Goldenvoice just wrapped the first weekend of its Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Fields in Indio, California. In addition to the hoards of showgoers came a crush of brands, which consistently choose the first weekend of the two-weekend festival to market their wares and experiences.
Themes that stood out amid the dozens of parties all over the desert landscape were an abundance of floral and succulent motifs; a new attention to health-conscious food and experiences; and an omnipresence of beauty stations, with GlamSquad and other professional beauty service providers setting up stations at nearly every party.
Brent Bolthouse's Neon Carnival—back for its sixth year with a whole new lineup of sponsors including Paper magazine, Pacific Sun, Dope the movie, and tequila Don Julio—was again the centerpiece of the weekend, drawing thousands for all-night revelry. And the H.Wood Group's Boosty Bellows, along with sponsors McDonald's and Chevrolet, hosted its massive private residence bash. The Narrative Group handled media and produced the party with support from ESE Lifestyle. Nylon transformed a Bermuda Dunes estate pool area and adjacent airplane hangar for an all-night party, with production by NVE: The Experience Agency, in the Friday-night slot formerly occupied by Details.
Apart from such blowouts, many parties offered smaller, more targeted, and even more upscale experiences. Soho House again hosted an elite weekend-long program of events in the desert. PopSugar and ShopStyle took over the former Viceroy hotel, now known as the Avalon, with high-end event programming over the weekend.
Also among the lower-profile retreats was a new weekend of events at the 20-room Sparrows Lodge, known as the Retreat, where guests found gifting suites, spa and beauty treatments, healthy food and drinks like Health-Ade kombucha, and an overall focus on wellness and comfort.
Elsewhere, M.A.C. Cosmetics and Mia Moretti hosted a daytime poolside event at the Ingleside Inn in Palm Springs on Friday, taking cues from their collaboration collection inspired by the upcoming summer festival season. Official festival sponsor H&M hosted a small group for sunset cocktails at the Parker Palm Springs, a significant departure from its former massive bash at the 40-acre Merv Griffin estate. Another newcomer, Rachel Zoe and The Zoe Report, hosted a pool party with Dolce Vita on Saturday in Palm Springs. Pandora brought Questlove for its Cathedral City party, which included a teeter-totter and snow cones. Newcomer Refinery29 hosted a party at the Saguaro with hair braiding from Garnier.
And a weekend-long pool party known as the Influential House drew a select group of targeted social media influencers along with brands to engage them.
An dramatic art installation was made from multicolor neon ribbons at PopSugar and ShopStyle's Cabana Club hotel takeover. The piece was a collaboration with the Las Vegas festival Life Is Beautiful.
Brent Bolthouse's massive Neon Carnival went into its sixth year with a new lineup of sponsors. It was the major event on the Saturday-night calendar off the festival grounds and the biggest unofficial party.
Also among the weekend's big-scale parties was the Bootsy Bellows estate, where the logo and slogan of sponsor McDonald's backed a ball pit. The Narrative Group handled media, producing the party with support from ESE Lifestyle.
Backing away from its huge estate party, H&M hosted an exclusive sunset cocktail reception at the Parker. There, summery hors d'oeuvres included skewers of mint, feta, and watermelon.
Alessandra Ambrosio launched her BaubleBar jewelry collection at the Avalon hotel. At the event, guests picked up Voco drinks at a bar decorated with open coconuts and vibrant flowers.
The hosts' names decorated the hotel's existing privacy hedging, which was visible from the street entrance.
M.A.C. and Mia Moretii hosted their festival collection with a pool party at the Ingleside Inn. Stoelt Productions produced the event, which was hosted by the BMF Music Lounge. A trio of colorful umbrellas made for a colorful photo backdrop.
At the Retreat at Sparrows Lodge, guests dined on healthy fare from New York's Fat Radish at a long, bohemian-style table. Steph Sciré and Isaac Ferry, who were behind the event, said they were motivated to create a place where they and their friends would want to be. Jeff Consoletti of JJ-LA produced, along with tour and event producer Tanya Slater. Taylor & Taylor managed the production design, which included antique Persian rugs, Native American artifacts, succulents, whimsical floral arrangements, oversize and kilim pillows, leather, and a silk patchwork canopy.
My Jewel Bar set up a table at the Retreat where guests could customize baubles from festival-appropriate charms and details.
Dior provided nail art at the Retreat, including festival looks with palm trees, Ferris wheels, flowers, and animal prints. The offerings also included a full hair and makeup boudoir, a spa with whole-body massages, oxygen facials, reflexology, and a vinyl listening lounge.
Guests came to the NVE-produced Nylon event on Sunday for a yoga session in the sun. It was part of an experience meant to revive guests with wellness activities and offerings after the hectic weekend.
At the Sunday afternoon event, guests sat poolside for vitamin and hydration IV treatments—using real needles.
Rachel Zoe hosted an intimate brunch with DVF and Moët & Chandon Ice Imperial at the dFm House in Palm Springs. Fare Trade and Workshop Kitchen & Bar provided food.
A giant logoed teddy bear decorated the Moschino party hosted by Jeremy Scott.
A logo floated in the pool and covered oversize props at the Moschino party. DeLeón Tequila sponsored.
Pandora brought Questlove for its Cathedral City party, which announced brand names on a round central bar. The event also included a hair-braiding station, giant chessboards, ping-pong, and beanbag toss games.
Stoelt Productions produced the event, which offered a teeter-totter and snow cones.
Ocean Pacific set up a surf shop at the Ingleside Inn as part of the Music Lounge.
Culture Collide, a new editorial platform from the co-founder of Filter magazine, presented the annual Coachella kickoff party known as Not a Pool Party, ahead of the festival on April 9 at the Hard Rock.
Kari Feinstein was also among the hosts kicking things off early—and in Los Angeles. The Kari Feinstein Style Lounge gifting suite took over the Sunset Marquis hotel, where an arrivals backdrop had a festival-appropriate, tassel-like look.
