Imagine standing in the Mojave Desert as thousands of lanterns rise into the night sky carrying wishes, tributes, and celebrations in a shared moment of light. That spectacle has defined the Rise Festival since its debut in 2014, and it’s now the largest lantern release in the world. This October, the event returns for its 10th anniversary with its most ambitious edition yet, bringing John Mayer, Calvin Harris, Rüfüs Du Sol, and Disclosure to a desert stage just 20 miles south of the Las Vegas Strip. In the past, many guests left right after the lantern release. Now, with back-to-back performances across two stages, the nights build in energy until the headliners close under the desert stars.

Photo Courtesy of RISE Festival 6
RISE Festival

The three-day schedule also features Goose, Ben Böhmer, LP Giobbi, Patrick Watson, Elderbrook, and more. A new Horizon Stage (a dance stage) joins the Compass Stage (where lanterns are released), while upgraded amenities, a TAO-curated VIP experience, and premium food and beverage raise the bar for desert comfort. “Each night has a different texture,” says CEO David Oehm. “Rüfüs will feel expansive and atmospheric. Calvin brings uplifting energy. And John Mayer closes with storytelling and reflection. Guests can really pick the night that’s theirs.” Oehm admits he’s especially excited for Goose’s jam-band set on Sunday but also points to the “magic hour” just before the lantern release. “That six o’clock slot—with the sun setting, torches lit, and artists like Ry X or Patrick Watson playing—it’s unlike anything else.”

Beyond the music, monumental art installations by HYBYCOZO, Whitaker Studio, and others will transform the desert floor into a glowing gallery. From kinetic wind sculptures to reflective sanctuaries, the works broaden the festival’s theme of light and connection into physical form.

The Path of Rise Festival
The Path at Rise Festival

The festival has grown dramatically since its 2014 debut, when 10,000 people gathered on the Jean Dry Lake Bed. In recent years, attendance has soared, so it’s capped at 20,000 this year, transforming the vast landscape into a luminous playground of torches, installations, and stages framed by the surrounding mountains. And its greatest appeal may be its accessibility: though the site feels remote, it’s only a half-hour’s drive from the Strip. You can purchase a parking pass, but the festival does have luxury coach transportation between Las Vegas hotels and the festival. “It’s that balance between escape and ease that makes Rise unique,” Oehm says.

For many, the lantern release remains the emotional heart of the weekend. At precisely 7 p.m. each evening, the crowd gathers at the Compass Stage to set their lanterns alight. Some write tributes to lost loved ones; others mark engagements or new beginnings. “It’s thousands of people sharing one art piece,” Oehm says. “All those different energies rise together into the night sky.”

Photo Courtesy of RISE Festival 7
At precisely 7 p.m. each evening, the crowd gathers at the Compass Stage to set their lanterns alight.

With Friday tickets already sold out and Saturday Silver passes gone, remaining packages (from Gold to Diamond tiers) are expected to disappear before the gates open October 3. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. daily, with music beginning at 3:00 p.m. Full details and travel packages are available at RISEfestival.com.