Escape Psycho Circus Crept Into the Future While Paying Homage to the Past

From debuting a new stage and shining a light on rising acts to the return of a twisted iconic theme, Escape Psycho Circus reigned supreme as the premier Halloween rave.

Escape Halloween is embarking on its 15th anniversary in 2026, and the most recent edition this year surely set the stage for what is to come. The annual spooky season festival returned to the NOS Event Center in San Bernardino this year, drawing dance music lovers from all over to the Insomniac event. Sparking the ghoulish good times on Halloween night, the two-day rave raged on, accentuating the cornerstones of the behemoth brand: immersive production, world-class entertainers, and a top-tier lineup all under a neon-lit sky.

Music festivals have been a playground for me for years, dating back to one of the last Electric Daisy Carnivals to rock the Los Angeles Coliseum. Since then, I’ve voyaged into sidequests galore, but this LA-born girl has yet to venture into the eerie realm of Escape Psycho Circus. That is, until this year. With a lineup that highlighted the best, the brightest, the new, and everything in between, I couldn’t resist the urge to take this trip into the unknown, and boy, was it a spine-chilling good time.

Despite what I heard about previous installments of the Halloween event, for the most part, everything ran smoothly. Entry was simple, quick, and packed with good vibes. Even though Friday was way more packed than Saturday, lines weren’t disastrous. Performances popped off without interruption or major technical difficulties. Bathrooms were everywhere, from lined up outside the venue near the screaming God-loving rave-hating protesters (don’t worry, Ground Control outshined their hateful vibes with love), to spruced throughout the massive venue. Not to mention that most of them were clean, I mean, as clean as they can be. A porta-potty is a porta-potty, folks.

While the city’s vibes did not feel very welcoming, the vibes inside Escape Psycho Circus were emblematic not only of the culture but also of the city. This festival encapsulated the best of the Halloween rave’s past and slingshot us into what the future of the unearthly music festival has the potential to offer for years to come.

Photo Credit: Skyler Greene for Escape Psycho Circus

The Debut of a New Mainstage: The Big Top

When I finally arrived at the NOS Event Center on Halloween night, I was met with an astonishing display of uncanny theatrics and pyrotechnics. After passing by the endless row of festival-goers capturing their moment under the Escape sign sitting outside of the Feeding Grounds stage, I was met by a slew of creepy crawlers.

Lost in the world that is Crazy Town, sinister clowns popped out from the shadows, a petrifying giant spider guided by a smiling performer flew over my head, screams from nearby carnival riders choked the air, and a mysterious show where a chilling magician was attempting to saw off a woman’s behind was underway. It was at the exit of this chilling scenario that I ran into the massive mainstage: The Big Top.

The crowd appeared to sway and jump in unison as Deorro dropped “Five Hours.” Standing back to take it all in, the Big Top stood out above all. The mesmerizing, towering structure held a huge open space, a magnificent light display, and engulfing screens that hung from the overhanging. One of five stages, The Big Stop served as the perfect center to the chaos of Escape.

This year marked the debut of the new main stage, replacing The Grimm stage, which was first introduced in 2019. The Big Top’s impressive scenography and technical production assist is a sure sign that the new mainstage will become a mainstay for Escape for years to come.

Photo Credit: Skyler Greene for Escape Psycho Circus

Rising Acts Shined Brightly at Escape Psycho Circus

One of the reasons this year’s Escape was a must for me was its earth-shattering lineup. The set list included a long list of beloved dance music icons, legends, and big names. While Deorro rocked The Big Top on Halloween night, San Holo had two sets, including a breathtaking, wholesome riddim set on the Sewer District stage Saturday night. RL Grime also appeared twice at the SoCal Halloween rave, closing out the Sewer District stage on Saturday after shocking us all on The Warehouse stage as the secret guest.

But it was the rising acts that really stood out. One of the things I like to do is go to sets by artists I’ve never seen and know little about. Escape Psycho Circus gave many new artists a chance to show everyone what they’re made of this year, and they did so fantastically.

One of the weekend’s most anticipated acts was Zoey808. While indeed considered an up-and-coming artist, the viral sensation was widely discussed after stepping off stage with Illenium. Zoey808 rocked the Sewer District early Saturday and did not disappoint. From the old heads in the stands to the ravers and ragers shaking the rails, the masked DJ had Escape attendees up and moving.

At a slightly smaller stage but packing just as much energy was Papa Lu. We caught him at the Casa Bacadi stage right outside The Warehouse on Saturday and noticed that not one person who walked by couldn’t help but stop and groove with the wildly talented performer. My favorite part was the shout-out to New Orleans’ Trombone Shorty! Talk about an amazing mash-up.

I can’t end this section without shouting, perhaps my favorite set of the weekend: the quickly rising, Moore Kismet! The energy they brought to their performance at The Warehouse made the set feel uncanny. Moore Kismet came through with so much excitement from jump. Though it wasn’t too crowded in the beginning, I turned back to see that the entire space had filled up with festival-goers who couldn’t resist the sounds bleeding out of The Warehouse.

The drops were memorable, the vibes were flowing, and there was a mix of genres, while staying somewhat strictly trap. Moore Kismet’s set was perfect for the timing and crowd, which quickly grew as if they were literally drawing folks in from beyond the stage. It was a set that fit right in with the weekend’s vibes.

Photo Credit: Jake West for Escape Psycho Circus

Evolving Vibes Could be Found Throughout the Grounds

The first few things I heard about Escape Halloween were not good at all: theft, sexual assault, and confrontational bros galore. PLUR was apparently completely thrown out the window for many. Unfortunately, at any event you attend, there will be moments of negative experiences. But this was not the overwhelming feedback I heard from this year’s festival attendees, nor was it my experience at Escape.

Let’s be clear, some people were drinking too much, and I myself saw incidents happen, but Ground Control was on it. And yes, we all heard about the guy who climbed onto The Warehouse roof. Of course, bros are going to be bros and show up where they may not need to. But for the most part, the PLUR vibes were real, and most importantly, the festival attendees were more representative of both the West Coast and the culture.

As a Black female raver, I’m always on the lookout for folks that look like me. There were plenty of moments where I ran into Black ravers and we literally all just hugged and yelled “melaninnnnnn.” But besides the visibility, there was a sense of being welcomed. No matter what creed, race, religion, sexuality, etc, we all laughed together, we all danced together, we all raged together. This is something that’s rare and doesn’t happen at every festival. Does it mean it will happen at all of them now? No. But it reflects where the festival has been and where it’s going.

Festival-goers said excuse me, people complimented each other, traded kandi, gave out trinkets, and danced together. My friend and I even got the chance to play a few games, and it was all vibes. Looking at Reddit and social media in general, this was the least amount of complaining about the fest that I’ve ever seen. While unfortunate incidents happened, I just want to say I’m proud of y’all. Escape Psycho Circus displayed progress.

Photo Credit: Keiki-Lani Knudsen for Escape Psycho Circus

Escape Psycho Circus Set the Tone for the Future

This Escape Halloween marked the return of a frightening theme that has made the Insomniac event iconic: Escape Psycho Circus. The sinister theme returned to the NOS Event Center this Halloween weekend, transforming the venue into an eerie dance-music wonderland, and served as a reminder of why the Halloween music festival continues to reign supreme.

From the outlandishly talented performers to the creaky rides and games to the circus-themed side-quests induced adventures that lay in wait throughout the venue, the theme came back and showed up in full force, setting the tone for what’s to come in future years.

There are multiple reasons besides the ones I’ve laid out here that Escape Halloween has become one of my favorite festivals. But, the question is, can Insomniac do it again?

Dates and ticket sales have already been announced for the 15th anniversary of Escape Halloween, and Psycho Circus will once again be the theme. Let’s just hope that the next installment of the two-day Halloween rager once again heats up SoCal perfectly. Either way, you’ll likely see me there, exchanging Kandi and screaming “melaninnnnn” with my fellow Black ravers.

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