Amid all the rumors and negative reception swirling around the Texas Eclipse, even one accusation that the event was “turning into a Fyre situation,” I walked onto the grounds of Reveille Peak Ranch with some trepidation. Admittedly, I had attended some Disco Donnie events before that were less-than-pleasurable experiences. So I was well aware of the possibility that I could be walking into a similar circumstance. To make matters more bleak, weather meteorologists were projecting rain all weekend and complete cloud cover on the day of the eclipse. Still, I held onto faith that the universe wouldn’t allow this celestial event to go unseen. As one Reddit user described, “the stages and art installations are great but the event itself is anarchy.” The only thing left to do was to see it for myself.

The Grounds

Walking into the picturesque grounds, with its scenic views of the Texas Hill Country, the festival grounds provided an idyllic backdrop for what promised to be an unforgettable experience. With over 200 acres of stunning landscapes, it was the perfect setting for witnessing the rare phenomenon of a total solar eclipse. I was walking into the festival two days late due to a missed flight, but it was still plenty of time to immerse myself into the dusty grounds and get a real feel for what Texas Eclipse had to offer.

The mega-collaboration boasted some of my favorite festival promoters—including California’s Symbiosis, Oregon’s Beloved, Bass Coast from Canada, and over ten more global companies from Japan to South Africa to Australia and Costa Rica. Having attended the Oregon Eclipse years earlier, and being disappointed over the canceled Patagonia Eclipse in 2020 due to the pandemic, my excitement had reached a fever pitch.

Muffled complaints from festival-goers littered the campgrounds. Around every corner, and in nearly every campsite, complaints were being hurled over lack of organization, poor planning, artist cancellations, and rudeness from the event staff. Once inside the festival grounds, however, the negativity quickly faded into the rumbling bass from the stages. I could feel the energy buzzing in the air. People from all corners of the globe had gathered for this once-in-a-lifetime event, united by our shared passion for music and celestial marvels.

Every installation paid such keen attention to detail that it was hard to believe most of Texas Eclipse’s structures were constructed from raw materials used from the very land that housed each structure. Old moss-covered branches and rocks formed the pathways and walls of the festival’s many temple-esque domains, with curtains draped from the ceilings, and walls of stained glass windows suspended into thin air. Sacred geometry artwork was the centerpiece of most installations. Live painters abounded at every stage, while Burning Man art cars made guest appearances. One unique addition was the Meow Wolf maze, a pop-up that mimicked a psychedelic walk in the woods.

Photo credit: Keiki Lani Knudsen.

The People

An international melting pot of folks were represented at the festival, including toddlers perched atop their fathers’ shoulders, families enjoying “Kids-biosis,” and burner folks with their decked-out light-up bicycles. Also in attendance were Indigenous tribes from all directions gathering to pay their homage to the mystical allure of the celestial event that occurs once every four years. Their chanting set the tone for a spiritual event.

From the diverse attendees to the character performers roaming the grounds to the stages and art installations, the event was a near-exact replica of the Oregon Eclipse, which converted me into an “eclipse chaser” years ago. As nostalgia sent chills up and down my spine, I felt like I was finally returning home. The yoga tent was the exact same, the Multiversal Dome was flown in once again, and each step throughout the grounds was reminding me of 2017.

The Music

The musical lineup, curated by Disco Presents along with 12 other renowned festival organizers, was nothing short of spectacular. From electronic beats to live performances, there was something for everyone to enjoy as we eagerly awaited the main event. From Tycho‘s revered sunset set, to Khiva’s late-night bass parties, and Desert Dweller‘s portal-hoping sounds, and so many more unforgettable sets, all of the cancellations suddenly faded into the background as attendees let themselves go to the music. The crowds transformed into sonic energy as they baptized themselves in the bass of Zeds Dead‘s headlining set— an event which culminated into a spectacular drone show mimicking the eclipse that would happen the next day around noon. The music went into the wee hours of the morning, with frenzied psytrance beats pulsating into the ground until daylight. By the end of the experience, you just learned to sleep to the music and eventually learned to love the genre.

The Totality Event

On the morning of the eclipse, attendees woke up to chaos and panic. It was a feeling that drew a sharp contrast to the serene morning at Oregon Eclipse. Disco Donnie, in all their expertise, had canceled the totality event, requiring attendees to evacuate the grounds as they monitored a storm system heading in our direction— a storm that would never come. I came to see this objectively bad call as purely blasphemous. Still, I chose to stay on the grounds despite the organizer’s instructions. And I’m glad I did because the magical energy of totality was building around the grounds, despite the rumors swirling that Disco “canceled the final day to be able to file an insurance claim.” It was an accusation that was beginning to hold some anecdotal merit, given how they do this often.

And then, as the moment of totality drew near, the clouds cleared and the heavens opened up. With special eclipse glasses in hand, we gazed up at the sky in awe as the moon gradually obscured the sun, casting a surreal darkness over the landscape. In that fleeting moment of totality, time seemed to stand still. The sky transformed into a mesmerizing canvas of colors, and the air was filled with a sense of wonder and reverence. The temperature dropped ten degrees. Birds scattered and crickets began chirping, and eyes swelled as a ring of fire filled the sky. It was a breathtaking sight that words can hardly do it justice.

“Your festival experience is what you make it!”

In this moment, I realized all the complaints and murmurings no longer mattered. “Your festival experience is what you make it,” I thought. Festivals are not easy and they aren’t meant to be. They are meant to test your spirit, mind, and body. They are meant to transform you in ways you didn’t think possible. That is exactly was Texas Eclipse did for me. As the sun emerged once more, bathing the world in light, cheers erupted from the various crowds scattered across the campgrounds. We had witnessed something truly extraordinary, a cosmic dance that reminded us of the beauty and wonder of the universe.

In the days that followed, the memories of the Texas Eclipse festival lingered like a dream. It was more than just a music festival; it was a journey of discovery and connection, a testament to the power of nature and human creativity. Though we may have to wait decades for another total solar eclipse to grace the skies of the United States, the memories of this unforgettable experience will remain etched in my mind forever.

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