CHECK OUT OUR ESCAPE HALLOWEEN HIGHLIGHTS HERE!
SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The NOS Events Center became the ultimate Halloween haunt this past weekend as Escape Halloween 2024 delivered its most immersive and electrifying edition yet. Amid swirling fog, larger-than-life stage designs, and a crowd as colorful as it was creepy, Escape set the bar high. Festival-goers were treated to a night filled with spine-tingling visuals, relentless basslines, and spooky activities.
This year, Insomniac upped the ante with a reimagined layout, introducing the expansive Sewer District as the third main stage. The Sewer District’s new setup allowed attendees to utilize the Grand Stands as well as the lot below. The layout change facilitated smoother foot traffic—a long-awaited improvement that finally matched the ever-growing festival attendance. Between the stages, fans found a unique world to explore, like Psycho Circus, which featured palm readers, psychics, magicians, and more.
The Sewer District drew in bass heads and headbangers with its industrial, apocalyptic atmosphere. Wooli took the spotlight Friday night with a set that was both heavy and surprisingly emotional, balancing pounding basslines with melodic interludes that kept everyone locked in. The Feeding Grounds, on the other hand, was a spider’s web of house music bliss. Giant, glowing spiders loomed overhead, and webs stretched across the ceilings, creating an eerie yet entrancing atmosphere that captivated attendees all weekend. If you weren’t watching, one of the massive animatronic spiders “escaped” from its webbing and made its way to The Grimm to watch a set, dropping its eggs (balloons) along the way.
Escape’s 2024 lineup did not disappoint, packing in powerhouse performances that left the crowd screaming for more. Illenium took command of The Grimm on Friday, his melodic bass blending perfectly with the festival’s Halloween spirit. Rooler’s hardstyle set at The Feeding Grounds featured pyrotechnics and piercing lasers synced with every drop.
On Saturday, Martin Garrix closed the night with a set that can only be described as cathartic. His tracks united the crowd, with Garrix himself leading a festival-wide chorus that felt like one massive, heart-pounding release. Earlier that night, Adventure Club brought their signature melodic dubstep, stirring up nostalgia with familiar remixes that had everyone bouncing. Then there was Meduza at the Feeding Grounds, whose haunting beats kept the crowd mesmerized with every bass drop.
Escape Halloween’s costumes were just as impressive as its stages. From Marshmello helmets to meticulously constructed “Up” houses, and a tireless Mike Wazowski who danced with everyone all night, creativity was on full display. Totems were another way people expressed themselves, with standouts like a SpongeBob “DoodleBob,” a meme of The Rock holding a rock, and a stripper Kermit the Frog. Not to be outdone, a cheeky “free Kandi, free condoms, free drug test strips” totem made the rounds, embodying the PLUR (Peace Love Unity Respect) mantra that Escape lives by.
Inside one of the VIP areas, guests could make their own Kandi—a nice touch for those who didn’t bring any. In the Psycho Circus, people could play at blackjack tables where they could gamble for festival swag.
Everywhere you turned, the sense of community was unmissable. Strangers gathered around each other’s phones, watching as the Dodgers took on the Yankees in the World Series, with fans shouting and celebrating every play as if they were back home in a stadium. Maddix even joined in the hype, shouting “Go Dodgers!” during his set.
As the weekend wrapped up and attendees began their long journeys home, talk was already about next year. Insomniac’s knack for creating a seamless blend of horror and rave has kept Escape Halloween at the forefront of festival-goers’ minds, and the 2024 edition only solidified its legendary status. Escape Halloween is an event you must experience and relive every year.
Whether you came for the beats, the scares, or just to feel that sense of connection, Escape Halloween 2024 delivered on all fronts. And with Insomniac’s continued innovation, it’s safe to say next year’s Escape will be even bigger, bolder, and bloodier.
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CHECK OUT OUR ESCAPE HALLOWEEN HIGHLIGHTS HERE!
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