After one month, the EDC Las Vegas withdrawals had finally set in and I was DYING for another festival. Thankfully this weekend brought Life is Beautiful Festival, set in Downtown Las Vegas. It was a weekend of sunny, mellow days and cool fall nights with a healthy dose of art, music, good vibes, and DANCING. ALL. THE DANCING.

This was my very first time attending the festival and I can say I was very impressed overall. I find the vibes at a festival to be crucial and at LIB they were soooo good. Everyone I ran into seemed genuinely stoked to be there, willing to take a photo for you, and eager to make room on the dance floor. Or maybe they were sick of getting hit in the face with my hair. This is a very real and understandable possibility.

Another impressive part about this festival was the art installations. From the pinata motel to the murals on the buildings, DTLV was looking so beautiful and I was proud to be a Las Vegas local!

The selling point of this festival for me was the lineup. When it was released in May, I couldn’t believe the variety in terms of performers and I purchased tickets the same day. I loved being able to see G-Eazy, The Temper Trap, The Lumineers, Die Antwoord, and Duke Dumont all in the same weekend. I love a good mellow set (The Lumineers) for being able to chill out before I go show off my fancy footwork (Duke Dumont + a dark dance floor = a happy Jess).

I was so happy that I finally got to see Gryffin, Zhu, CID, Mija, and The Lumineers. Better yet, none of their sets disappointed. Festivals provide such a great opportunity to discover new acts and it’s become one of my favorite things to do. Before this weekend I had never listened to KAYTRANADA, but he had one of thee grooviest sets of the weekend. And I didn’t really care about seeing Ghastly, but I went because my friends wanted to and I was so glad I did.

I also have to mention the backdrop to this three day beauty: Downtown Las Vegas, or DTLV as us locals lovingly call it. Being a Vegas local has been such a fun experience for me over the last year. I absolutely love telling people that I live here and how unique this city is. This festival created an environment that complimented Downtown perfectly and showed attendees a side of the city not everyone sees.

Festivals are about getting lost, opening your mind to new experiences, chilling out and generally enjoying your life. Eliminating the bullshit and having the time of your life dancing, vibing, and letting the music speak. I swear I’ve learned more about life and who I am through festivals than half of my college classes.

And even though my neck is sore from Excision and I’m walking with a limp because my left calf is sore from attempting to shuffle – yes, just one calf – I can confidently say that the post festival blues are so real.

This weekend truly was a fantastic and beautiful experience.

Thanks Life is Beautiful!!

So…how long until next year?