’s definitely a look and feel to EDC that’s different than say Coachella or Lightning in a Bottle. As someone who loves fashion, I love that I get to dress uniquely to each of these events!

Saturday we left the hotel a little earlier, more around 5pm and had no traffic getting in. It was nice to see the festival grounds with some daylight before the sunset. I liked being able to take a lot of photos during magic hour as well!

We had VIP access passes so Saturday we spent a lot of time checking out the VIP areas. At EDC these are over the top with so much more to do and see. One area had arcade games, and another allowed us to go backstage behind the DJ booth!

We also saw a pool and even a ball pit which to play in. Inside one of the VIP tents, we found two people with typewriters offering free haikus. Mine said:

On the runway and

In the crowd she knows both sides

An aerial view

I really loved seeing the crowd from the Quantum Valley VIP area best, and it was here that we watched the fireworks Saturday night.

Each night the fireworks at EDC are something else, they’re over the top and a perfect addition to an electrified night. I had these awesome glasses they were giving out at the Smirnoff Experience that changed the light into little hearts, and watching the fireworks with these was so cool.

As we were leaving for the night I turned back to look at the grounds one last time and could not believe I was watching the sun come up over the mountains. Time flies when you’re having fun.

We got to our car and it took us roughly an hour to get out of the parking lot this night. The traffic flow out was terrible, the only way we were able to get out was to weave through parking rows.

We ended up driving home Sunday am, which gave me a little FOMO for day 3 but I had to be realistic, Lightning in a Bottle is my favorite event of the year so I needed to rest for a few days so that I can live it up there.

EDC was an amazing time though. I got to meet a lot of awesome people and dance for hours and hours. I just love how late EDC goes when most of our big production raves end at 2 am. According to my health tracker, I climbed 9 floors each night of EDC with the number of steps I took. This equaled roughly 10 miles each night. You’ll all be happy to know I didn’t even have to break out my knee brace once this weekend :) I was taking it easy!!!

Well that was a super long recap, and there’s still a lot I didn’t cover, but I’ll share little bits as I go with photos I post of people’s outfits. So be sure to watch as I share them all with you! I’m glad I decided to go to EDC, sometimes the last minute decisions are worth it!

Lollapalooza takes place at Grant Park in Chicago, IL over four days, August 2 - August 5, 2018. The festival boasts a totally packed lineup with the festival open from 11 am to 10 pm each day. Yes, that’s right 10 pm. I’m a grandma now and this makes me SO HAPPY (says the girl coming from watching the sunrise at EDC two nights in a row).

The festival ends earlier than many because it is in the city center, but fear not, those of you who are just not ready to go to sleep yet have the opportunity to purchase tickets to concerts throughout Chicago to continue your experience. I, on the other hand, will be headed to bed each night so I can prep for the subsequent day.

Since this is my first Lolla, I’ve been trying really hard to learn as much as I can about the festival before attending. For me, the music is forefront at this event, but there’s also tons more going on (obviously) so I want to make sure I’ve done my research so I don’t miss anything.

Photo Courtesy of Katrina Barber / Lollapalooza 2017

Lollapalooza has been going on since 1991, and since then they have always had initiatives at the event for its 100,000 attendees to learn more about the world around them. I am obsessed with making the world a better place (shouldn’t we all be?) and I just love how every festival has some similar and some very different ways of approaching this. Last year, Lolla hosted Black Lives Matter activists, a bone marrow donation, and a group that urges attendees to register and then go out and vote. I can’t wait to see who is coming this year, and I’ll be sure to provide you with article updates as more information is released.

As far as the music goes, Lolla hosts eight stages with 170+ bands from around the world. I feel like they’re constantly announcing new artists too (heyyy Carly Rae Jepsen!). I’m getting excited about the lineup by building my schedule in their app. It’s the easiest way to get organized. Here’s the full lineup, and I’ve put in red who I really want to check out.

There’s obviously a mix of genres at Lolla so there’s something for everyone. What’s also awesome is that they sell single day tickets, so if you’re trying to ball on a budget you have the option of just hitting the festival for one day!

Since the festival is in the Windy City, I’d be remiss to not mention how Chicago is obviously super famous for their food. The other weekend at a bar I met some guys who were from Chicago and I told them I was going to Lolla and that this is my first time to Chicago. They quickly went into how I need to eat my way through all the delish food the city has to offer. They literally gave me recommendations on nothing else besides food which I think is awesome!

They made me a huge note in my phone of places to check out, and it turns out some of these spots are actually going to be at the festival which makes it super easy for me! There are over 30 different local restaurants that will have food available for sale. Lolla promises reasonable and not overpriced fare, so I’m super excited to check out multiple spots. Top of my list (from my bar friend’s suggestions as well) are Harold’s Chicken, Kamehachi, Original Rainbow Cone, Tank Noodle and Windsor Ice Cream Shoppe. I’m seriously gonna start packing lunch for work now to prep for this!!

So to wrap up this article ('cause I mean, we’re a pretty far in now, kudos to you), I wanna just cover some other important basics of Lollapalooza from the FAQ page that I found super helpful:

• You can bring 2 factory sealed bottles of water (1 liter each) into the festival
• You can only bring sunscreen if it is a bottle, no aerosol containers
• No totems!
• There’s a No Bag Express Lane option at security for faster entry
• Ticket holders are allowed to re-enter the festival 3 times per day after initial entry, make sure to scan out!
• At the end of the night, additional exits are opened towards Michigan Ave at Jackson or Balbo
• Locker rentals are only $60 for all 4 days! 
• You can go cash and cardless by adding money to your wristband, link to do so not available yet

There are still some tickets available for sale, including verified Lollapoolza resale tickets directly on the Lolla site. If you’ve got kids, any under the age of 10 are allowed for free and have access to a special section called Kidapalooza.

If you really can’t make it to the festival, they’ve partnered with Red Bull TV again this year to bring you the Lolla Live Broadcast. The lineup of which artists will be broadcast will be released on August 1st, and the videos will be streaming from the Lollapalooza homepage. I love watching live streams when I can’t go to an event, and even more fun is planning a “No-Festival” themed party around it. Create your Facebook event now for “No-Festival: Lollapalooza Edition”, invite your friends over, tell them to dress accordingly, and stream the music from the comfort of home!

More posts to come about this awesome event as more info is released. Who will I see there?

Feels pretty heavy, right? LiB can feel overwhelming as an event, but I want to help you feel prepared for your arrival at the festival so you’re ready to jump in full force!

My friends and I are pretty organized. We typically have an Excel Google Doc to prep for a festival that is more than one day. We include everything from general info to a packing list. I’ll share some of my tips though here to get you ready to go.

Home Prep

I mean, we can’t be prepping for the event if we don’t have a ticket! So let’s start there. Here’s the link to purchase a ticket to LiB. You have a few options which we can talk through. First of all you’ll need the standard 4-Day Festival Pass. This is your entry to the festival for the whole long weekend. With that, you have the option of adding an Early Arrival Pass so that you can arrive Wednesday. With that pass you won’t have full access to all the camping areas, just the early arrival areas. You can move your stuff though Thursday AM.

Last year we purchased a car camping pass for the first time and it was a huge lifesaver. My tent alone is so heavy that having the opportunity to just unpack right there and set up camp is a huge advantage. You need one car camping pass per car. These are limited in quantity so make sure to get yours ahead of time!

There’s also the option, if you have a HUGE group, to have one car pass loaded with everyone's camping gear, then everyone else can park in the lot and walk over to unload. The campers don’t have to be in the car (unlike some other festivals). Also, there are shuttles to caravan you and your stuff from the general parking area to make it easier. You could of course also walk it, but I mean, my bags are usually heavy. A good tip is to get a wagon though if you plan on doing it this way.

Packing Prep

When it comes to packing, we have a list of items in the Google Doc and then assign each item out so we know who is responsible for what. It helps keep us from overpacking and also from forgetting anything! On the main page of our Google Doc is the MUST HAVEs list (ID, phone, credit card/cash, wristband, sunglasses and ear plugs), which is why you won’t see those in this list.

The sections we have are Car, Camping, Food/Drink, Medicine, Toiletries, and Misc. Here are the items we have in each section in case you would like to do the same!

Car:

• Who is Driving
• Car topper if you need extra storage (we do since we have 4 people *carpool life* and a decent amount of stuff)

Camping:

• Tent
• Tent stakes
• Rubber mallet
• Canopy
• Canopy wall (these are great to block the sun if it’s coming from one side)
• Reflection Emergency Blankets (we also found that adding these outside our tent really keeps the heat out as the sunrises!)
• Air Mattress
• Air Mattress Battery pump (there are also now ones you can plug into your car, but this is what we’ve had for years)
• Extra Batteries for said pump
• Folding or inflatable chairs (trust me, you’re going to want somewhere to sit on, everyone was jealous last year when I was the only one with a "princess" chair)
• Blankets and Pillows
• Cooler
• Trash Bags
• Brown Paper bag to hold trash bags (I do this b/c it holds your trash bag up like a trash can then!)
• Tarp (used under the tent to protect it)
• Duct Tape (cuz you never know)
• Zip Ties (always come in handy for adding stuff to your tent)
• Solar Tent lights (we add these outside our tent so it’s easy to find at night, and then some inside as we fall asleep!)

Food/Drink:

• Gum
• Vodka (plastic bottles only)
• Beer
• Sodas
• Snack Bars
• Gatorade
• Other (I’ll be honest, and don’t tell anyone this secret, but sometimes I’ll save my share of a soda or bag of chips from work, for a festival. Combined with all my friends doing the same thing at their offices as well... we save up a lot of snacks instead of having to buy them. SHHH!)

Medicine:

• Gummy Vitamins
• Emergen-C
• Melatonin
• First Aid Kit (Band-aids, moleskin, neosporin etc)
• Chapstick
• Advil
• Sunscreen
• Bug Spray
• Aloe

Toiletries:

• Towel/shower shoes (TBH I don’t shower at events so I save on packing this ish)
• Shampoo/body wash (eco-friendly since you’ll be outside)
• Toothbrush/Toothpaste
• Hair Brush
• Makeup
• Eyelash Glue (we list this separate because it’s so important not to forget!)
• Face Wipes
• Hand Sanitizer (good to carry around in your backpack)
• Baby Wipes AKA Alexa’s Shower (yes, that’s what it says on the list and no, I’m not ashamed.)
• Glitter (Check out Disco Eyes Bio-Degradable Glitter)
• Body Lotion

Misc.:

• Bluetooth Speakers (we got these REALLY cute animal ones that actually sync up so you can play from multiple at once)
• Festival Box (this is my set of 3 plastic paper drawers that holds everything for every event including temporary tattoos, glowsticks, glitter, a pair of scissors, safety pins etc. all the small items that need to be in one place basically)
• Yoga Mat (I’m here and there on this. I don’t do Yoga enough at the festival to warrant it, and they have padded floors for it, so I’m usually ok and just use a towel for my head or something. Saves space and time walking back and forth to your tent to drop it off after yoga)
• Glow sticks
• Reusable Water Bottle or Hydration Pack
• Towel for Lake Swimming
• Water Pitchers (I have some like this that are great to have at your campsite)

Experience Prep

Read all my articles and you’ll be good to go.

JUST KIDDING, but I mean, other LIB articles can be super helpful in explaining all the experiences you can have at LiB - including ways to be more green at LiB, LiB 2018, LiB -a festival guide, and LiB 2016 Recap.

Be sure to download the app before heading to the festival as well. My friends and I, since we have a long car ride, usually take turns reading through the 150-ish courses/workshops/lectures available at LiB on the ride into the festival. I also always read myself beforehand because let’s be honest, 150 is a lot, and sometimes you want to look up what “permaculture” means before you lose wifi.

Outfit Prep

If you’re like me, half the fun is playing dress up. We always theme our nights with our squad before the festival so we can plan! You want to plan ahead as well so that you don’t overpack.

You also want to prepare for what the weather will actually be like. Since I’m obviously writing this article ahead of time, the weather below might not be accurate and check again as we get closer, but right now we’re looking at days of 83 and nights of 48. You want to make sure you have looks that transition at night so you’re warm.

My friends and I usually theme our day looks, then just plan to be warm at night. You can keep your cute look easily by just adding layers under something, or on top. Leggings are a go-to for me to still wear my cute top or dress, then I add a faux fur jacket.

I don’t think I can ever really explain how much I love Lightning in a Bottle -- it’s because of a million little reasons -- and one of those reasons is their dedication to bettering our planet. I know that not everyone had a Dad like mine (shout out to my roommates for being open to learning from me), and I know that a lot of new people head to LiB each year, so I want to take some time to share with you some ways you can be more green at LiB, and at other festivals you attend this year!

1. Get some solar lights.

Instead of packing batteries for your flashlight, consider investing in a solar charged flashlight. I have a great one that doubles as a phone charger as well. We also use solar charged string lights around our tent for the night time. This is definitely a more green way to stay lit!

LiB does their part to reduce as much waste as they can with LED stage lightning as much as possible, and compact fluorescent bulbs in all other areas. They also use solar lights too where they can!

2.  Pack a reusable bottle.

Stay away from glass, as you don’t want to risk it breaking on the grounds, but a good thermos to keep water in all day is super important. I usually have one big one back at the campsite so that late at night I have water ready, and a smaller one to carry around all day. You can also bring a hydration pack if you don't want to carry a water bottle the festival.

LiB has been giving free water at their event since 2006! It’s a huge trend now at other festivals now too. This water refill initiative creates zero waste, zero shipping, zero fuel and eliminates plastic packaging and toxic chemicals from leaching into the water.  

3. Unpack before you bring in.

I’m referencing all the packaging that comes with products that might be coming into the festival with you. Think about everything you’re bringing, and remove all the packaging you can before coming to the festival. There is not a lot of space for waste at LiB, and if you have any trash at the end of the festival in huge trash bags, you may have to pay a fee for it to be disposed of.

If you remove all your packaging before heading in (and properly recycle/dispose of it) you’ll be making huge steps! This also saves you the trouble of not having scissors or a box cutter handy at the festival to actually unpack these items. Keep in mind to recycle all cardboards from tent boxes and beer boxes, and remove all your new clothing tags as well!

When you do have waste, the LiB Green Team is ready to assist you in how to properly dispose of it. Check which bin to place your waste into before tossing it.

4. Reduce your micro-waste.

This is something also known as MOOP, matter out of place. It’s really important since we are visiting a place that is filled with nature that we leave no trace behind. The smallest of things can be eaten by animals, bugs and plants and cause damage to their life cycles. With the trends of sequins, glitter and body jewels, it’s super important that we all look into ways that we can be more environmentally friendly with these trends. homegameauction has a whole collection of biodegradable glitter which is a great choice to make with your glitter. 

All around the festival, the Green Team will be picking up bits and pieces as they go, but you can also do your part and if you see a bit of waste, from a big piece to a small gem, pick it up and throw it away.

5. Carpool.

This is literally one of the easiest things you can do to reduce your impact on the festival. Carpool with your friends and save on the emissions. This will also help you reduce the amount of stuff you bring to the festival so that you’re reasonable when you pack. I know I always have a tendency to overpack!

If these ideas sparked your interest, there’s also some lectures at LiB you can attend to learn more about how you can build a more sustainable life at home. I have enjoyed these in the past because there is always something new to learn! Here is the list of relevant lectures this year, and click here to read more about each topic. There’s of course more than this, and many other topics will touch on the subjects of sustainability and living green as well.

• Regeneration: Hope Beyond Sustainability - Finian Makepeace & Ryland Engelhart
• Everything You Need to Know About Climate Change - Andrew Callaway Ellis, MS
• Indigenous Climate Change Solutions from the Frontlines - Eriel Deranger
• Saving our Oceans Through Seafood - Peter Adame
• What the H%#@ is Permaculture - Bryan Arturo

Each time I go I discover more at LiB, and this year I think we’re gonna head in a day early to make sure we’re able to fully take advantage of everything the festival has to offer. There’s lots to do, and this is one festival where you absolutely need to do your research before heading in. If you don’t, you’re gonna feel serious FOMO over things. That said, there’s no right or wrong way to do LiB. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure type of festival, where everyone’s journey is going to be unique -- and that’s part of what makes it amazing.

I’ve discovered that each year I spend less and less time chasing music acts, and more time exploring the lectures and grounds. I have some friends who went to the festival and only left their tent once the sun set, ready to rage through the night at a stage, but that’s really not what LiB is about if you ask me, you can do that at any rave around the country.

So as a LiB vet (I can say that now, right?), I want to let you in on 5 awesome things happening at LiB this year. Some are new, and some are old gems, but hopefully there’s at least something here that makes your LiB experience more magical this time around having read about it ahead of time!

The ArtClave

This year, LiB announced this brand new interactive art area. LiB has always been an Arts and Music Festival, and I’ve personally enjoyed the live canvas painting that takes place all weekend, as well as the art structures hidden all around. This year though, they’ve stepped the art aspect up with an array of art classes! These include sculpture to mixed media to body painting and more! More details on this new experience can be found here.

The Learning Kitchen

This is easily one of my favorite spots at LiB. I get to snack, I get to learn, I get to hide from the sun…need I say more? Ancient and modern kitchen traditions are taught here, so there’s a mixed lineup sure to please all. This year’s offerings include Soulful Sprouting, Tantalizing Tonics, Make & Take Pickles, and Oyster Mushroom Taco Party and so much more! Check out the full lineup here.

The Sunsets

This is no groundbreaking piece of information, but I really feel like I would be remiss if I didn't mention in a list of awesome things at LiB the sunsets each night. Every night the sunsets are celebrated. People gather along the edges of the festival, or at the highest point for the best views. We cherish this moment to unwind and refocus for the night’s adventures. As the sun hides behind the hills everyone joins in on some wolf howls and applause. It’s truly a magical moment each night. On the other side, I’m not much of a sunrise person, but maybe this year I’ll make it happen and catch one. I’m sure it’s just as magical.

The Soap Box Derby 

This LiB tradition is one that I only just explored for the first time last year, and let me tell you, it was more than worth it to be out in the sun! People dress up and build their custom derby cars and hilarity ensues. I can’t wait to check it out again this year. It was a really fun way to get to meet and talk to a bunch of festival attendees as we are all hanging around watching the show.

The Grand Artique

This is returning to LiB this year for the 8th year in a row! It features a fully immersive Trading Post / General Store, hotel, gypsy encampment and an awesome lineup. It’s pretty much set up to look like a Frontierville town and I’m obsessed with it. There’s a section where you can play arcade games for various prizes (from whisky bottles to lucky rabbits feet), and the Sunday revival is something to not be missed.

Just sharing these things with you all has made me so excited for this year!! I think I’m going to have to do a few more articles to dive deeper into each area of LiB (for myself, and to hopefully help you as well!) so stay tuned!

Buy tickets here, I recommend getting car camping as well while it’s available.

All photos were taken by me, @festfashions

Since then, I’ve learned a bunch of hacks to make my festival camping experience much more enjoyable. Let’s just say I’ve grown from the small two-person tent I borrowed from a friend the first time, and yes, two of us shared that tent. Here are 10 tips to make your festival camping trip more enjoyable:

Splurge on a tent larger than your group size

Buying a four-person tent for our group of four seemed perfect - until we put all our stuff in it AND us. We now have a ten person tent that fits up to five people really nicely, including all our outfits, festival gear, and standing room to change. That’s a huge plus.

Add a canopy 

Canopies offer coverage from the sun if they fit over your tent, but also serve as a great hangout space if you’re using it outside your tent. Most times it will get pretty warm inside the tent so having a space to relax outside the tent in the shade is optimal.

This tent canopy is pretty nice, it’s only $69 at Walmart and comes in multiple colors.

Upgrade the space under the canopy

Try using bamboo beach rugs that you roll out to cover the ground under your canopy. This saves you from having to lace up your shoes as you go in and out of the tent, and protects your feet from some rough terrains.

Use a hanging shoe rack to sort items

Hang it from the canopy bars and unpack your goodies into it for easy finding. Example: paper towel roll, baby wipes, maybe even some of your festival outfits if you have the wider spaced rack!

Upgrade your tent with Solar powered LED lights

We wrap them around the outside and inside. On the outside, they serve as a great way to find your tent at the end of the night, on the inside they make for a nice atmosphere for the cuddle puddle chats as you drift off to sleep.

There are lots of cute lights you can get, they don’t have to be just plain bulbs. These LED flower lights are super cute, and only 11.99 on Amazon.

Organize all your stuff

I have a plastic 3 drawer set that has been super helpful for camping events. I organize each drawer to have specific items. For me, the top one is all LED accessories, flashlights, and extra batteries, the second is for tools (scissors, safety pins, small packs of tissues, my blog stickers, hand sanitizer, etc.) These are all things that you might need to grab before heading out for the day, or when used need to be returned to the same spot so we always know where they are (think scissors). The third drawer is always flash tattoos, glitter or other festival jewels. When traveling, make sure to tape the drawers closed before you hit the road.

I always label my drawers as well so that my friends know where to find things. This container is only $5.

Before you arrive, remove all unnecessary packaging from new items. Put your beer in the cooler and out of the cardboard box, if you have a new tent make sure to take it out of the box, remove all your clothing's tags, basically anything you have that is new, take it out of its packaging. This is useful in many ways. For one, it avoids having to find scissors or a box cutter to open something while camping. More importantly, though, it keeps you from having a ton of trash to deal at the event.

Pack trash and recycling bags

These are so often forgotten. What I’ve found that works best for me, is getting a brown paper bag for recyclables, and then plastic trash bags for trash. Bringing extras is great too so that you can carry your trash with you each day to a bin as you enter the festival. This way it’s not annoying and you don’t let it build up.

Whenever given the option, always pay extra for car camping

Car camping makes camping so much easier. At first, I didn’t really understand (were people sleeping in their cars?) but no, all this really means is that you have your car right there so you don’t have to truck your stuff from a parking lot to the camping areas. It’s a real luxury especially if you have a big group with a lot of stuff.

Get a camping chair

I got mine at Walmart for $10, and I was the only person in my group at LiB that had one and needless to say everyone was jealous. Without it, there’s really nowhere to sit unless you’re on the floor, and sometimes you’re waiting around for people to get ready for the day/night. It’s a small thing, but it makes a big difference.

Faux Furs Layers

Audrey Faux Fur Coat

Glitzy Bunny Ears, Empire Cropped Faux Fur Shrug, Faux Fur Wrap Around Halter Top, Bunny Tail High Waisted Shorts

 

Audrey Faux Fur Coat, Rhinestone Triangle Bra, All Tied Up High Cut Bottoms, Space Babe Skirt, Slayer Hologram Boots

Empire Cropped Faux Fur Shrug, Metallic Hologram High Waisted Shorts

Mesh

Mesh style pieces are super on trend still. Personally, I love them. You can wear pasties underneath or maybe a bodysuit. There’s lots of ways to layer with mesh too, it can be just the addition of a skirt, or a whole outfit.

Tie Dye Unicorn Suit with Mesh Skirt

Mesh Long Sleeve Hoodie Crop Top

Unicorn Suit with Mesh Tutu

 

Lorelei Sequin Mesh Halter Top

Crazy Kandi

Kandi making is something that I’ve learned I am no expert in. I can make a few cute singles, but there are some people who have such an amazing sense of 3D art that they build structures with their cuffs. Kandi is in full force at Insomniac Events and I love that they let everyone bring it in. It’s such a random part of the EDM community and it’s purely creative.

 

What Cold?

There’s always going to be those people who don’t layer, and God bless them -they own it! I always say, whatever the look is that you’re going to rock, make sure you’re going to OWN it and it doesn’t matter! Confidence shines!

LED Leg Wraps, Sugar Plum Sequin Fringe Bralette, Princess Bride Heart Pasties

Floral Enchantress Top, Open Front Fringe Maxi Skirt

Aries Goddess Scrunch Back Booty Shorts, Opaque Thigh High Tights with Bow

Opal Holographic Bodysuit

Themed Outfits

It will always be in style to rock the theme of the event. There are a million ways to do it too which makes it exciting to go to an event that has the same theme over and over again. I’ve done Alice in Wonderland myself a few times, and each time, I find a new way to rock it!

Mesh Keyhole Halter Top, Glitter Heart Pasties, Harlequin and Heart Thigh Highs, Show Stopper Sequin High Waisted Bottoms

Gold Metallic Rave Booty Shorts

Shimmering Tide Plunging Bodysuit

Space Babe Skirt

Sparkly Makeup

Glitter, sequins, rhinestones, the more the better this festival season. Last year we were kind of just throwing it all over, this year it’s more organized and structured. Also, guys are getting into it too, which is great! Now the whole squad can reminisce about the rave that was 3 weeks ago as they continue to find glitter in EVERYTHING.

Long Panda Hood

All photos shot by me!

 

homegameauction has always been a starting ground brand for me to create my looks. They have tons of awesome pieces and some awesome “basics” that are great to wear alone and are also fun to transform. I’ve done a post before on how you can take their awesome keyhole halter tops and DIY them into something custom. In this article, I’m going to dive into how to make some custom bottoms - perfect rave outfits for your next festival! 

Don’t fear, there’s going to be a few levels of customization here, so if you’re on a beginner’s level of sewing, you too can still make something unique! Before we dive straight into the tutorial, let’s go over some starting tips.

Sewing Tips 101:

I’m really lucky that I had a grandmother who was an incredibly talented seamstress. When I was little, she used to make entire dresses for me, and to this day I still wear some awesome pieces she made for herself in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Today, it’s not really common to make your own clothes, but back then, every woman had to know how to sew.

Many people today don’t know how to sew, but it’s really not a big deal, and much easier than you think! So let me teach you some basics here to get you started.

1. Double your thread. After threading your needle, double the thread and tie the two ends into a knot. This way, as you sew the thread is double as thick with one turn!
2. Start, and end, on the inside of the garment. This hides all your messy knots and loose ends. I even leave a little extra thread here instead of cutting super close to the knot. Since it’s hidden, it doesn’t matter!
3. Always match your thread to the garment. This is also a trick to hiding all the crazy zig zags or mistakes you might make.
4. Try your item on halfway through. With each of these bottoms, it was important that I tried it on in my process. This helped me figure out if I was sewing on an elastic waistband that I shouldn’t be, see where I needed to add more buttons or see exactly how my details were laying on my body.
5. When all else fails, staple it on. Seriously. In high school, the hemming came out of my kilt (yes, I wore a uniform) and I used a stapler to hold it together. If you reach your wit's end, just staple it all on. It won’t be the prettiest, but it will get the job done. Just be careful they’re not scratching your skin.

Tips for Shopping at JoAnn’s

I personally enjoy shopping for supplies at Joanne’s for additional supplies. Keep in mind the following while shopping:

1. Buy a longer length than you need. I always measure out the amount vs telling the salesperson that I need xx inches because guessing doesn’t work. Wrap a piece around your hips for length, then add a few inches extra just in case. There’s nothing worse than running out of fabric when you need more.
2. There’s always a coupon online. Search their website when you’re checking out and you’ll find one.

After you've got your supplies and fabric, you're ready to start creating! 

Just Call Me Cupid Skirt:

The homegameauction Mini Skater Skirt is a dream piece to start designing with. It’s a nice 10.95 on the wallet and comes in multiple colors for your look. It also comes in size XS to 2XL. For this look, since my skirt was baby pink, and Valentine’s day was around the corner, I was kind of feeling very feminine and Valentine’s inspired vibes. I wasn’t sure what this was going to look like until I went to JoAnne’s.

The skirt has so much flowing material, so buttons are a great item to use for it. I took my items with me to JoAnne’s so I could color match, and I found some super cute felt heart buttons. They were totally perfect because, in one pack, that was 2.99, there were over 20 buttons in various sizes and colors.  

The band on this skirt also lends itself to adding some details to it. There were a lot of different options, some trim that fit the size of the waistband, but I decided I wanted the focus to be the buttons on the skirt. I did find though these SUPER cute Marie buttons. They were so cute so I had to get them. I used one as a simple detail on the skirt waistband.

Sewing buttons is time-consuming. You need to do each one individually, otherwise, you’re wasting a lot of string on the underside of the skirt. You also risk pulling the skirt material from button to button in a not great way if you just continue to each button. Because the buttons were different colors, I could have changed the string color for each one, but I chose instead to match the skirt color which worked out fine.

You also want to be super careful you don’t sew through two layers of the skirt. You only want to sew through the top layer. I had to redo one button because I accidentally sewed through both layers. There is also no precision to where you place them, but halfway through I did try the skirt on to see how they looked and where there were some open spaces.

For my complete look for this festival outfit, I went with a white halter top, heart necklace and pink platforms. 

Festival Fringe Booty Shorts

I fricken love the iHR Booty Shorts. These little guys are so comfy and were the first thing I ever customized myself. They really lend themselves to being dressed up with details. This is because it’s really easy to sew. One of the first designs I did with these was for EDC Las Vegas, where I sewed a big cheerleading bow to the band on the butt. It was so cute and so simple to do.

For this rave outfit idea, I wanted something different. Instead of sewing something on the band, why not on the sides? While at JoAnne’s I came across this trim that had me thinking wtf-is-this, and it turned out to be dual tone fringe. Sign me the f-up.

I’ve never sewn fringe before, and really didn’t even understand how it worked. But after investigation, I was told you’re only supposed to sew one side to the garment, then cut the edging off the other side, so that it is loose fringe. Although, because the shorts are so short, I liked the idea of the fringe being shorter as well, and I also was really digging the looped look of it. So instead of cutting the fringe, I sewed both edges to the shorts and left it as is.

Sewing the fringe on this is one of the easiest items to sew. Line up the fringe along the edge, and cut sized to each side with a little extra just in case. Before you begin sewing, make sure the fringe is all laying the same way so that you don’t sew through the loops wrong. Start on the inside then follow the literal fold of the shorts to remember how to keep a straight line.

For my complete look for this rave outfit, I took one of the iHR keyhole halter tops I had customized and my black platform shoes. This rave outfit looks expensive AF, but really, I would have spent maybe $30 on the shorts, halter, and details I added to it. It takes time to sew, but is so worth it. I can't wait to show off these rave bottoms at my next festival!

High Waisted Disco Shorts

The Hologram Electro High Waisted Booty Shorts are really cool because they have so many colors in them, you can really do anything with it. They have a lot of space so you can go the button route with this, but I liked the idea instead of doing a band at the top. You can do a band on almost any of the pieces - it’s the most simple way to spice up a look.

Make sure you measure around your waist for how much you need. Do not base it on the size of the garment because once it is on the material will stretch wider than it originally lays. For my look, I thought it would also be fun to add tassels on the sides.

I added the tassels first so they appeared under the band I would be adding. You can line the new band you’re adding as high or low as you want on the real waistband, just make sure you hide it enough.

When you go to sew this on, start on the seam then sew as you wrap around the bottoms. Keep your stitches loose so that you don’t lose the elasticity of the bottoms! Again test put them on halfway through if you need to so you know how you’re doing.

Halloween Costumes

Over the Top Makeup

Colorful Kandi Kids

Rave Day Classics

I’m someone who 90% of the time is wearing false lashes at events, and constantly wishing I had the patience to put them on every single day. I love the look of full lashes and I haven’t found a mascara to do it for me. I’m also a little afraid of eyelash extensions, so I’ve avoided looking into those too much.

Therefore, magnetic false lashes seemed like a great idea. So, after lots of debating, bank account checking, and review reading, I ordered the Original Lash set from One Two Lash.

Above: The Original Lash set with a little wear.

I waited forever for my lashes to arrive (which I knew was going to happen because of the wait list situation) and when I finally got them I was so excited. The box comes with a little compact with two sets of lashes (not to be worn at the same time).

I saw videos of people applying them with tweezers but I’m not that meticulous of a gal so I just went ahead with my fingers to put them on. I wear contacts, so I think this helps with the ease and precision at which I can bring my fingers toward my eye.

“Using our patent pending micro-magnetic technology, One Two Lash® sandwiches your natural lashes between two ultra-lightweight fiber strips to create a bold, dramatic lash line in seconds.”

When applying my lashes, there were instructions, but I definitely could have used some clarity on the application process, so here it is for you.

There are two lash pieces you use to attach to your natural lashes on the outer edges only. I would apply my own mascara first always. This is because you need to fill the space from where the false lashes are to blend with your natural lashes. The lashes have a magnet only in the center of the piece. The lashes are curved, so they follow your eyeliner well, but not perfectly. If you’re in this for perfection, cancel your order.

Above: Me without One Two Lash lashes, and with One Two Lash Lashes. You can see they do make my lashes look more full and wing out.

So after letting my mascara dry, I’d get my lashes on. One of the lashes always has a red dot on the magnet, this is for the under part, and the other one is for the top part. You can also tell by where the magnet is attached to the false lash. The magnets should always face each other when applying.

First you place the top lash toward the outer edge of your eye, on top of your lashes. I think most eyeliner has a little bit of magnetic powers because I could feel a gentle pull from my false lashes toward my eyelid. Then, carefully, you take the bottom lash and place it under your natural lashes.

The magnet is really strong, and it’s very easy to have the top magnet pulled forward away from your eyeliner when trying to place the bottom set of lashes. I found that to combat this I would go in magnet first with the lashes perpendicular to my natural lashes to clip the magnet, then flip them up when first applying. Later, I would just go in toward my eye and only pop up to meet the magnet at the last second. If you didn’t, the lashes would connect away from your eyeliner and you’d have to go again.

There were some times when putting them on that I would have to take them off and start all over, but it wasn’t like I was using glue so it wasn’t that annoying. I also got better as time went on.

I had some good and bad days with these lashes. I hoped to wear them every day, and I did, for a while until they wore out. They slowly got flatter and had some random lashes popping all over the place like a hot mess. You can see a little bit of this in the photo below.

With there being two sets, I thought I would have two sets to work through when one set wore out, but each piece was made so differently, that I had to kind of create my own one set with the two sets. I tried to message the One Two Lash team on Instagram about this but never heard back. It was a shame because the one pair I matched was amazing, but then the leftovers were just a wasted pair.

As they started to wear out, I got an email from Groupon for Magnetic Lashes. Alas! I was saved! Turns out, these were a different no-name brand making them and selling sets for $12. I had really liked my One Two Lash set, while they lasted, but I really was upset at the giving out on me so fast at the price they were. After failed attempts to contact their team about issues I had with One Two Lash sets early on, I decided $12 was worth the dough to get a new pair.

Above: the Groupon set (left) and the well worn One Two Lash set (right).

These arrived and sucked. Totally sucked. The magnet was weak and barely attached to the false lash. I think that with a little super glue I might be able to make this better myself, but still the magnet is weak. The quality of the lash is also poor, but hey, I took a gamble, all in the name of research too. I didn’t want to give you guys a review without testing some other options out there. I think they were also too long for their use, so they popped up a lot more than the One Two Lash set on the outer edges when worn.

Above: Pair from Groupon. They definitely looked thicker, but the edges popped up too high as you can see in the middle of my eyes.

So how do I feel?

PROS: I liked my magnetic lashes, and someday, when I have more money I’ll probably try to get a new One Two Lash set and go back to wearing them every day. They were so easy to put on and I really loved how pretty they looked. They also hold super well, I wore them on a windy boat once and they held in place.

CONS: They aren’t perfect. Corners pop up and you need eyeliner to fill in the space. A set isn’t exactly made equally either, with magnets not centered and some lashes being longer than others or popping up at a different angle making them unusable. Also, when they fall apart, damn do they fall. It ain’t pretty. They’re super expensive but hopefully costs will go down as they become more popular.

Friday night I took my roommate, who had never been to a rave before. Parking by the NOS Events Center in San Bernardino can be kind of hard if you’re trying to park close, but we found awesome free street parking a few blocks away easily.

Once inside I was totally blown away by the lake as you enter the festival. The lights and circus tents reflection was beautiful and creepy. Looking around, there was already so much to see and we were ready to explore. Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I loved all the creepy themed performers walking around the event as well as the lengths to which attendees were dressed up too. Slaughterhouse had my favorite staged design with the creepy eyes looking out at you from the DJ booth the whole time. It was also fun to see a lot of DJs dress up in costumes too. I really felt like I was at a personal party vs a huge event.

At one point, I lost my phone dancing and believe it or not it found its way back to me. This is the kind of stuff I love about Insomniac Events. The people there are so amazing. This isn’t Coachella where someone is stealing a bunch of people’s stuff (though it does still happen). For the most part, I feel like people want to help other people out and are here to just have a good time.

While we got there pretty late Friday night because of both of us having to work before heading out, we were at Escape until close. DJ Snake was our final set and he totally killed it. We made up for lost time by staying a little in the venue as the crowds wandered out too. I think I finally made it to bed at 4:30am. Roomie’s first rave was a success.

Day two I took a different friend, and our goal was to get there as early as we could. Doors opened at 4pm and we made it by 5:30. Being there just as the sun was setting was pretty perfect. It definitely helped make for some awesome photos for my blog! I have so many awesome photos of headliners that I can’t wait to share. I’m so impressed by the creativity I always see, but especially at Halloween events!

The highlight though for me Saturday night was The Asylum. The Asylum is Insomniac’s haunted house at Escape. Initially, I wasn’t sure if I would want to do it. I’m a little bit of a chicken at times, but after talking to the people at the gate, and confirming no one can touch me, I was in. We signed a waiver and then got in line. The queue was a bit of a wait, but after going through, it was MORE than worth it.

You have to check your bags before going in, and then once inside the Wonderland Asylum, you get checked in. Turn in your papers and in your group of ten head to the first room with the ‘doctors’. Here you’re put into a straight jacket -- yes I’m serious and yes it was OK. They weren’t rough with you nor was it super tight once on. They try to scare you with the actors around but nothing was too much for me ever.

You continue your way through the ‘asylum’ and then you have to get your ‘meds’ from the nurse before another one puts a Hannibal mask on you. Now everyone looks the same and you need to keep tabs on your friends in your group of ten. Then pretty much you’re off. You and your group get to wander through the asylum. There are multiple stories and scenarios and one after another I was totally blown away by the production quality.

I shouldn’t be that shocked though because of the production quality of everything Insomniac does, but this was on another level. One of my favorite rooms, you walked through a hedge maze out into a foggy open area where you were greeted by a ticket booth. There the carnival owner gave you a ticket, and you turned to see a full carousel eerily looping around. I couldn’t believe the stuff I was seeing in there.

I wish I had done the asylum Friday night as well because it was epic and I would have loved to see it all over again. There’s always next year! Because honestly, I’m already ready go back.

Escape: Psycho Circus takes place October 27 - 28, 2017 at the NOS Events Center in San Bernadino, CA. This is the same location that Beyond Wonderland was held this year, for those who went. The space has a really beautiful lake when you walk in, then the stages are all covered and there is no grass beyond this lake area. I didn’t mind Beyond being there this year as it felt small and intimate and had no hills or anything. I do remember parking a little walk away but nothing too bad since it was walking city blocks and not a dusty hill. 

The event takes place the standard 4 PM - 2 AM, and the average temp this weekend in San Bernardino has highs of 81 and lows of 51, so you’ll want to make sure you prep for the temperature change if it does end up being that drastic.

They have lockers which are always such an easy solution to this problem. They’re only $35 for both days and splitting that among your group makes it dirt cheap. They all come with phone chargers now too, and are the perfect meeting spot at the end of the night should someone get lost. Buy one here.

As far as tickets go, the final tier of GA 2-day tickets is available at $219 + fees, but there’s still the first tier of GA single day tickets at $119 + fees. I love the option of having single day tickets because there’s always so much to do at Halloween I find it hard to commit to one event all weekend! You can buy your tickets here. For those ready to go all out on their rave weekend, there’s also VIP tickets.

VIP tickets are clutch because you get much more experience in your event. VIP is 21+ and has special entrances to the event. Personally I’m loving the bonuses they’re offering with VIP tickets for Escape because I’m a Halloween lover, so this would be the event I’d splurge on for VIP. I mean, a fortune teller and a trick-or-treat bar! UGH I JUST LOVE HALLOWEEN SO MUCH TAKE MY MONEY ALREADY. Buy your VIP experience here.

As far as stages go, Escape has four main stages: Slaughterhouse, Ghouls’ Graveyard, The Chopping Block and Cannibals’ Tea Party. As a reminder, all the stages are indoor. The lineup has a great mix of artists, and personally, I’m looking forward to Alan Walker and Tiesto among many others.

In true Insomniac style, there will also be art all over the grounds and spooky, scary Halloween themed performers. Escape also boasts The Asylum, a 32,000 square foot immersive theater. It has 30 distinct environments, 120 interactive performers, movie-quality set designs and special effects for a funhouse only Insomniac could pull off. It sounds pretty freaky. You can read more on it here… if you dare…

Since you’ll probably want to wear a Halloween look to the event, make sure to check out the below guidelines for costumes.

• NO drugs or drug paraphernalia
• NO SBPD, SBFD, authentic-looking law enforcement, fire dept. or security costumes
• NO handcuffs
• NO glass or ceramic masks
• NO full-face makeup that makes you unrecognizable from your government-issued photo ID
• NO weapons or weapon accessories (fake or authentic), including axes, knives, swords or guns
• NO violent props, including crops, whips, ropes, chains or tethers
• NO sharp metal spikes
• Please remember that we are an inclusive community, and costumes/decorations should not misrepresent race, religion, or cultural heritage.

So have fun with it! Start making your Halloween kandi and get ready to trade at Escape: Psycho Circus!