Awesome People We Met on Day 2 of EDC New York 2016

Well, New York Headliners, you did it again. We thought your enthusiasm on day one at EDC NY was impressive, but you returned the second day with even more energy and creativity and dropped the mic on us. Your attitudes, your outfits, and your willingness to get down will not soon be forgotten. Mad props to you all. Until next year.

Name: John, Chris
Age: 25 (John), 24 (Chris)
Hometown: New York (John), Orlando, FL (Chris)
Occupation: FedEx employee (John), cell phone business owner (Chris)
Number of EDCs: Three (John), one (Chris)
How would you describe EDC to someone who’s never been here before?
John: You have to experience it. Words can’t explain the feeling that I get when I’m here. I’m home! I wait all year for EDC. I love it! I love everyone around me: I love you, I love this guy right here, I love everybody. I love hugging people. The excitement that EDC brings—I love it.
Chris: Just do it.
What’s been your favorite part about the weekend so far?
John: My best part was the way Zedd closed out last night. I was mesmerized.
Chris: Being the sharks.

Name: Angel, Samantha
Age: 21 (Angel), 23 (Samantha)
Hometown: North Carolina (Angel), Philadelphia, PA (Samantha)
Occupation: Student and full-time mom (Angel), electronics company employee (Samantha)
Number of EDCs: One (both)
How would you describe EDC to someone who’s never been here before?
Angel: Awesome, definitely awesome. It reminds me of Alice in Wonderland.
Samantha: This is a more loving community than going to other raves. I would definitely recommend someone going to their first festival to come to EDC.
What’s been your favorite part about the weekend so far?
Angel: I really enjoyed Afrojack yesterday.
Samantha: Definitely Zedd, he’s the love of my life.

Name: Cathy
Age: 24
Hometown: Astoria, NY
Occupation: Unemployed
Number of EDCs: Four
How would you describe EDC to someone who’s never been here before? It’s basically like a wonderland of overstimulation filled with neon colors and rainbows. It’s an adult playground.
What’s been your favorite part about the weekend so far? Meeting up with my friends from out of town; I have friends here from California and Miami, so it’s kinda like a family reunion for us.

Name: Spider
Age: 31
Hometown: Queens, NY
Occupation: Electrical salesman
Number of EDCs: Five
How would you describe EDC to someone who’s never been here before? It’s really an experience you can’t describe; you have to be here and see it to fully understand what it’s all about.
What’s been your favorite part about the weekend so far? The trance tent, by far. I was there from 5pm until close yesterday; I was there forever pretty much in the first row, having the time of my life.

Name: Ryan, Brandon
Age: 20 (Ryan), 22 (Brandon)
Hometown: Poughkeepsie, NY (both)
Occupation: Student (both)
Number of EDCs: Two (both)
How would you describe EDC to someone who’s never been here before?
Ryan: You’ve just gotta be ready to let go. You can’t care what anyone else is thinking.
Brandon: Eye-opening. Go experience it; it’ll change your life.
What’s been your favorite part about the weekend so far?
Ryan: This stage [circuitGROUNDS]. Drum & bass! I love drum & bass, dude. This stage wrecked me today.
Brandon: Drum & bass for me, too.

Name: Sean
Age: 22
Hometown: Fairfax, VA
Occupation: Graduate of George Mason University
Number of EDCs: One
How would you describe EDC to someone who’s never been here before?
Wonderland. You can leave all your inhibitions back at home and meet a bunch of happy people that are so loving. No one’s judged here.
What’s been your favorite part about the weekend so far?
The community. We don’t get this back home. This is my first festival of any kind. I’ve been going around from stage to stage, enjoying all the different types of music. I like that freedom.

Name: Brian
Age: 22
Hometown: Plainsboro, NY
Occupation: Graduate of Rutgers University
Number of EDCs: Two
How would you describe EDC to someone who’s never been here before?
I would say go, dress up—whatever suits your style—and have fun.
What’s been your favorite part about the weekend so far?
Graduating, listening to Obama’s commencement speech, and then jetting over here!

Name: Kat
Age: 23
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Occupation: Software engineer
Number of EDCs: This is my first EDC New York; I’ve been to Orlando once, Mexico once, Vegas twice.
How would you describe EDC to someone who’s never been here before? You can try to describe it, but [people] don’t understand it, so I think it’s something you really have to experience to be able to understand.
What’s been your favorite part about the weekend so far? All the people I’ve met. I knew a few people in New York, but not people here. I’m a shuffler, so I met this really cool shuffling crew.

Name: Brendan, Jackie
Age: 25 (Brendan), 26 (Jackie)
Hometown: Long Island, NY (Brendan), Westchester, NY (Jackie)
Occupation: Healthcare worker (both)
Number of EDCs: Two (Brendan), One (Jackie)
How would you describe EDC to someone who’s never been here before?
Jackie: It’s a magical experience.
Brendan: It’s like walking into a cartoon.
What’s been your favorite part about the weekend so far?
Brendan: The swinging chairs; they’re dope.

Name: Michaela, Kara
Age: 19 (Michaela), 23 (Kara)
Hometown: Chicopee, MA (Michaela), East Hampton, MA (Kara)
Occupation: Cosmetologist, home health aid, nursing student
Number of EDCs: Two (Michaela), one (Kara)
How would you describe EDC to someone who’s never been here before?
Michaela: You haven’t lived if you haven’t gone and experienced this in person.
Kara: This is absolutely fucking amazing; it’s seriously probably the best thing I’ve ever experienced. It’s something you have to do for yourself to understand—it’s live, it’s vibes, it’s perfect.
What’s been your favorite part about the weekend so far?
Michaela: Probably just all the good vibes and the people—it’s always so positive here at Insomniac shows.
Kara: Just dancing my ass off, shaking my ass.