INDIO, CALIF.—Over the last decade or so, Coachella has become known for much for than the music (though this year's festival featured a buzzy lineup with Bad Bunny, Blackpink, Frank Ocean, and many more, along with surprise guests like Post Malone, Billie Eilish, and Blink-182). But for many, a trip to the desert isn't complete without the party-hopping—and there's plenty of that.
The first weekend in particular, which ran from April 14-16, typically draws an eclectic mix of brand activations, mini-festivals, and after-parties, both on festival grounds and at hotels and private estates in the surrounding desert cities. Brands like Revolve, American Express, and NYLON spend big bucks on their annual Coachella events—and this year newcomers like Marvel Studios, Aperol Spritz, and Neutrogena hosted first-time pop-ups too.
The festival returns to Indio from April 21-23—but until then, scroll down to check out some of our favorite activations and event design ideas from weekend one...




NYLON House, which was designed and produced by Event Eleven, greeted guests via an interactive tunnel-slash-art installation, designed in collaboration with Media Pollution, that showcased the night-ography features of the new Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. As guests walked through the tunnel, they saw video footage of themselves shot using the cutting-edge phone camera.


















Held at three popular hotels—Margaritaville Resort, The Saguaro Palm Springs, and Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa—the LBP beauty experience was brought to life by creative agency MKG in partnership with Edelman. Figs & Flowers handled florals.








The activation also highlighted Neutrogena’s collaboration with Spotify to create a festival preparation playlist featuring Neutrogena global brand ambassadors Chloe and Halle Bailey.




One highlight of the event space? The Oasis Beacon (pictured), a hot air balloon installation featuring projection mapping and colorful lighting designs.








The following day, CMG and Framework teamed up to present Desert Dreams, presented by Tequila Don Julio, Heineken Silver, and Red Bull and featuring Rufus Du Sol and a DJ set from Cassion. And on the final day, CMG and Framework presented a headlining performance KEINEMUSIK with guest DJ sets by &Me, Rampa, Adam Port, Uncle Waffles, and Benji B.

