5 Weird and Wonderful Experiences You’ll Find at the First-Ever Wicked Oaks Festival
Fusing the distinct universes of three beloved EDM festivals, the inaugural Wicked Oaks event will feature DJ sets from Martin Garrix, Eric Prydz and more.
Austin’s self-proclaimed title as the Live Music Capital of the World typically conjures images of dusty honky-tonks and earnest singer-songwriters clutching guitars like lifelines. But not this weekend, when Wicked Oaks Festival comes to town.
Organized by Disco Presents, the electronic music event powerhouse helmed by James “Disco Donnie” Estopinal, the festival lands in Austin October 25-26. For a city that proudly hosts ACL and SXSW, Wicked Oaks represents a remarkable genre expansion, especially for its red-hot rave community.
Set across 58 acres of riverside charm at the historic Carson Creek Ranch, the inaugural two-day gathering is the genre-defying lovechild of a trio of beloved EDM festivals: Freaky Deaky, ILLfest and Summoning of the Eclipse. To that end, it will unfold by virtue of a unique choose-your-own-adventure format, which lets attendees bounce between three distinct sonic universes and hear sets from Martin Garrix, Eric Prydz, Gryffin, Flux Pavilion, Eptic and many more.
According to a press release, Wicked Oaks is inspired by forest folklore and surrealist storytelling, a festival “where mystical creatures and shadowy figures roam among whimsical light displays, fire performances and large-scale interactive installations.” Whether this woodland EDM experiment becomes an annual tradition or a beautiful one-off remains to be seen, but Carson Creek Ranch will certainly witness something different than its usual fare this weekend.
Read on to discover five weird and wonderful experiences you’ll find at the first-ever Wicked Oaks Festival. Tickets are available here.
The Giving Trees
A pair of luminous “Giving Trees” will light up Wicked Oaks with dual purposes. One invites festivalgoers to hang handmade sun-catchers and inscribe hopeful messages, while its companion serves as a free exchange for trinkets and small treasures. As darkness falls, each generous gesture makes the trees glow brighter, transforming goodwill into literal illumination.
The ConcertDome by Electric Range
Electric Range’s trippy ConcertDome is set for three distinct 20-minute experiences across the weekend, pairing a Juilliard-trained “degenerate” string quartet with 360° visuals and sound. Friday leans into festival anthems, Saturday goes full dubstep and riddim, and Sunday pays tribute to the ILLfest stage lineup. Six shows run nightly on a first-come basis for campers only.
Moonlit burlesque shows and screenings
After dark at the campgrounds, things get witchy. Catch Enchanted Flesh: Wicked Tease of the Oaks, a moonlit burlesque show, before settling in for Midnight at the Oaks, where cult classics like The Dark Crystal, Spirited Away, Labyrinth and The Fall flicker across outdoor screens. Meanwhile, the grounds will stay buzzing with collaborative murals, kandi-making workshops, Polaroid swaps, reclaimed-material sculpture builds and camp games.
Artist merch signing sessions
Attendees of Wicked Oaks will be able to meet their favorite artists by attending autograph sessions at the festival’s official merch booth. Performing DJs who have been confirmed to participate in the signings include Flux Pavilion, Kai Wachi, Dark Heart, Jackie Hollander, JEANIE, Vampa, Surf Mesa and PhaseOne.
Credit: Photo courtesy of PressThe Mental Health & Wellness Oasis
The “Mental Health & Wellness Oasis” offers festival-goers a chance to decompress between sets with aura drawings, sun-catcher crafting for the Giving Tree, and RIIZE mood-regulating strips. Backed by Amplified Minds and OUTLET Mental Health, the space is said to “bridge creativity and self-care.” Meanwhile, End Overdose will provides crucial Naloxone training throughout the festival grounds and camping areas.
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