![]() ![]() There was also a plethora of food and beverage options, making it certain that I would never wait more than a few minutes to grab a drink or bite to eat. The Psycho Circus and Crazy Town returned this year and were filled with activities for attendees from live performances and fortune-telling, to mazes and the ever-impressive Fire Kethedral. I had a beaming smile on my face once inside the festival grounds and quickly came to love the way that Insomniac laid out the stages and the experiential areas. Others who had to battle the lines at will call weren’t as lucky. The entry to the festival itself was just as quick as I showed my proof of vaccination, ID, and had my wristband scanned. Aside from the walk to the venue, it proved to be an absolute breeze that left me wondering why I hadn’t parked there before. Gone was the terrible parking situation that plagued many events at the NOS Events Center – we headed to the Railway Lot instead. Photo Credit: Kristina Bakrevski for Insomniac Events Upon arrival, things at Escape Halloween were clearly different, but in a good way. I couldn’t wait to return to my old stomping grounds and see how much more this festival has matured. ![]() I was drained as well, yet somehow filled with excitement and energy. This year many of them didn’t join me, as the numbers of my own rave family have dwindled and many others were either too busy or exhausted from EDC Las Vegas the previous weekend. I listened to sets recorded from past editions of Escape Halloween on the way there that unlocked memories spent with friends at the NOS Events Center. It was pretty gutting to not be able to experience that in 2020, but as I made the trek up to San Bernardino on Friday to check into the same hotel I’ve stayed at for a decade, there was a flood of emotions that washed over me. Yet each time I’ve entered the gates of Escape I’ve been filled with a feeling of contentment. There have been years that have been amazing and others that saw problems in the mix. Much like watching a child grow up, I’ve seen this festival experience its ups, downs, and growing pains along the way. Photo Credit: Jose Murga for Insomniac Events Flash forward to 2021, a decade since that initial experience, and my love for Escape Halloween has grown. I had experienced other massives in the past, but few had as many welcoming people and amazing artists gracing their stages as Escape did – and I knew after attending that year I’d never miss it again. Instead of the insane stages and places to explore, the main takeaways I had from that first edition were the beats that permeated its speakers and the community that came together to rave. The tickets were cheaper, the crowds were smaller, and the production was more minimal as a whole. The scene was different back then and has changed vastly since. This festival, Nocturnal Wonderland, Beyond Wonderland, and the now-defunct White Wonderland all featured thematic elements influenced by Alice in Wonderland – and the experience itself was just as whimsical, even with limited production at the time. But my love for Halloween isn’t the only reason that Escape holds a special place in my heart, it was the first festival hosted by Insomniac that I ever attended, and quite honestly, it opened my eyes to a new world.īack in 2011, Escape Halloween went by a different name, Escape from Wonderland, which fit nicely into Insomniac’s flagships outside of EDC at the time. In fact, when spooky season approaches each year, I’m more giddy about this massive West Coast festival than the holiday it represents. Since beginning my journey as a raver and festival attendee, few things have been as consistent as Escape Halloween. Insomniac’s beloved spooky festival, Escape Halloween, celebrated its tenth edition in style as they helped bring the scene back to life. ![]()
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