Features of the Rise Festival

The RiSE Festival takes place on the Moapa River Nature Reserve in the Mojave Desert, located about 45 minutes from Las Vegas.

From Las Vegas, on the day of the event, you have two options to get to the festival:

• Transfer. RiSE offers transfer services (for a fee) from several hotels that deliver visitors to and from the venue.
• Driving a car and parking. Drive north on I-15 for about 30 miles and take exit 75, where guards will take you to the parking lot.

Arriving at the venue, you will be a 10-15 minute walk from the venue.

Below is the schedule of the RiSE festival so that you can familiarize yourself with the schedule for the day:

• 15:00 – the gates open;
• 16:00 – 20:00 – music of local artists, food and drinks;
• 20:15 – the first launch of the lights;
• 20:45 – the second launch of the lights;
• 20:50 – fireworks.

Like in Thailand, you will feel the enthusiastic energy of a crowd of people, see smiles on strangers and hear the excitement in their voices.

In the center there is a stage where local artists perform. Along the perimeter of the stage in an extended circle, torches are installed that indicate places where visitors can start the lantern. On the outskirts there are trucks with food and tents with alcohol.

When the sun begins to set, the mood of the crowd moves from a high-energy to a calmer and more contemplative.

What to bring

You do not need to take a lot with you, as you will be given two lights, markers, matches and a rug on which you can sit. You can take with you:

• sweaters if it gets colder in the evening;
• camera (tripods cannot be taken);
• wet wipes and toilet paper;
• hand sanitizer.

You can also bring snacks if you are there for a long time. In general, there are sellers of food and drinks on the territory, but they are quite expensive. You cannot take alcohol with you, but you can take water with you.

But the most important thing is comfortable shoes. Wear shoes that you don't mind getting dirty, as they will be very dusty.

How to light lanterns

Lighting up the lights is surprisingly more difficult than it sounds, and the festival leader does not give as many instructions as they should give. Here are some useful tips to help your flashlights fly into the air:

• Open the flashlight, be careful not to tear it. Place the block directly above the torch until it lights up completely. Be careful not to let the sides of the lantern catch fire. The biggest reason most lanterns don't fly is because the sides lit up. If you burn a hole in a flashlight, it will be harder for you to make it fly.
• Continue to hold the flashlight above the flame until you feel some resistance when the flashlight starts to rise on its own. If you don’t notice that this happens after a few minutes, hold the flashlight about half an inch above the ground, as it is still filled with hot air. Be very patient and you will feel that it begins to rise.
• Gently toss the flashlight into the air. Watch him as he flies away. Keep an eye on him until he is safe in flight. Many lights will fall or not fly at all, and may eventually land on someone.

If you are mistaken on the first or second attempt, do not worry! Keep calm and be patient.