Approximately 135,000 people attended the first night of the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas.
This year's edition of the huge rave in the desert featured a redesigned festival landscape complete with 8 innovative stage designs, stunning new art installations, beautifully costumed theatrical performers and more than 5 minutes of spectacular fireworks.
The 446-foot wide kineticTEMPLE stage resembled an ancient temple to the own. A 95-foot tall Tree of Imagination served as the centerpiece. Headliners on Friday night included Alesso, Jauz, The Magician and Harwell.
Moby made a surprise experience during a midnight ceremony and fireworks show.
The cosmicMEADOW featured an eclectic mix of music including electronic, hip-hop and turntablism. The 253-foot wide stage features more than 600 LED panels and 12 massive confetti blowers. First night performers included Flux Pavilion, Knife Party and Chris Lake.
Fans lounging under the beautiful, wooden SkyBridge art installation were also treated to a surprise performance on Friday night. Kaskade played a classic Redux set.
Carnival Square served as a centrally located on-stop-shop for attendees to refuel, relax and reenergize. The place was packed all night long with festival-goers in colorful garb, chatting with their friends and grabbing a quick bite to eat or rehydrating, which was essential in the brutal heat.
For the first time, VIPs could enjoy dedicated viewing area at four different stages. They also had the opportunity to check out a secret '90s warehouse party, participate in scavenger hunts, catch a breather at an oxygen bar, or have their hair and makeup done at a beauty bar.
The VIP Blind Owl Speakeasy served up specialty craft cocktails and the gastropub feature bacon mac & cheese, chicken & biscuit honey maple sandwiches and chocolate brownie skewers.
Although the excitement of the attendees was obvious, many of whom chanted E-D-C! E-D-C! as they made their way into the speedway and began dancing madly as soon as their feet touched the actual festival grounds, it was a pretty calm night as far as officials were concerned.
There were no major incidents or crashes on the roads leading to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on the far edge of the valley and a relatively few number of arrests.
According to Las Vegas police, 35 people were ejected from the event, 22 people were arrested for drugs, 2 other people were arrested for other minor offenses, and there were 6 alcohol-related arrests.
There were 193 minor medical calls. Most likely heat-related although festival organizers did an excellent job reminding everyone to drink, drink, drink and provided plenty of free water throughout the event.
The Electric Daisy Carnival is one of the biggest electronic dance music festivals in the world and the event in Las Vegas is the biggest. EDC is celebrating its 20th year in 2016.
