Escape Halloween 2022 Festival Review

Paije Kantor | November 14, 2022

In the wake of Halloween, electronic dance music fans are left contemplating the wonderful memories made, fantastical costumes, and electrifying atmosphere experienced at Escape Halloween 2022. iEDM enjoyed the privilege of attending the fan-favorite Escape Halloween hosted by Insomniac Events at the National Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino, California. The sold-out festival bestowed upon attendees state-of-the art installations, an unforgettable lineup, and bigger than life Insomniac characters.

Most importantly, the quality of music presented at the 2022 festival exceeded all expectations, featuring a wide range of electronic genres across four stages. Each hour of the event was booming at every corner, filled with the eccentricity and diversity that makes dance music so beloved. The main stage was packed even outside the tent, filled beyond double its capacity for the legendary Deorro B2B Valentino Khan performance. Latin house’s grip on the Southern California scene was displayed by the thousands of fans that swarmed the tent to witness one of the most energetic parties in Insomniac history. Worldwide progressive house prodigy Martin Garrix also delivered a set worth noting, with an equally massive turnout at the main stage. He electrified the audience with his top-tier production value and iconic tracks enjoyed by millions over the past decade. As an artist of Garrix’s caliber, he is touring worldwide nonstop and rarely plays in the USA, making his appearance at Escape a rare and special opportunity for thousands of fans. Other stand-out sets included BTSM, Subtronics, Anfisa Letyago, Eric Prydz, KLOUD, Nina Kraviz, and Kayzo.

The atmosphere within the crowd was variable, depending on which artists and stages individuals chose to attend. Holiday festivals are notorious for lacking the ‘peace and love’ environment many career-ravers seek. However, Factory93’s Sewer District provided the most friendly and authentic-rave community with booming energy throughout the weekend. Many techno icons graced the Sewer District with their classic industrial sound, attracting both veterans and younger fans from across the venue. The most popular main stage performers occasionally caused overcrowding and aggressive behavior, but were still enjoyable. Overall, there were thousands of incredible and friendly fans in attendance that made the experience even more fantastic.

Lastly, the Insomniac team brought the heat with their art installations– many of which included pyrotechnics. One of the largest installations was the previously-seen entanglement of metallic fire-breathing snakes, which provided fantastic photo opportunities and warmth in the chilly nights. Additionally, the famous steampunk-esque octopus with flaming tentacles seen at EDCLV 2019 was placed just behind Sanitarium. Stage design went above and beyond with their decor, featuring the classic skeleton at main stage and fantastic spider webs and inflatables at Feeding Grounds. The massive art installations combined with eccentric decor and characters created the thrilling Psycho Circus atmosphere that Escape Halloween famously portrays annually.

Escape Halloween exceeded expectations in all facets of festival production, from artful design to sharp lineup curation. This festival is a must for Halloween and dance music connoisseurs across the USA, leaving all attendees more than satisfied each year.

Photos Courtesy of Escape Halloween