Day Trip Festival was a prime way to usher in summer, with heavy hitters like Kaskade, Sonny Fodera, Boys Noize, Loco Dice, and more taking the stage.
With the arrival of warmer weather under the Southern Californian sun comes a plethora of events to satiate dance music fans. One of these beloved events is Insomniac’s Day Trip Festival, where house and techno enthusiasts converged June 22-23 in its fourth edition as it returned to Long Beach’s Queen Mary Waterfront. Fans were met with another epic two-day event as the perfect way to kick off the summer season.
The festival has evolved from its early years as a series of LA day parties and its original location at the NOS Events Center in San Bernadino, CA. Since upgrading to the Queen Mary Waterfront in 2022, Day Trip Festival has only continued to improve, with the addition of afterparties, lodging on the adjacent Queen Mary, smaller stages to highlight rising artists, cutting-edge production, and more enhancing the experience.
Whether you gravitated toward the High Tide stage for house heaters or the Deep End for techno tracks, it was sure to be an unbelievable time set along the picturesque backdrop of Long Beach City and Waterfront.
Returning to Day Trip Festival for the first time since 2021, I was excited to experience the upgrades.
After a convenient short walk from the Hotel Maya, my group and I entered the gates on Saturday of Day Trip Festival, just in time to catch LUMI’s performance at the Deep End. This up-and-coming techno star is one to watch, and we enjoyed catching all three of her sets over Saturday’s festival and afterparty. She slayed her first-ever festival performances, with attendees in a trance no matter where you heard her.
As the Deep End began filling in, I took a moment to admire the added shade structures over the entire stage, which was larger than last year’s, cooling us down. This improvement over 2023’s edition was well-received by fans as people flocked to the Deep End to beat the heat. One suggestion for the future would be the addition of misters over the crowd for an extra layer of cool or even more shade structures throughout the festival’s walkways.
Food and drink options were plentiful at Day Trip Festival.
Opting for a bite, my friend and I walked toward the Beatbox Art Car to check out the nearby food trucks. I secured an order of sliders that were quite delicious, although on the pricier side at a total of $25. Pupusas and tacos were also available from this vendor and looked enticing. Other options included Dave’s Hot Chicken, pizza, burgers, burritos, and even sushi.
Bars were also present throughout the festival, and you never had to walk too far to grab a beverage, alcoholic or non. Insomniac had also recruited a zero-proof alcohol vendor for those looking to stay sober; however, I heard that the prices here were the same as purchasing an alcoholic drink.
Of course, while at the festival, we had to partake in an iconic fish bowl drink (or a few). Four options were available throughout the show, including margaritas and Moscow mules. Some of the pours were heavier at some bartenders versus others, though, with some locations offering the drinks on tap and others being mixed by hand.
Insomniac brought the heat no matter which stage was calling your name with a roster of top-tier artists and rising talent.
Some of my standout sets from day one included Westend and Sonny Fodera dominating the decks at High Tide, with Space 92 and Boys Noize demolishing the Deep End. Westend bumped crowd favorites, like his fiery collab with Max Styler, “Rhythm Machine,” as fans basked in the house heaters. Sonny Fodera brought a memorable sunset set filled with nostalgic tunes as we transitioned into the long night ahead.
Earlier in the day, Day Trip Festival had announced that MK would be unable to make it for his back-to-back set with Green Velvet. Cloonee stepped up and quickly took his place. I was looking forward to this b2b; however, I was left feeling underwhelmed, and it did not meet my high expectations. The tracklist wasn’t anything special, in my opinion, although some moments during the set delivered. Regardless, the vast crowd fed off their energy, and most festivalgoers seemed to enjoy their time.
House music reigned supreme on day two, with many impressive artists catering to attendees.
Most of my Sunday was spent at the High Tide stage, with plenty of heavy hitters I was sure to catch. Unfortunately, Matt Sassari was not able to make his set as well, and set times shifted to fill the void. Budding producers like MISS DRE and Max Styler adapted quickly, delivering stellar performances in the Long Beach heat. LF System furthered the good vibes as High Tide packed out, and legend Armand van Helden successfully guided us into the evening’s festivities.
Joshwa and Solardo meshed perfectly for an invigorating back-to-back set. However, the crowd shifted once Mau P and Kaskade arrived on stage for their sets. VIP became extremely packed, and PLUR was thrown out the window. I opted to stay on the outskirts of the crowd that rushed in, but my friend, who had gone in deeper, was met with unruly fans. Nevertheless, their sets landed at my top weekend spots, with anthem after anthem consistently being played.
VIP is known for its extra space and room to dance, but it was overcrowded and filled to the brim at the High Tide stage by the end of day two, making for an uncomfortable experience. That said, the rest of the weekend provided positive experiences in both VIP areas at High Tide and Deep End, with typically plenty of space to meander and optimal viewing areas.
Overall, Day Trip Festival brought another successful experience for house and techno aficionados to Southern California.
Whether you’re just breaking into the scene or have been attending shows for years, you’re sure to relish in the summer vibes of Day Trip Festival. There was no shortage of house and techno beats to keep the party going, and you could even opt for the afters aboard the Queen Mary on the rooftop deck after the festival. Running until 4am both nights, artists like Kaskade, Solardo, MK, and Ben Sterling played unique after-hours sets across two stages. While the parties were a fun way to cap off the evening into early morning, space was limited and, at times, congested due to the configuration of the Queen Mary’s decks.
The festival could also benefit from more activities and extra ways to indulge yourself besides the music, like a Ferris wheel, other rides, or a wading pool to beat the heat. There were some activations from Ghost, White Claw, and Smirnoff, many of whom gave out free goodies like koozies and sunscreen. Photo opportunities were rampant throughout the festival, with many chances to snap the perfect photo.
Day Trip Festival provides the utmost experience for dance music lovers, and Insomniac only continues to improve it yearly. The rise of the Day Trip brand has been impressive to watch compared to its humble beginnings as an LA party series. I was ecstatic to make it back out and see all the changes for myself, and I know this won’t be the last time I attend!
