DAYTRIP Festival Delights

Picture a big, outdoor summer party with non-stop dance music, ocean views and a fun-loving crowd – that’s DAYTRIP festival in the smallest of nutshells on June 21–22.

For local residents, the closed streets and jammed traffic to get downtown may have resembled popular events like the Acura Grand Prix.

For first time, DAYTRIP-er Arika Smith, the foot and car traffic was not intimidating as all that mattered was “the vibes.”

“To be honest, I live in Long Beach and this is nothing. It feels like there’s always an event in downtown (Long Beach) anyway, I’m excited for this festival because it includes a lot of different groups and people together,” said Smith.

DAYTRIP Festival is becoming an annual festival event, running for its fourth year at the Queen Mary waterfront.

For newcomers it’s a large, two-day outdoor music event focused on electronic DJs playing house and techno music.

Some of the biggest and up-and-coming artists in house and techno music performed on the festival’s several stages. Internationally well-known DJs and producers have been on previous lineups and this year’s event had a similarly prestigious cast.

The veterans of electronic festivals, known as Ravers, take events like DAYTRIP in stride as electronic music festivals have spanned different countries and domestic locations – more commonly hosted in the Los Angeles area.

Veteran raver Edward Gee has dedicated the year to attending electronic music festivals in 2025, it’s only been the halfway mark in the year but describes Long Beach as a different type of host.

“This is my third time at DAYTRIP and it gets bigger and better every year. I’ve been to different Insomniac festivals and there’s nothing like this.”

“Other Insomniac festivals are in small arenas, but this is the only one next to water and some boats. You cannot beat listening to good music and having fun near the waterfront,” said Gee.

It’s coordinated and organized by Insomniac – the flagship electronic music promoter company for the electronic music scene. The company behind festivals like DAYTRIP, organizes concerts and festivals in both the biggest and smallest of scales.

Long Beach will become a host again at the Queen Mary Waterfront for its last electronic dance festival of the year for Apocalypse: Zombieland 2025 on Friday, Nov. 28, through Saturday, Nov. 29.

Tickets can purchased through the festival website at: https://apocalypsefest.frontgatetickets.com/