Over 400,000 people gathered at this year’s sold-out Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas. Clad in kandi bracelets, tutus, and imaginative costumes, Headliners (a term coined by Pasquale Rotella, CEO of Insomniac Events, for festival-goers) experienced the highlights that make this festival one of the greatest in the world. This year, EDC outdid itself with more immersive experiences, brand-new stage designs, more interactive art, and fresh theatrical performers – all to create last impressions you can't get anywhere else. Yet while state-of-the-art, shiny newness permeated the entire festival, one thing remained constant throughout: Good vibes. Read on to find out why these new additions helped EDC win us over in 2015.

The Layout Brought Everything Together

By far, the biggest improvement was the festival's layout. Everything was centrally located to the Carnival Square (a new destination for meet-ups, meet-and-greets, food, drinks, vendors, and more), which became ultra lively compared to last year’s stale and sparse space. The difference was like night and day. This location was also a perfect meet-up spot for the Instagram community, where influencers like Lady Casa, Kandy King Jake Ryan , and BRB Raving’s Teddy traded kandi and hugs with friends and fans.

Much like the Man, the Carnival Square became the hub of all things interactive, and adventure was never far away. Art spaces provided by sponsors and partners surrounded the center. Bud Light’s House of Whatever was an exciting place to explore creativity and build your own mural on the peg wall – like a massive Lite-Bright for adults.

Red Vines provided a Kandi Shop where you could make bracelets to give to new and old friends; Sour Punch’s obstacle course brought your inner child out while challenging friends on the track. Carnival rides included not one but four (?!!?) of EDC's iconic Ferris wheels and the classic Super Slide , as well as other rides like the Zipper, Vertigo, Cliff Hanger, Rampage, and Ring of Fire. All of these circled the Carnival Square, making it easy to walk to each ride or to the stages nestled along the edges of the venue. Trekking to the port-a-potties from the stages was never a clusterfuck, and making your way to the water refill stations was a breeze. A+ for accessibility.

New Stage Designs Meant New Eye Candy

Insomniac unveiled kineticFIELD’s brand new stage, dubbed the Crystal Village, which draws its design inspiration from the four elements: Earth, fire, water, and air. One thousand lighting fixtures and strobes, 40 lasers, 22 pyrotechnics, 15 confetti cannons, waterfalls and geysers made the stage a feast for the thousands of pairs of eyes in attendance. Every corner of the stage was intricately designed, from two Egyptian-inspired owl statues guarding the holy door (to Kinetic Cathedral perhaps? If you looked to the left of the giant owl, you’ll notice a piece of kineticCATHEDRAL in the backdrop!), to the fire-breathing dragon peering over the crystals, to the giant owl whose eyes mesmerized everyone into a hypnotic state.

Always a fan favorite, the cosmicMEADOW’s new two-tiered structure piled with LED panels, lasers, flame units, and black light panels provided the perfect canvas for hard electro and thumping bass. Tons of people gathered in the grand stands this year to witness live sets from Duke Dumont, Keys N Krates and special guest Dillon Francis among others. Built around an exoskeleton of steel, the circuitGROUNDS Stage maintained the high energy that tranceheads and big-room enthusiasts cherish. Lasers beamed through the enclosure as Eric Prydz and Tommy Trash threw down sick beats – a sight that left me in awe. The wasteLAND Stage, hosted by Basscon, featured hardstyle performances with deep bass that reverberated throughout the venue. DJs performed on top of the torch of the fallen Statue of Liberty, with the stage surrounded by wrecked, graffitied junk cars and freight containers. Bravo to Insomniac for reusing discarded junk to make pieces of art.

Last but certainly not least was neonGARDEN’s brilliant and whimsical upgrade. A crystallized chandelier stood as the centerpiece of the pyramid-like structure. Lights beamed into the night sky just like they do at The Luxor on the Las Vegas strip. Acts like Disclosure, Carl Cox, and special guest Hot Since 82 brought tech and deep house to heat things up. To say EDC went all out on stage production is an understatement; the festival completely blew me away and exceeded any expectations I had.

New Art from the Playa Enriched the Speedway

Festival-goers were treated to new art installations and art cars, including EDC Town, a village made largely of recycled materials and featured a wedding chapel, fountain, post office, movie theater, speakeasy and interactive performances. Of all the art happenings at the festival, this space was the most Burning Man-inspired. Much like Burning Man’s center camp, EDC Town provided everyone a hub to relax and communicate with fellow ravers and performers.

Burning Man's inspiration on EDC no longer made it feel like just a music festival – it's evolved into a fully integrated, interactive, and multi-sensory experience stacked with 20 art installations and art cars (the most to date), thoughtfully curated art spaces, and creative, eye-popping stages. Art installations and art cars that made their debut this year at the Nevada desert festival included El Pulpo Mecanico, a 25-foot-tall, fire-shooting mechanical octopus made from recycled pieces of metal found on the roadside in Mexico, and ePOD (Eidolon Panspermia Ostentatia Duodenum), an installation that participants can climb in order to experience multi-dimensional elevation.

The Palace Blue is a massive structure that stood in the grassy field next to cosmicMEADOW. Made out of bamboo, the structure was an ideal place to chill and refresh while you waited for friends in between sets or on bathrooms trips. Shades of turquoise, red, and blue shimmered atop the poles, making it seem like a desert mirage. Throughout the night, art cars buzzed with lively beats while weaving throughout the crowd. The Wide Awake and Boombox art cars traveled on the rainbow road, while the new, 35-foot-long Inchworm Art Car and the tiny Inky Pacman Car entwined with Headliners skipping throughout the venue.

Upscale Experiences Created Higher Rollers

If you’re a high roller and you came to do Vegas right, you probably booked a table in the Marquee Skydeck. Flanked on the sides of kineticFIELD, the Marquee Skydeck allowed Headliners to party atop the crowd with a special three-course seated dinner at The Terrace restaurant featuring inspiring dishes from Executive Chef Keven Lee . VIP areas doubled this year in order to give attendees a more personal, close-up experience. I had the opportunity to get a taste of what it’s like in the VIP area and the ability to see the DJs up close, while partying above thousands of people behind; it was nothing short of a feast for my eyes and soul. If you have the extra cash to score a VIP pass next year, do it. It’s worth the splendid view, private bathrooms, exclusive bars, and wickedly fast lines.

Good Vibes Were Everywhere

The vibe makes or breaks any festival experience. I never want to rage next to someone who’s constantly bumping into me or standing in the way of PLUR (peace, love, unity, and respect). While some may say that PLUR is dead, I'll argue that PLUR is still alive thanks to the thousands of people sustaining it at a festival like EDC. This year's fest saw plenty of friendly and respectable individuals who not only looked after each other, but inspired each other to become more open, loving, and caring. Ground Control maneuvered through the hundreds of thousands of crowd to make sure everyone was healthy, happy, and hydrated. They staffed the water stations and assisted with medical emergencies. I’ve had the great pleasure of meeting several Headliners who made my EDC that much better. Trading kandi and stories, dancing to our favorite artists, and sharing powerful moments under the electric sky exemplifies what this rave community is really about: good times with great friends and music, and connecting with each other to create good vibes.

EDC Las Vegas wasn’t perfect – but no festival is. There will always be hiccups and bumps in the road, but Insomniac Events does wonders throwing a festival where the experience is the highlight. With Pasquale constantly finding inspiration during his Burning Man adventures, listening to his Headliners on social media for feedback and critiques, and Insomniac implementing new additions to future festivals, it’s clear to see why EDC Las Vegas is one of the best cultural experiences to ever exist in the entertainment industry.