On festival grounds, the Samsung Galaxy Experience provided opportunities to participate in interactive experiences; attendees could also kick back on lounge furniture plied with Samsung-branded pillows. A display case with a see-through cutout of the number six showcased the brand's newest devices, including the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge phones. Bolthouse Productions produced Samsung's festival activations.
Guests stood in long lines to participate in interactive experiences at the Samsung Galaxy Experience. Activities included designing keepsake T-shirts at a design station using the Galaxy Note 4.
Guests who downloaded the Samsung Milk Music app received vouchers for complimentary items from "Chow Town," or Lollapalooza's version of a food court. The brand also employed a Samsung Galaxy Truck, which let Galaxy owners outside of the festival download the app; those who did would receive a voucher for a food truck stationed near Grant Park and could also win prizes including festival tickets.
Samsung also hosted a V.I.P. lounge for Samsung Galaxy owners. While other private areas required special passes that went for from $1,800 to $3,600, device owners could get free access to Samsung's lounge by getting a wristband from the Galaxy Experience. Some 150 passes were distributed each day. Perks of the lounge space included concert seating and elevated viewing platforms. The lounge looked out over the Samsung Galaxy stage, which hosted performances from the likes of Paul McCartney and Metallica throughout the weekend.
At Samsung's Galaxy Experience, as well as in its Owner's Lounge, guests could interact with the new Samsung Gear VR. The virtual-reality device gave guests an up-close view of the performances on the Samsung Galaxy stage.
On Saturday, Charlie XCX did a DJ set in the Samsung Galaxy Owner's Lounge. The English singer and songwriter celebrated her birthday during Lollapalooza weekend, so Samsung staffers presented her with a surprise cake and led the lounge-dwellers in a "Happy Birthday" serenade.
At the bar in the lounge, guests could order frozen treats using the GS6 Edge device. The flavors were designed to represent different musical tastes. The "R&B" treat had a raspberry-rose flavor, for example, while "Rock" was honeydew-ginger.
In addition to the icy treats, guests could grab snacks from Catering by Michael's throughout the day. Items included homemade granola bars, fruit kebabs, and pasta salad. Many of the items on the buffet were gluten-free.
On festival grounds, Toyota hosted the Toyota Music tent. With a "psychedelic" theme, the activation was produced by the Anthemic Agency and Reach. One display vehicle was labeled the "Kaleidoscope Corolla." Guests could sit in the car, watch a short video, and then have their photos snapped. The resulting pictures had a kaleidoscopic look.
The tent also housed a wall called the "Feel Factor." Built out with prop mushrooms and giant pieces of candy, the wall had prizes hidden within.
The Toyota Music tent also had a stage, where Lollapalooza bands such as Of Monsters and Men performed at intimate shows.
Toyota recently teamed up with VH1 Save the Music to produce a new activation and social media campaign, which launched at Lollapalooza. The activation featured a life-size glowing willow tree. On the tree, festivalgoers hung messages about what music meant to them. One person wrote: "Music is peace," while another message read: "Music helps me sleep." Many messages bore the hashtag of the new campaign: #ToyotaGiving. For every social media post regarding the activation, Toyota donated $1 to VH1 Save the Music.
Bud Light brought its traveling House of Whatever activation to festival grounds. Produced by Mosaic, the activation had a prominently displayed hashtag—which served as a popular photo backdrop—at its entrance.
The activation was open only to guests aged 21 and above, and staffers checked IDs at the gate. Once inside, festivalgoers could purchase cocktails including "Beer-a-Ritas" in flavors such as strawberry and lime.
A live DJ spun in the "Rita Cabana," and guests could play a game that involved fitting a small ring, which was hanging from a string, onto a hook. The difficult game proved addicting for festivalgoers, who played it for several minutes at a time.
In a House of Whatever area called "Local Heroes," street artists sketched guests. There was also a mural depicting superheroes, and guests could strike superhero-inspired poses, snap selfies, and submit their photos to the artists. The artists sketched some of the guests into the mural.
The House of Whatever area also contained a "Tattoos and 'Dos" booth decked with colored lights, folding screens, and patterned rugs. Inside, guests could get temporary tattoos.
The "Tattoos and 'Dos" booth also offered braiding, hair chalking, and other festival-inspired hairstyling services for men and women. All services were complimentary.
In a V.I.P. area, guests could have their photos snapped inside the "Bud Light Lolla-Scope." The machine took rotating, 360-degree photos of guests, who then posted the images to their social media accounts. The images were automatically populated with the phrase: "And this happened at Lolla 2015," along with the #UpForWhatever hashtag.
Coachella, which took place April 10 to 12 and 17 to 19 in Indio, California, offered festivalgoers numerous health and wellness events to attend, including the Nylon Recovery Brunch. The event offered outdoor yoga, as well as other activities meant to help guests recuperate after the weekend.
Sparrows Lodge in Palm Springs was the location of Retreat, a wellness-minded, relaxation-focused event produced by Jeff Consoletti or JJ-LA and tour and event producer Tanya Slater. Taylor & Taylor was behind the production design, which included a silk patchwork canopy, Persian rugs, and kilim pillows. The event also offered free massages.
This year's South by Southwest Interactive, part of SXSW, which took place March 13 to 17 in Austin, Texas, had a Pursuit of Equinox cycling class at the Fast Company Grill at Cedar Door. Bikes pedaled by participants sent out data that was visualized on a screen.
For early risers, Spotify House held cycling classes by SoulCycle and dance classes, with a live DJ.
Many music festivals this year offered amenities to attendees that included beauty booths and necessary goods. Bud Light's traveling House of Whatever activation at Lollapalooza, which took place in Chicago's Grant Park from July 31 to August 2, had a "Tattoos and 'Dos" booth, which offered braiding, hair chalking, and other festival-inspired hairstyling services.
Whole Foods had a miniature market at Pitchfork Music Festival, which took place July 17 to 19 at Chicago's Union Park. The market offered fruits and snacks, as well as sunscreen, hair ties and bobby pins, and scented sprays. The station encouraged guests to take advantage of the free perks with a sign that read "Refresh yourself before you wreck yourself."
At a mini mart outside of a Soho House Chicago activation, guests could design their own parasols for portable shade during the festival.
Comedy Central's one-day Kegs and Eggs at Pelons & Bar offered attendees three key festival necessities: eggs, beer, and ponchos for that inevitable rainy day.
For attendees with dying phone batteries, Mophie had St. Bernards on hand with the brand's power reserve unit inside a barrel attached to the dogs' collars. Those in need of a charge took screenshots of their phone screen and location, and tweeted to the brand.
Off site but near festival grounds, Soho House Chicago teamed up with food website and mobile app the Infatuation to host an Ice Cream Social for festivalgoers on Friday. The event included a complimentary D.I.Y. sundae bar, where toppings inspired by the hotel's eateries included melon, basil, and bits of apple pie.
The Breakfast Sessions buffet was housed in the Red Bull Guest House at the Sagamore Hotel during the Winter Music Conference in Miami from March 24 to 28. Offered as a late-night snack, the buffet served munchies including Pop Tarts with dipping sauces, mac 'n' cheese, chicken-and-waffle sandwiches, and Twinkies.
Certain music festivals this year proved that going old-school can be the key to throwing an entertaining party. At the Essence Festival, which ran from July 2 to 5 in New Orleans, McDonald's threw a retro-theme community celebration, called the "Lovin' Skate Jam," which was designed by BPR and the Narrative Group. The fast-food chain's event offered roller skates and a skating rink for attendees, as well as a photo booth with '80s and '90s hip-hop-inspired props.
The Bootsy Bellows estate's party featured a colorful ball pit for adults, backed by the logo and slogan of sponsor McDonald's. The Narrative Group handled media, producing the party with support from ESE Lifestyle.
Brooklyn Brewery brought its traveling petting zoo, Tiny Tails to You, to the Grackle. One of the highlights was a tortoise race.
My Jewel Bar's table at the Retreat offered guests baubles that they could customize with festival-inspired charms and details.
In a V.I.P. area, guests could have their photos snapped inside the "Bud Light Lolla-Scope." The machine took rotating, 360-degree photos of guests, who then posted the images to their social media accounts. The images were automatically populated with the phrase: "And this happened at Lolla 2015," along with the #UpForWhatever hashtag.
HBO’s Silicon Valley brought Scheimpflüg’s Time Slice 360-degree photo booth to the Mashable House. Guests could email the images they took to themselves.
Not a fan being stuck in a wild crowd at the front of the stage? Festivals this year provided the opportunity to watch artists onstage in a less chaotic setting. At Samsung's Galaxy Experience and its Owner's Lounge, guests interacted with the Samsung Gear VR, a virtual-reality device that gave them an up-close view of the performances on the Samsung Galaxy stage.
Local beer company Goose Island made custom periscopes, set back from the main stages, that let guests peer at the festival crowds near the stages.
