Electric Daisy Carnival

Updated on Nov 22, 2023

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Genre Electronic dance music		Founded by Insomniac Events

Location(s) Flagship: Las Vegas, Nevada Los Angeles, California (former) San Bernardino, California (former) Spin-offs: New York City, New York Chicago, Illinois Joliet, Illinois Dallas, Texas Orlando, Florida San Juan, Puerto Rico Milton Keynes, U.K. Mexico City, Mexico São Paulo, Brazil Tokyo, Japan New Delhi, India Years active 1991-1993 (first incarnation) 1997–present (Insomniac)

Electric Daisy Carnival, commonly known as EDC, is one of the biggest electronic dance music festivals in the world, with its flagship held annually in Las Vegas, Nevada. Big name electronic dance producers and DJ's such as Diplo, Jauz, the Chainsmokers, and Tiësto perform at the many locations held yearly for EDC. The festival incorporates various styles of dance music including trap, bounce, trance, techno, bass, house, and more. Since its inception It has since spread to various venues across the United States (California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York and Texas) as well as abroad, including Mexico, Puerto Rico, the UK, Brazil, Japan & India. The largest electronic music festival outside of Europe, EDC was dubbed the "American Ibiza" in 2010. In 2009, EDC became a two-day event, and in 2011 a three-day event in Las Vegas that drew 230,000 people. In 2015 it drew more than 400,000 over three days (134,000 per day).

History

The first Electric Daisy Carnival rave was held in the early 1990s at an open field in the city of Pacoima, in Los Angeles, California, by Gary Richards and DJ Steve Kool-Aid (real name: Stephen Enos).

In 1997, its next incarnation was held at the Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles. "Electric Daisy Carnival" was selected by Insomniac's partner Philip Blaine. The name usage was approved by Steve Kool-Aid via Gary Richards as a homage to the original creation from several years prior. Philip at the time was partners with Gary Richards at 1500 Records. In the early years, several southern California venues played host to the annual electronic music festival: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Exposition Park in Los Angeles, National Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino, Queen Mary Events Park in Long Beach, Lake Dolores Waterpark in Barstow, Hansen Dam in Lake View Terrace, and the International Agri-Center in Tulare. 2009 marked the first year that the festival occurred in Puerto Rico. In 2010, the event expanded to Dallas, Texas, and in 2011, an event in Orlando, Florida, was added. In 2012, the EDC expanded to New York, and in 2013 expanded to Milton Keynes, UK, and Chicago.

2008

The California event was held June 28 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Exposition Park. Unexpectedly high attendance caused massive lines and long waits of several hours. There were claims that it was over its stated capacity of 65,000 people. EDC organizers promised to reduce the wait, opening the doors two hours early for Nocturnal Wonderland 2008.

The Colorado event took place on June 14 at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds in Aurora.

2009

Announced at Nocturnal Festival 2008 to be a two-day festival, the California event was held on June 26–27. On Friday, approximately 55,000 attendees were present and Saturday saw a crowd of approximately 99,000. EDC 2009 was held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and used the entire southern half of Exposition Park.

The Colorado event was held at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds in Aurora on June 13. It was headlined by Infected Mushroom, Paul Van Dyk, and several others.

The Puerto Rico event was held on August 14. The venue was The Arena Fairgrounds in San Juan.

2010

EDC Los Angeles had one of the highest attendance, up to 185,000 people. Though tickets were starting at $60, some attendees paid over $100 per ticket.

It drew criticism from local authorities and promoters alike after minors under the required age of 16 gained entrance, and over 100 people were hospitalized after a crowd stampede. A 15-year-old female attendee, Sasha Rodriguez, died after taking MDMA. The city of Los Angeles placed a moratorium on all remaining events scheduled for 2010 and a moratorium on future events, pending the outcome of the new security and safety provisions, which required attendees to be over 18 years old and as well as hire on-site doctors.

The Colorado event was held on June 12 at the Arapahoe County Fairground in Aurora.

The Texas festival was held on June 19 at Fair Park in Dallas. 11,000 people were in attendance.

In 2010 EDC Puerto Rico was held on August 28, 2010, at the Estadio Sixto Escobar at Puerta de Tierra, San Juan.

2011

Due to previous controversy of EDC's former residence in Los Angeles, EDC moved its flagship festival to Las Vegas, Nevada. The event was held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway from June 24–26. Reportedly 230,000 people had attended the 3 day festival.

EDC Orlando 2011 was held on May 27–28 at Orlando's Tinker Field, and the grounds adjacent to the Florida Citrus Bowl. EDC Orlando 2011 had approximately 12,000 on Friday and 20,000 on Saturday. EDC Colorado the same year was held at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds in Aurora on June 11. Electric Daisy Carnival Dallas was held June 18 at Fair Park with an estimated 25,000 attendees. Temperatures above 110 degrees led to dozens of hospitalizations and at least one death, which made it the last EDC held in Dallas. The Puerto Rico festival took place on August 27.

2012

On August 9, 2012, the media announced that EDC Orlando would be making a return to Tinker Field on November 9–10. This coincided with the popular annual Dayglow event in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, called "Dancegiving" held the weekend after Thanksgiving. With considerations in mind, Insomniac officially announced the November 9 and 10 dates.

On May 18–20, the event occurred for the first time in New Jersey. The venue was the Metlife Stadium at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford. Although the venue was located in New Jersey, the festival was coined Electric Daisy Carnival New York due to the proximity to New York City. The event drew 45,000 attendees per day.

2012's three-day EDC in Vegas (June 8–10) saw attendance increase by 30%, to a total of 320,000 attendees. A 31-year-old male from Florida died after being struck by a truck as he left EDC at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on June 11. Friends reported that he had been drinking and smoking.

The second night had to shut down early at 1 a.m. due to high winds, of up to 30 mph that started around 8 p.m. 90,000 fans were directed to the speedway’s bleachers. DJs Markus Schulz and Steve Aoki, who were both scheduled to play that night, performed impromptu sets on the Insomniac Wide Awake art car for a short period, before officials ordered it to close as potentially dangerous winds were expected until 5 a.m. In order to make up for the cancellation, Insomniac allowed those with Saturday passes to return on Sunday.

The Nevada event at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on June 8–10. This was the first time that Insomniac Events partnered with Q-dance events in order to bring Hardstyle dance music to a major U.S. music festival. This was the first Q-dance event ever to be held on American soil.

2013

In 2013, EDC was held in London and Chicago for the first time, as well as New York, Las Vegas, San Juan, Puerto Rico and Orlando.

EDC Las Vegas was held June 21–23. The setup at the event also led Insomniac to set the record for the largest structural stage in North America.

2014

In 2014, EDC was held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on June 20–22, 2014. Insomniac Events announced that all 345,000 tickets to the three-day festival had been sold by June 18, 2014. At the conclusion of the 2014 event, the massive three-day festival drew in roughly 134,000 per day. EDC New York, EDC Milton Keynes, EDC Puerto Rico and EDC Orlando all returned for 2014. EDC Chicago was not held in 2014 due to scheduling issues at the Chicagoland Speedway, as EDC New York took place over Memorial Day weekend 2014, the weekend EDC Chicago was held in 2013. The first EDC Mexico took place on March 15–16, 2014.

2015

EDC Las Vegas 2015 was held in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on June 19, 20 & 21. EDC Las Vegas 2015 was met with unwanted publicity for the death of a UC Irvine graduate on the second night of the festival. Death was ruled as related to MDMA.

Within the U.S., EDC took place in Orlando, Florida at Tinker Field on November 6 & 7, and East Rutherford, New Jersey at Metlife Stadium on May 23 & 24. Internationally, EDC was held at Estadio Sixto Escobar in San Juan, Puerto Rico for the sixth time on February 21 & 22, Autódromo José Carlos Pace in São Paulo, Brazil for the first time December 4 & 5, Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, Mexico for the second time on February 28-March 1, and the National Bowl in Milton Keynes, UK for the third time on July 17.

2016

EDC Mexico was held for the third time at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, from February 27–28, 2016.

EDC New York was held at Citi Field in Queens, NY, from May 14–15, 2016.

EDC Las Vegas was held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, NV from June 17–19, 2016.

EDC UK was held at Milton Keynes in England on 9 July 2016.

EDC Orlando was held at Tinker Field in Orlando, FL, from November 4–5, 2016.

EDC India was held at Buddh International Circuit in New Delhi, India, from November 12–13, 2016.

2017

EDC Will return for the fourth time to Mexico City. This time Pasqualle Rotella announced that EDCMx was the second biggest insomniac's Festival. The festival will take place at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez from February 25–26, 2017.