Ruben and I were really excited when we first heard about the festival brewing and made sure to purchase wristbands on the first day it went on sale (06/07/13). Early bird prices were gone within seconds. I have a feeling there were just a couple available. Either way, we still scored the second lowest price of $119 for two-day access wristbands. Payment was due immediately and wristbands arrived mid-October, within a couple weeks of the festival. \n\nBoth days started at 10 a.m. and ended at midnight. A few blocks of Downtown Las Vegas were sectioned off for the big event with El Cortez Hotel & Casino and East Fremont in the midst. All-day parking and shuttles were available from select Strip hotels (Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood, Bally's) and World Market Center on Grand Central Parkway, for $40 (for the weekend). Although the list of things you couldn't bring to the festival (NO umbrellas, lounge chairs, coolers) was much longer than the list of things you could bring, we were extremely grateful that they allowed two (2) factory-sealed one-liter water bottles per attendee. \n\nWe were fortunate to have a ride to and from the festival grounds on both days. It still sucked. It was just such a nuisance for all parties involved. There will be a better way next year (without spending an additional $40). We prepared for our long days with a backpack and small crossbody purse filled with four Smart Water liter bottles for each day (need those electrolytes!), snacks, small towels, blanket, chapstick, cash, and sunscreen lotion (non-aerosol). It all paid off, so I highly recommend these items! Dress comfortably too since it was pretty warm during the day and bring a jacket for the evenings.\n\nMusic: We loved it. Ruben is a really big fan of alternative music, so he was pretty stoked about the line-up. It helped that we planned and mapped out our attack since there was so much going on at the same time. Plus, the stages were not close to each other; good for the experience, bad for the legs/feet. We were able to catch most or all of Youngblood Hawke, Capital Cities, Imagine Dragons, Childish Gambino, Janelle Monae, Passion Pit, Vampire Weekend, and The Killers. Some acts overlapped others, so we had to rush from one stage to the next, but the last three acts of the second day were back-to-back at the same stage, so we were lucky and had amazing spots near the stage! The bands were all great, but some stood out more than others. Youngblood Hawke were much better than I expected, Imagine Dragons and Vampire Weekend had rad performances (loved the Cirque du Soleil collaboration with ID) and The Killers were really freakin' awesome!\n\nThe various attractions were also fun: signing the gigantic inaugural festival banner, decorating bricks for The Wall, shooting a paintball gun at cardboard designs (bonus, free shirt!), various heart sculptures, the amazing murals and other art pieces on various buildings, the \""Art of Beer\"" Garden where local artists, Giovanni Morales and LeslieAnn Farrell were live painting, the Learning Stage with notable speakers like Las Vegas' own Tony Shieh, and the Culinary Village that featured famous chefs and local eateries (Nobu, Payard, Fleur, DOCG Enoteca, Honey Salt).\n\nWe didn't end up eating anything (except nameless tent garlic fries) since the offerings weren't extremely exciting and I figured if I really wanted to eat something, I could go to their respective restaurants. So, we ate before and after the festival and enjoyed a couple beverages (fresh fruit smoothies and beer, mmm). Oh, and random, but the port-a-potties were great! Most were placed under tents, placed in several areas of the festival grounds, well-kept, and I appreciated the portable sinks very much (complete with soap and paper towels!). Overall, a fun and memorable event. I haven't been to any other large festivals, so I don't really have any comparison. This is also coming from someone that doesn't really enjoy all-day outdoor engagements (I have the same feelings toward amusement parks). It's exhausting. After two days of standing, walking, and really crowded spaces, I was very tired. The most important thing is, would I go again next year? The answer is yes.