If you’re from the PNW, a member of the Insomniac family, or ready for what could potentially become one of the best new festivals to enter the scene. I’m here to give you the scoop on Beyond Wonderland PNW, a festival that is debuting for the first time EVER!
As most of you know, The Gorge in Quincy, WA, has been home to Paradiso Music Festival for the past 8 years. Due to a handful of legal issues, Paradiso has been canceled. However, Insomniac has stepped up in an effort to still bring a summer show to the Gorge by presenting to us a new, trippy fest. I am expecting this spinoff of Beyond Wonderland SoCal to absolutely blow minds and connect hearts.
Off to Wonderland
Previously, ravers were showing up to the Gorge dressed to Diso’s “digital nature” theme, but this year we’re going down the rabbit hole and off to WONDERLAND! Think full-on, hardcore Alice in Wonderland vibes-- painting the roses red, trippy patterns, characters from Wonderland, neon colors, and all sorts of creatures (check out this style guide for inspo about What to Wear to Beyond Wonderland) I definitely expect to see this heavily reflected throughout the venue and stage production, but I’ll touch more on that later.
Lineup
I’m personally very excited about this lineup because it’s got a wide variety of artists so that you can get a little taste of it all. What I love the most about Insomniac’s events is that they set up their artists to perform on an equal playing field. What I mean by that is, by listing their DJs alphabetically in equal sizes and fonts, they’re giving every single artist on the poster an opportunity to wow the crowd based on them and not their ranking on the lineup.
Tickets
Passes are officially on sale now in the form of the following three options:
- Entry into Wonderland
- One time payment and payment plans available
- Special access to premium, air conditioned trailer restrooms
- Entry into Wonderland
- One time payment and payment plans available
- VIP entry
- VIP lockers
- VIP restrooms
- VIP viewing zones and lounges
- VIP water refill and mobile charging stations
- Access to kandi station, glitter bar, Mad Hatter Tea Party, and more
- Re-entry privileges
- One time payment and payment plans available
Rental lockers will be available inside the venue! More info to come...
Photo courtesy of The Gorge
Camping
Camping at The Gorge is truly a one of a kind experience… most of my best memories are from the campgrounds. The campgrounds are all car camping and can hold up to 6 people. In general camping, it’s honestly a huge party! Not only is there music blasting everywhere, but there are tons of food vendors, shopping booths, and staff around to help anyone in need. Although the festival starts on Friday, the campgrounds do open Thursday afternoon, which in my opinion is the most fun night because everyone is just so excited to be there!
The walk from the campsites to the venue is about a mile long, so be prepared with lots of water and the right shoes. If you don’t want to break a sweat in the boiling Eastern Washington summer sun, there are more camping options to accommodate. Click here to check out the higher camping tiers for options including shuttle services, free ice, and more amenities.
The Gorge Amphitheater
Venue
Not only is this epic venue the previous home to Paradiso, but it's also home to Bass Canyon (EDM), Watershed (Country), and Sasquatch! (before Sasquatch! discontinued). The Gorge is located in a rural town just above the Columbia River. Not only are the views absolutely spectacular (I guarantee, very Instagram worthy), but the weather in mid-June can hit up to the 90s! The Gorge obviously will feature its larger acts on its mainstage which hosts up to 28,000 attendees. In addition to the larger stage, we can expect at least two more major stages, plus any additional smaller dance/bar/lounge areas
The Gorge is widely known for its ability to host attractions, so we can definitely expect to see some sort of rides for our thrill-seekers out there; Beyond SoCal just stepped up their game this year to three total rides, so Beyond PNW is bound to have a handful as well.
One thing I love the most about The Gorge is that no matter where you are, you will always have the best seat in the house! Whether you’re headbanging in the pit or dancing on the hill with your best friends, this venue is so wide and all-encompassing that you always have a unique and beautiful view.
Photo at Paradiso Music Festival 2018
Let’s jump into this first year of Beyond Wonderland at The Gorge together and see what Insomniac’s got! It’s been a while since Insomniac has visited us in the PNW, and I’m sure it’s about to be quite a trip.
See you in Wonderland!
Photo at Beyond Wonderland SoCal 2019
