[PHOTOS] The festival world's best kept secret: Lightning in a Bottle
Published: May 30, 2014
Story by: Brandon Fuller (The Confluence Group)
Photos by: Avi Gallant
The festival world’s best kept secret is creeping out of its niche, blossoming into one of the most impressive festivals in the world. After having been to nearly every major music festival in the US and many in Europe, I can safely say there is nothing like Lightning In A Bottle.
While it boasts many of the things that make music festivals great, there are so many other areas of exploration, curiosity, creativity, art, and weirdness that make it truly unique. Unlike other festivals filled with pre-parties, pool parties, post-parties, hangover parties, and satellite parties, LIB is the only party you need.
No matter the time of day there is something to keep you occupied: communal foam showers, speakeasies, trading posts, poetry readings, cooking classes, sound baths, and countless other activities. Sustainability is huge for LIB as well--and it shows, as they were awarded Greenest Festival in North America for 4 years in a row. The people-watching is second to none, too.
"We want to create environment where people feel free to come in and play and have fun. It’s important that each little world has its own signature feel and look to it, so each world you go into invites you into that particular world. We want to create a world that is like this all year round and every year I feel like we take a little more of it home with us.” Dream Rockwell, Co-Founder, Lightning In A Bottle & Founder, Lucent Dossier Experience
Somewhere around 14,000 people made the voyage to the San Antonio Lake Recreation Area in Bradley, California over Memorial Day Weekend, festival headliners included Moby, Phantogram, Little Dragon, Beats Antique, Lucent Dossier, Amon Tobin, Baauer and others. While the music was no doubt top notch, it was the art exhibits like Lightning In A Paintcan, dozens of classes, workshops and meeting such a vibrant group of people from all around the world that truly made this such a special experience. Every step of the way you felt like someone planned it for your unique experience.
“For us the creating and curating of this festival is the most important part. Every detail is thought through. We want everyone’s experience, every second that they are here, to be influenced by something that we did or something that they can express and experience themselves.” Dede Flemming (Co-Founder, The Do LaB).
There is an incredible sense of community at LIB, as a first timer I feel I just got a small taste of it. Next year I’m looking forward to diving right in and helping to create that sense of community and collaborate in making our little city come alive once again.
