It’s about that time of the year again, when the daisies have bloomed and the freaks come out at night… the annual Electric Daisy Carnival has arrived, and it has come full force. Spanning 2 days, this diversified music festival lasting 24 hours will unite over 140,000 people as they dance to a wide selection of electronic music. From drum n bass to dubstep to trance, attendees will be immersed in great tunes throughout the event as they jump to the different stages with various types of music. Of course there are also carnival rides, concession stands, and various forms of visual art to explore as well. Known as the biggest music festival outside of Europe, EDC is an experience that you can’t find anywhere else in this country, and it is for this reason I encourage you to check it out. If you aren’t a fan of electronic music or you are a borderline convert, I believe this event will change your mind. There’s just so much to see and so much good music to soak in that it will be hard not to have a great time.

On the downside, it is due to the growing popularity of this Insomniac party that the event does get a little too hectic at times. During peak hours at the big stages, there always seems to be a giant clusterfuck of patrons crammed onto the dancefloor, in the hallways, and all across the bleachers. At last year’s event, I was overwhelmed by the amount of pushing, congestion, and overall crowdedness to the point where it was hard to truly enjoy the music. It became annoying to move around and deal with all the kids laying on the ground, and I don’t figure it will get better this year. Insomniac claims to improve visitor mobility every year, but it’s hard to see the results.

Complaints aside, this year’s lineup is pretty damn solid (in terms of trance at least). Aly & Fila and Gareth Emery are high on my list of must-sees, and Above & Beyond and Armin always play a lot of crowd-pleasers. In my opinion, Neon Garden will be the place to be because it has the sweetest lineup. If I do end up going (plans have not been cemented yet), the big question would be… Armin or Simon Patterson for the closing set?

Check out the artists and event layout:

Official trailer:

If you haven’t bought your ticket yet, you can find them here. Check out the official website for apparel, tunes, and more information.