EDC 2017 Experience

If you’ve read my first blog post, you know that I had the time of my LIFE at EDC 2017. Major life changer for me. So I decided to create a new post for those that wanted to know what each day was like. I’ll also give you some TIPS and MUST HAVE’S at the end.

FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017 – DAY 1

Highlights: Zedd

I woke up at 7am (my usual time), but knowing that I’d be out all night, I wanted to sleep in. That didn’t happen.

My hubster and I arrived at the Cannery Hotel at noon. We wanted to see if we could get an early check-in so that we weren’t rushing to get ready. Luckily our room was available. The front desk agent told us that there were buses off property that can take us to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway free of charge. We contemplated this thought as we got ready and eventually decided to take advantage of the free ride. We left the hotel at 6pm and drove about 5 minutes down the road to Craig Ranch Park, which is where the buses were doing pickups. We parked our car, which was easy, and boarded the bus at 6:20pm. We were surprised to see that it was an actual school bus, and while the concept is pretty cool, the thought begins to wear down when you’re an hour and a half in. Why?

Two words: NO A/C. Vinyl Seats. Sweaty People. 

OK, that was a cluster of two words. But you get what I’m saying.

The upside is that it was awesome being around people who were just excited as we were. Another school bus, filled with bright eyed wanderers, drove next to us while we were stuck in traffic and threw Kandi’s. I managed to snag one that said, “Molly.” Kind of Ironic, I thought, since I’ve never done it. 

When we finally arrived to the Speedway, it was 7:50pm. We were dropped off in the Green Lot. We then had to walk a dirt path, which felt like a mile long, but it really only took us a little over 10 minutes to get to the front gates. By this point, we were thirsty! We didn’t have any water or anything to drink, because on the EDC website, it said that no outside food or beverages are allowed, so we didn’t think to bring anything. My advice is to bring a bottled water with you because the wait time from the front gate to security check point can vary.

The front gate was packed. It was just a crowd with no designated lines. We were just a herd of people, cramped together like sardines and it was like this for 2 FUCKING HOURS! People were pushing, then they started chanting, “Let us in!” We would move another 4 feet every 20 minutes. No Joke. 

There were two check points. The first line was to scan your ticket. The second line was ID/Security check.  We didn’t make it to the security check line until 9:30! And once we got to that line it was another 30 minutes to finally get into the venue. 

I got separated from my hubster because security check point is divided in girl/boy lines. I didn’t reach the actual security guard until 10pm. I finally found my hubster with the help of awesome ladies that yelled his name out for me. 

When we FINALLY made it through the gates and up the hill, I was expecting to be overwhelmed. All of my friends said that once you make it through the gates, the view will be breathtaking. 

IT WASN’T.

The Green Lot entrance takes you to the side, so there is nothing spectacular to look at. We just kept walking on the track of the speedway, following the sound of the music, until we approached one of the stages: Cosmic Meadow. 

While that was exciting, it just wasn’t the grand entrance I was looking for. I just thought everyone lied and it was all hype. 

I was disappointed. Not only did it take 3.5 hours just to reach this point, there was no extravagant view. Being that it was our first experience, it felt like the anticipation we had for 6 months was stripped away. It was a major bummer that’s for sure. 

We tried to make the best of it anyway – because that’s who we are. 

 

We knew Martin Garrix was going to perform at Kinetic Field so we headed over there ASAP. We got the tail end of GTA’s set and stayed for most of Martin Garrix set. Zedd was scheduled to start 15 minutes before Martin Garrix ended. Zedd was the one I really wanted to see that night, so we left early and headed to Circuit Ground where he was performing. We got a pretty good view and we made it just in time for his set to begin. I just have to say that his set was AMAZING! That, alone, made up for the beginning of the night.

We went back to Kinetic Field to watch Hardwell. By this time I was so tired that I needed a break, so we sat down and enjoyed the show. After watching Afrojack perform, it was about 4:30am, so we decided to leave. We walked the dirt road that led back to the Green Lot where a bus was waiting.  

The ride back to the park wasn’t too bad. Although, we were really exhausted by this time and fell asleep during the ride. By the time we got to the car, I felt like a hungry Zombie. Luckily the drive back to the hotel didn’t have much traffic, so we decided to eat breakfast before crashing. 

SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 2017 – DAY 2

Highlights: Tiesto and the discovery of Buzz Pops

The second night we decided to drive. We parked in the Blue Lot and the entrance to the event was exactly what we were looking for. 

There was music and the line was more organized. It went by a lot faster than Friday night’s! We got there at 7pm and we made it passed security and the gates in 30 minutes. 

The entrance from the blue lot takes you to the top of the bleachers. After the tunnel, you are welcomed with this amazing view of the whole set up! Now that was the overwhelming experience I wanted on Night One. 

 

We decided to check out a few places we didn’t get to see on Friday, such as Electric Ave and Memory Lane. We knew Alan Walker was playing soon, so we decided to head over to Circuit Ground and made it just in time for his set. Again, we had a good view and were dancing away. We were also waiting for our friends, who were still stuck in line.

We were thirsty, so we definitely kept hydrated at the Free Water stations. The line looked long, but the wait wasn’t. The wait times the whole weekend was about 15 minutes. They have water attendants to help refill CamelBaks and bottles, so it helped move the process along. 

I wanted to drink alcohol, but the prices were expensive. A can of Corona was $10 and a mixed cocktail was $14. I saw someone holding what looked like a Flintstone’s Push Up Popsicle, and I wanted one!

So I headed over to a vendor called “Buzz Pop” where they made alcoholic popsicles. I tried the Passion Fruit Mango which was mixed with Vodka. This was the best $10 I spent. It was the yummiest alternative to the alcoholic drinks they were selling. 

Our friends finally made it and we headed to Kinetic Field to watch Kygo and Tiesto perform. Tiesto is my hubster’s favorite DJ and he soon moved up in my ranks of faves once he played a remix of my favorite song, I’ll Fly with You by Gigi D'Agostino. We also watched the main firework show, which was pretty spectacular. After, we walked around, listened to the music from various DJ’s such as Above and Beyond. I got another Buzz Pop and ended up at Cosmic Meadow. We sat down in the grassy field to relax and listen to the end of Alison Wonderland and the beginning of Mr. Camack. 

By 3:30 we decided to head out to see if we can avoid the traffic. It was great timing. The traffic wasn’t too bad. 

SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 2017 – DAY 3 [FATHER’S DAY]

Highlights: Art Cars, Marshmello, surprise performance from Kaskade, and the Closing Ceremony

We decided to drive again and parked in the Blue Lot. It definitely looked a lot busier and we got there around 6:30pm. The wait time was a little longer today, maybe about 45 minutes or so… I got lucky and sped right by because I happened to find a girls line where no one was in. Unfortunately, I still had to wait for my hubster to get checked by security, and that line took forever.

I had sealed tampons in the camelbak my hubster was carrying. They’ve been in there for the first two nights of EDC. I wasn’t on my period yet, but I always have a few JUST IN CASE. The female security guard asked him why he had it. He explained that they were mine and even pointed at me. She just looked at him and then sniffed the tampon. Yes, I said sniffed it, then threw it away. Hubster was confused and said that the tampons were sealed. A girl in line was also confused and said, “wait, we can’t have those?” The security guard proceeded to say, “They sell them inside.”

That’s beside the point. On the EDC website it clearly states that tampons were allowed as long as they were sealed. So WTF?!

As a woman, we all know that having your period is beyond your control. We already have to suffer through this miserable time, so to take away the one thing that we ABSOLUTELY need? Not cool.

Still, I tried NOT to let this damper the start of my night, and continued on. 

My friends didn’t arrived yet, so we decided to walk around Carnival Square and explore a little on our own. It was hotter today, so we took advantage of a misting machine we found (which in reality were electric fans spraying water). 

When my friends finally arrived, we decided to check out the other half of the venue. We went to the daisy patch and listened to some awesome tunes at the Parliament Art Car. 

During this time, I had a craving for Buzz Pop, so I saw the closest vendor and made my way there, only to find that they were CLOSED! Someone said that there was some dispute with the vendor so they abandoned their post. =(

I was disappointed because I was looking forward to it, especially on a hot night. 

After, we went to the Upside Down House and cooled off in the A/C rooms before seeing Marshmello at Kinetic Field. Half of our group went to see them while the other half went to watch Axwell Ingrosso. 

Marshmello killed it. He was totally amazing and I’ve become even more obsessed with his music. 

Afterwards, we went to Neon Garden to meet with the other half of our group. We crossed through Cosmic Meadow where we caught the tail end of DJ Khaled’s speech. Everyone in the crowd booed and were shouting for Yellow Claw to come out and for DJ Khaled to get off the stage. I remember him saying that he still has nothing but love for everyone, then proceeded to chant his name, while the crowd chanted for Yellow Claw…

Once we bypassed the crowd and got to Neon Garden, we listened to Adam Beyer for a while. We decided to get some drinks and tried to maneuver through Cosmic Meadow while Yellow Claw played their set. I don’t know about others, but I had a good time dancing my way through the other end of the field. We hung out Kinetic Field for a little while, listening to Alison Wonderland B2B Diplo B2B Jauz, then Madeon before finding out that Kaskade was a surprise performer. So we headed straight to Kalliope Art Car to listen to his set. 

By 4:30, my friends decided to leave, so my hubster and I decided to stay and wander around. It was the last night, and we weren’t ready for it to be over. We went back to Kinetic Field to watch Lost Frequencies and the Closing Ceremony. We sat there in awe, as the sun came up and everyone was clearing out. Trash was all over the place, music stopped, and reality hit. Then just like that, EDC was over… 

THE AFTERMATH

 

On our way out, we stopped at the Insomniac Store. We were so busy partying all weekend, that this was a last minute thought. They had nothing much available and the girl selling the items was bitching the whole time. She kept complaining about how, “people want to wait till the last minute to buy stuff…” While that may be true, I mean…don’t most people buy things at the end of an event anyway? IDK, but she definitely needs to work on her customer service skills. 

It was almost 6 a.m. and everyone was heading to the parking lot, which was a disaster. I’m so glad I peed before we left because it took almost 2 hours to get back to the hotel. I did knock out in the car while my hubster drove, so I wasn’t the best company. 

Overall, it was the best weekend of my life. I experienced new things, met new people, and reconnected with old friends. 

 

MUST HAVE’S:

• Camelbak/hydration pack
• Tissues [travel pack]
• Wipes [travel pack]
• Sealed Gum
• Portable Charger
• Chapstick
• Cooling Towel
• Sealed Tampons
• Hand Sanitizer
• Bandana/Scarf
• Comfortable Shoes

TIPS:

• Wear comfortable shoes. If you're a first-timer, you might be thinking about wearing heals or sandals to go with your outfit – DON’T! While it may be cute, you will be miserable. There is a ton of walking and standing. So comfortable shoes is a must!
• Wear deodorant. Don't be that person, especially if you like to put your hands in the air and wave them like you just don't care. There are times where you'll be waiting in line or in a crowd - skin to skin. Do I really need to explain more than that? 
• Although it says that you can't bring any open containers into the event, bring a bottled water so you can stay hydrated while you wait in line. Learn from my experience on Night One! 
• If you don't have a camelbak, then you will have to purchase a bottle water inside, which is around $5. The good thing is that you can refill them at the Free Water Stations. 
• Also, if you plan on being at an hour long set and don't want to leave, make sure your camelbak/bottles are filled. Stay hydrated people!
• I detest Port-A-Potty’s, so I was dreading using them, but eventually…I had to. They have hand sanitizers, but no sinks with water to wash your hands. They also run out of toilet paper by the end of the night, so bringing your own pack and hand sanitizer is a good idea. If you’re a germ-a-phobe, fill up a spare water bottle so you can use it to wash your hands.
•   Also, if you hate Port-A-Potty’s don’t use it when the sun comes out. Just trust me on that.
• Do your research. Traffic is a bummer. You could be stuck in traffic for 20 minutes, or you could be stuck in traffic for a good 2 hours or more. If you wait till dawn to leave, then you will be stuck in traffic longer.

SUGGESTIONS FOR EDC:

• There should be better organization for the flow of traffic. Having the free bus take you to the event is a great idea theoretically, but they take the same route as everyone else, so it defeats the purpose of beating out traffic. The shuttle buses from the strip had a price tag of $90, but people were still waiting to get into the shuttle at 10 p.m. Buses and shuttles should have a different route than cars. Otherwise, they should start their first route much earlier than 6 p.m.
• The front gate lines coming from the Green Lot were horrendous. There weren’t enough security check in’s and they didn’t manage the flow of admission very well. There should be more security stations set up or manage the crowd flow better because it was a mess.

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