Sprawled across the 60 acres of Carson Creek Ranch just minutes east of downtown Austin, fans of music, art, fashion, and good vibes flocked to Euphoria Festival to party in the glorious spring weather we’ve all been eagerly awaiting.
Whatever you may have found at Euphoria, (a new dance move? glow sticks? an inflatable chair named after an elephant?), we hope it was uplifting. We’re sure that everyone experienced moments of pure happiness, ease and appreciation on the grounds this past weekend. That was the point after all, to “find your euphoria.”
The overall feeling from the moment you step onto the festival grounds to when you leave is relaxation.
As long time festival goers we had some preconceived notions going in, including the not so enjoyable ones: close contact with sweaty strangers, losing friends and having no cell service to ever find them again, being trapped in the parking lot trying to find your car. But I will say that the setup of Euphoria made all of these expected inconveniences non-existent. The overall feeling from the moment you step onto the festival grounds to when you leave is relaxation. Everything is there for you. Euphoria is the friend you can stay up all night with but feel like you slept for hours. Plus, there were hammocks everywhere so you could powernap to the rhythms and rhymes of Magna Carda (or sway to the dubs and steps of Psymbionic).
The producers were clearly aiming for an unforgettable experience. Even though the location is mere minutes from the hustle and bustle of downtown, visitors feel like they have been transported far away with the only mission to dance and have fun. The integration of art within the festival grounds was one of my favorite parts. Art Outside took over the camping area, with a mobile gallery featuring a huge number of local artists, vendors and performers. I took a break in the uniquely crafted spaceship surrounded by gongs, presented by Sonic. The group was invited to Euphoria this year to share this meditative experience. One of the members, Casey Blaze, was impressed with the courtesy of every visitor compared to other festivals she’s traveled to.
“Euphoria is dedicated to cultivating a free spirit.”
Local art connoisseurs, Cherry Cola Dog, helped organize 8 artists into an impromptu live painting jam, customizing picnic tables into trippy drippy works of art. Street art isn’t always appreciated or even legal and one artist Jomau explained, “It’s a lot of fun, especially when you get invited to paint.” Impressively, he completed two tables in four hours—even with all of the beautiful distractions of the Colorado river, the Chapel, and dozens of curious onlookers.
Another artist, Gage Kelsey, was stoked that “Euphoria is dedicated to cultivating a free spirit.” It’s clear his art and flow is influenced by his surroundings and emotions and his final piece radiated stellar good vibes. While it was semi-confusing to have the Art Outside gallery outside of the main festival grounds, Gage was glad to take the opportunity to represent Austin’s thriving art scene just a few steps away from the Dragonfly Amphitheater.
Of course, the music wasn’t too shabby either. From Dubstep to Funk, there was something for everyone to discover. I appreciated the short transitions between each set which kept the party going. There was so much to see and hear that we have put together a list of some stellar moments that we will never forget.
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Most Multi-talented Performer: FKJ
I expected an entire ensemble based on the amount of instruments that were on the stage but FKJ proved that he is a soulful and extremely talented one-man band.
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Best Team Players: The Disco Biscuits
After The Knocks unexpectedly cancelled, The Disco Biscuits played two back to back sets. No one was disappointed as the crowd only grew as time went on.
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Most Austin-y Stage: Dragonfly Amphitheater
This was personally my favorite space at the festival. As you watched each performer you also could look out onto the river, which reflected the lights.
