There is something exciting about experiencing a festival for the first time. You have heard about it, seen the photos and maybe even caught a few performances from the lineup, but you still do not know what it will actually feel like to be there. That is where I am with Nocturnal Wonderland. This will be my first time attending the festival at Glen Helen Regional Park in San Bernardino, and it will also be nice to return to the park as an adult. I have not been there since I was a child, so experiencing it again in an entirely different way adds another layer to the weekend.
From what I know about Nocturnal Wonderland, I am expecting an atmosphere that is fun, free spirited and a little magical. It is the kind of experience that immediately makes me think of Lost In Dreams. There is more to these festivals than simply moving from one DJ set to the next. The stages, production, crowd and overall environment can completely change the way you experience the music. I am interested to see if Nocturnal creates that same sense of escape while bringing its own personality to the festival grounds.
Even before stepping onto the festival grounds, the artwork for this year’s event gives me the impression that Nocturnal Wonderland leans into a whimsical and fantasy like world. The visuals feel playful, colorful and imaginative, which has me curious about how that translates into the actual festival environment. Since this will be my first Nocturnal, I am going in without firsthand knowledge of what the production will look like. That makes seeing the stages, installations and overall atmosphere for myself one of the things I am most looking forward to.
The lineup is another part of the experience I am looking forward to. There are several artists I already have my eye on, starting with Techno Tupac, who I have been following since first seeing him at Countdown. Then there is deadmau5, an artist I have been a fan of for some time but have never had the opportunity to see live. Green Velvet is another name that stands out, especially as a legend in the house music world. I am also looking forward to TroyBoi, who I recently discovered. His sound immediately caught my attention because it feels distinct from many of the other DJs I have heard. And then there is T Pain. If you are familiar with some of the major hits of the 2000s, you already know there is a good chance he is going to put on a great set.
At the same time, I am only familiar with a portion of the lineup, which gives me an opportunity to discover artists I may not have otherwise listened to. That is one of the things I enjoy about festival lineups. You can go in with the artists you already know, but there is always the possibility of walking away with a new favorite.
Nocturnal Wonderland is also known for its camping experience, which adds another element that separates it from many other festivals. I will not be camping, so my experience will focus entirely on the festival itself. I am curious to see how that changes my perspective and whether the energy created by the larger camping community carries into the festival grounds.
More than anything, I am looking forward to finding out what makes Nocturnal Wonderland its own experience. I already have a few artists I am excited to see, a familiar location that I am returning to in a completely different way and a festival atmosphere that looks like it could be something special. But until I step through those gates, I will not really know what Nocturnal has in store. Will it have that same sense of magic I have experienced at other festivals? Will I discover a new favorite artist? And will the whimsical world I have seen through the festival artwork come to life around me? I guess there is only one way to find out. My first Nocturnal Wonderland experience is about to begin.
