ILLectric
Immersive Austin festival wraps guests in live art, light, and lots of EDM
Now in its third year, the ILLfest Music and Art Festival (previously called ILLectric River), brings a unique, multi-sensory experience to its new home at the Travis County Expo Center on May 25.
And the point is to have your senses heightened, whether with live electronic music, seeing art created in real time, or watching light installations built from the ground up before illuminating the night.
Spread out over four stages, big-name acts likes Seven Lions, Deorro, Gramatik, G Jones, and Riot Ten join more than 30 other performers, along with local and internationally acclaimed mural and light artists, including Austin-based Mez Data, Mattru22, and Tayviss. According to the website, fest-goers can also watch more than 200 feet of live mural painting, among other art installations.
ILLfest is the brainchild of Jason Millsap, who owns a Houston-based skyscraper restoration business. His affinity for music and art goes back decades. Starting as a house DJ for fraternity parties, Millsap later moved into the bar and club scene after graduating.
When it came to music festival, however, Millsap thought something was missing. “I’ve grown up going to festivals,” he tells CultureMap. “Even when other festivals mention that they’re going to have art, I don’t ever feel that you’re ever surrounded by it, and I don’t feel like you get to interact with it or see it being created in a live fashion in front of you.”
That’s the void ILLfest aims to fill, Millsap says.
“The thought here is that people are engulfed in light art, live art, and music in a way that they’ve never seen before and never experienced before," he says. "Something that’s just completely immersive and magical.”
Tickets for ILLfest are on sale now, and start at $65. The one-day festival starts at 3 pm on May 25.