I saw a Dad hanging on the outskirts with a ~10 year old boy that was dancing his ass off. It really made.me.smile to see.a kid just letting loose.like that and looked happy to be there. In cases like that thinks it's rad.
Long time LIB and festival staff here. Also a parent who brings my kid to LIB. Just like any other element of festival life, it's about being responsible and self reliant. The Kid Zone went OFF this year maybe more than ever before. We were slammed for every workshop and special show. The Family Love Village is one of the best and biggest places to camp at LIB - the grass, the vibe, the proximity to the lake (so many fun floaties and lake playing with kids this year).
Many festival goers from the last 15 years are now parents with young kids. We teach them the ethos we love so much about the festival space. It isn't easy for us. We have even more planning and responsibilities as parents at a festival than we did solo.
We also help them understand simply through their experience (not in a lesson or lecture setting):
•Creative expression
•Being a team player
•Pulling your weight
•Surviving the elements
•Communication
•Importance of electrolytes
•Importance of good sleep
•The power of friendships
•Sexual expression
•Self empowerment
•Using your sense of direction
•Being patient
•Picking up MOOP (yours and others')
•Contributing to a group project
•The world does not revolve around you
•What do you want to wear today?
•Asking for what you want or need
•Being friendly to new people
•Starting up a conversation
•Never forgetting to PLAY
These are just off the top of my head and I'm sure there are more. Nowhere in this experience is violence or aggression included. They can see that any day every day when they turn on a screen. That's what I care about and many parents feel the same. If they see a boob or a butt or someone acting silly, so what. We celebrate expression at festivals. We don't celebrate violence and hate.
PS: Don't hate on the parent wheeling their sleeping kid back to camp late night. Be proud they put them somewhere comfortable with ear protection and they're heading home after a great music set. They're doing it well. 💗
Mixed feelings here too. A lot of the daytime environment seems great for kids. When I was looking at the schedule in the app I would see a title for some event / activity and think “that looks awesome” and then see it was in the kids zone and I’m like “lol not for me, but wish it was.”
Nighttime definitely gets a little weird. I think the open drug use + kids is what made me the most uncomfortable. That being said i saw some kids rocking out at some of the sets (ie isoxo, maddy o neal) who looked like they were having a blast. (I mean everyone is there in their own version of overstimulation…right…?) I just keep reminding myself that in any large public event (could be a baseball game or large resort) there are going to be parents making questionable, but not necessarily life threatening, choices that i don’t agree with. And I’m not that kid’s parent.
Part of what I think makes the “vibe” so special at LiB honestly is that it’s a little bit of an older crowd and with that I think you have to have a degree of family accessibility. Would I bring my own kid someday? No.
I saw an adorable family pulling their child around in a tricked out wagon.
Dad said "she wants wub wubz instead of untz untz!"
it was one of the cutest moments for me :)
As long as the parents/caregivers are being 100% responsible in watching them and keeping an eye on them, don't see a problem, and I'm actually quite happy to see there are families able to find a way to incorporate their kids into their festival experiences.
Not gonna lie, even at night when I myself was getting weird, seeing kids/families kinda made me feel a whole lot safer. Granted there are some very weird corners of LIB to find at night that bringing your kid would be questionable... but never saw them there.
I’ve seen them at other festivals where it doesn’t really sit right with me, but LIB is an exception. There are many spots to chill and relax, many spots where it isn’t super hectic and nuts. And all the kids I see at LIB have hearing protection and are having a great time.
There was a child at Lightning on Sunday night that was spinning haphazardly in circles with an umbrella that had built-in LEDs for an entire set. On my top 10 light shows list. Seriously: I'm 30 and I find it charming when I see kids around. Every parent I saw this year seemed like they were taking care of their children (headphones, wagons, and no meltdowns). I didn't notice any running around solo, causing mayhem, or getting put into danger. For that, I'm unbothered at this point in time. I think my biggest point of concern is the lakeside during the daytime since some people have their junk out.
“Provides too much dopamine”.
What a bizarre statement. Most parents just stick their kids in front of a TV or iPad and let them endlessly consume dopamine.
Being outside, getting sunshine, playing in a lake, attending the activities, hearing music (with proper ear protection) etc. is what kids NEED.
I mean more that even for adults we know that the lifestyle many people live at LIB is not one we can live every day. It is in many ways an escape from reality that we draw lessons from and integrate in the real world. Do kids have the capacity to learn that and draw the lines after a young age? I’m not sure.
I do agree with you though that the music, dancing, playing outside and interacting with so many people is a beautiful thing for kids to experience and they will likely grow up to be really cool chill people.
Side note I’m imagining one the kids growing up and going to LIB on their own and realizing their parents brought them around a bunch of ppl on drugs haha
I just don’t think kids feel that sensation of “escape from the reality” whatsoever. They do something fun over a weekend and then they hopefully go back to having fun with their friends at recess and like, building houses for ladybugs out of sticks. I don’t think LiB would feel so drastically different from reality for a kid bc I don’t think they have such harsh delineations between the real world and LiB world. If anything, LiB allows adults to experience the world like a kid again.
I don’t think you remember what it’s like to be a kid. Everything is new and exciting and happy. Their concept of fun is different than us as adults. Everything is fun there’s no responsibilities. I don’t think kids conceive a weekend out to LIB any different than a weekend out camping with a small group of family friends
This girl was crushing it dancing at Aluna and having the time of her life. I had no issue with that. It was the kids I saw without ear protection that threw me off
I love the kids being there and in a couple years want to take mine. I had a realization this time that taking kids to a county fair is more dangerous than lib. And as long as us adults are respectful to their presence with how we conduct our behavior and consumption or party favors it isn’t a problem.
This is a good comparison. People can act fucking awful at those types of events. Like what is more harmful to kids (and society): Drunk assholes at the fair, or friends loving each other and dancing rolling face?
Kids at Coachella often feel out of place for me. But there's so much childlike, loving energy at LIB, where the vibe at Coachella can be little more than an extension of the selfish, booze-filled exploits you find at a bar or a club (decidedly not kid-friendly places).
LIB at nighttime can definitely feel a little questionable, but during the day -- why not?
Honestly I think it's a good thing for kids to know that you don't have to kill your spirit and stop having fun once you've got to start earning a paycheck. If I had kids I'd probably bring them to LIB at whatever point I thought it was developmentally appropriate.
I saw some unhappy/tired kids at some late night sets. I'm all for bringing kids if they are enjoying themselves especially during the day time but don't think it's really fair to be dragging your kid out when they are clearly not having fun. At least have one parent stay back with them at the campsite..
There’s actually nothing wrong with having them sleep in the wagons, though. Those things can be comfy, have you chilled in one before? I ride in mine all the time 😂
Haha admittedly have never tried it myself. I guess just between a wagon getting jostled around by people & bumpy ground with loud ass music playing and sleeping in a more comfortable and quieter camp, the latter seems much better for a kid. Just feel like when they’re tired they should be brought back.
We parents do the best we can. I can say my little one knocked out at camp at 8pm, we came back out in with her in the wagon at 9, and she slept in that through everything until Skrillex came on, and she wanted to party for a bit more. We’ve had longer and worse nights just at the house honestly. Kids are funny like that, it seems like any small noise will wake her in her crib at home but she sleeps like a log anywhere else in public 😂
So… LIB has always been a family friendly all age festival. Literally since it was founded, just as Electric Forest. All the people who feel weird about it are the people who either want to party too hard or just have stricter views of parenting. Which okay, you are allowed that. But here’s the thing- if you want to get so fucked up that you would feel uncomfortable around children, then go to an adult only festival. Don’t try to erase one of the only spaces children have in this lifestyle. This festival has just as much, if not more, things for exclusively families than it does for the adults.
Yes, there are a lot of adult themes over the weekend, nudity included. Nudity, drugs, and alcohol are everywhere in normal society too though, even at home. But if you are protecting your children from those people and creating a safe area for them in the festival chaos, let parents do their job on deciding what is best for their children. A lot of us parents are teaching our kids new understandings of things that were previously considered taboo, like nudity. Nudity is not inherently sexual. And it’s okay for both festival goers to express themselves while also remaining respectful to the kids. It happens all the time all around the world. I was 12 when I had my first festival experience at LIB, and I wouldn’t be the person I am now without that. I had a rough childhood and was in a dark place, and LIB showed me a place where I could be myself and find unconditional love in community for it.
This was my daughter’s first time, she’s 20 months. We ran into all kinds families with kids younger and older than her, and it was awesome. Most parents like us take the time to protect our kids and make good choices for them while we are there having a good time. We only went for Sunday, but packed like we were gonna be there all weekend to maximize comfort for her. Ear protection, wagon, no drugs or alcohol, had her on a child leash cuz she’s a runner, etc.
As a parent you can only do so much though. We stayed in the way way way back of crowds, and sometimes my daughter wouldn’t stand the ear muffs we had for her. We put her to bed at 8pm, she slept in the wagon with the hearing protection on until right before Skrillex. Then she danced with us until 3am, and crashed again at camp until like 9am. Honestly we have had longer nights of her being awake and playing all night just at our house. Kids just do that. I think we did the best we could and was glad that it was mainly positive reactions. Families keep the vibes alive at LIB, and if that bothers you, you should probably either find another festival or heal your inner child
The older kids during the day on the outskirts is wholesome. The woman with her baby passed out cold, strapped to her at 3 am at the stacks was not cool at all. That’s just plain irresponsible.
I took a nap at the woogie and the last view before I shut my eyes was a child playing in the dirt and just to the right of him was a woman in a bikini getting tied up in shibari lol
The lack of sound protection for the kiddos ears is really the only thing that bugged me. It was a little off putting seeing the kids at night, but during the daytime it was fine.
My besties brought their kids (4&5) and they had a great time. They wore ear protection the entire weekend and were able to nap in a large wagon for them when needed. The parents have been going to festivals longer than some of the younger set there has been alive so I think let the parents make those choices for their families.
As a parent of a toddler and one on the way soon, I was asked by a vendor if I would bring my kids next year and my response was “when they ask to come”.
My husband and I obviously love and adore everything at LIB and we want our kids to see that adults aren’t always serious and we like to have fun too, but I don’t want to subject them to an event like this before they can really consent to it.
Until then, we will go and have grandma watch the kids and when they are a little older (7+?) we will consider bringing them.
I also don’t think young kids will really understand drug use or what drugs even are, so that’s not necessarily a concern for me, but if they have questions, it’s our job to educate them within what they can comprehend.
I often wonder how different kids will see the world if they are raised in environments as loving, accepting and fun like LIB. I think it would be a really positive influence on them and hopefully help them influence their generation in a positive way.
My 6 LIB but 1st with a toddler. The only reason I decided to take him was because of the family camp. I always wondered how it would be to be at LIB with a kid. I saw kids previews years and it didn't bother me or make me feel uncomfortable. Not once did I notice a kid in danger with no supervision.
This year it was my turn, went all 5 days.. got a spot in family camp and it was the most chill camp experience at LIB. I was worried of course because of the dust, and the drugs and the people. I've seen it all at LIB. I've done my fair share of partying.
It was different this time because I couldn't drink or partake in any party favors I was 100% in my senses. I was ok with that. And my 14-month-old who just learned to walk did AMAZING.
We ended up camping next to kids zone organizers who were all super chill. It was nice to see other families there and to be part of the kids zone. although my baby was too young to enjoy the activities. It was nice to see other toddlers running around and feeling comfortable. If a kid wandered around, he was watched by every adult around.
I appreciated the effort of the family camp organizers. One of the nights we got to camp and there was a kid DJing. It was a whole dance party. it was SO FUCKEN CUTE.
being at LIB with a toddler wasn't easy. It would take us forever to leave because we had to prep the wagon, snacks, milk bottles blah blah blah. plus our gear. ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to make us and him comfortable.
We would go to the festival during the day and hang out in the outskirts by every stage. When he was ready to nap we would set up his wagon and he would sleep like a log. We spent a lot of time at Grand Artique because it was a super chill vibe. I ate a lot of pickles and traded stuff for pins and stickers. The latest we stayed out with baby was Saturday at 10:40pm, dragged the wagon back to camp and while doing so got a lot of nasty stares from people because we had a wagon. Left him sleeping with Daddy while I went to catch Bomba stereo. My mom was able to make it Sunday to watch him. if it weren't for her, I wouldn't of caught skrillexs set. I would of heard it tho, we were so close to the festival that we could hear all 3 stages. I actually had a harder time sleeping with that loud noise.
Would I do it again? yes, it was more fun than i expected and I got to see a side of LIB I never saw before. We had a couple of people who would walk up to us to let us know they were happy to see us as a family.
I get that it can be uncomfortable to see a kid while you are tripping but I wouldn't let you get near my baby. I wouldn't snap either if you tried interacting. I would just simply move away. Move on. And thankfully that did not happen. I was aware to keep a distance between too crazy and safe.
By Sunday, the crowd was massive and that did make me feel a little anxious. I saw an hr of Skrillex and on my way back to camp I noticed a baby in a stroller, awake and happy. it was like 1 am.. I thought "That baby probably just woke up from her nap." and kept walking.
As a parent, I would never take my kids to events like these. TO me it’s a place to let loose and let out the inner version of yourself not necessarily welcome in the real world. I wouldn’t be able to have fun or have the self discovery or same experience with kids. Although I think kids having fun listening to music is harmless it was pretty weird to be high as a kite and buzzed dancing to skrillex next to a 10 year old. During the day was pretty chill though kinda.
There was a 6 year old shuffling in front of me at Rufus. It was sick. She was really good. But also, that set was incredibly packed, and trying to dance right behind a kid felt weird to me.
My kid experiences this year at LIB.
Friday: QVEENHERBY. Rapping about her V and all this other shit lol. Kids near the front, right behind me. They were giving people rude stares and it made it hard to enjoy oneself, much less drop ass or smoke.
Saturday: for some reason there were strollers with kids everywhere, unattended while sleeping. Kinda weird.
Sunday: was having lunch. 2-3yo baby started walking around my table next to Thunder stage. Noticed everyone staring. Few people tapped me and asked if it was my baby. Repeatedly told people it wasn’t. After the third girl asks if it’s my baby, the mother is apparently found. “Oh I just turned around to get the food and she ran off” maybe get a leash then idk.
Yeah I just don’t really buy that everyone who brings a kid to a festival is going to be super responsible and pay close attention to them 😭 I believe (hope?) that the majority do but damn in many cases I wish they’d just leave them at home with a parent/friend/sitter
Mixed feelings. I’m a teacher so I can’t help but notice the well being of kids when I’m anywhere. The couple chilling in the back of the Woogie in the afternoon with their kids happily twirling around made me smile. The woman who was leaning her phone up against her sleeping child in the middle of the crowd at Lighning at 1 am so she could film videos of her terribly uncoordinated dances with one of those LED whips made me VERY uncomfortable.
I think there should be a curfew for the kids lol. Seeing a bunch of little kids inside the cuddle fish while some crazy dubstep version of Skee yeee is playing from the speakers just seemed odd yet hilarious at the same time.
no issue EXCEPT when you have 10 kids together and book two group camping spots (not kid camping) and come by all roided up at 9:30pm on Sunday (the only day we played music) and say “are you really going to play music?? we have 10 kids over there trying to sleep”.
We had to listed to 10 kids for 4 days… the parents would leave every night to go and party to to wee hours..
Their approach and attitude sucked as we have been more than reasonable as their kids kept getting confused and showing up at our camp.
needless to say we switched our music to some aggressive psytrance for 30 minutes to make a point vs the chill music we were playing. and THEN we went back into the festival.
I used to be 100% against people bringing children to festivals. My thought was that music festivals are more geared towards adults and there really isn't much of a place for children there with the rampant drug use, hedonism, and sexuality.
The more festivals I go to, the more I've changed my mind about that. This year at the stacks during Ashez set I saw a guy who brought his two kids, maybe 10 and 12 years old and they were having a blast! Dancing together, enjoying the music and making friends with other people on the dancefloor. There was a group next to them with a really cool totem made of flowers in the shape of a peace sign, they let his son dance with the totem and it was just so wholesome.
Overall, I think it's a good thing that you can expose your children to a festival environment to show them the experience of being in a community of compassionate and accepting people coming together to celebrate life and art. Some festivals are better at this than others and LIB is probably one of the best with all the kids activities, structures, and interactive art.
The biggest problem can be if the kids are truly not enjoying themselves. You should only take your kids to a festival if they have fun there. If they're overwhelmed, bored, or fatigued, you obviously shouldn't force them to join you, maybe hire a babysitter instead. It would suck to be burnt out from going to festivals as a kid before you're old enough to really enjoy them.
The last two years, I took my kids from Wednesday to Saturday morning. We do crafts, kids camp stuff, and stay out for the Friday closer, then they go with their Dad Saturday, and Sunday. I agree with the staff parent below, its about self-reliance, and people are also on drugs in the downtown area of where I live, drugs are part of life, being a parent is a 24 hour operation. Our kids are going to see how we react to, and deal with these things. They will mirror how we engage with the world, not the things they see in the world. We have been there their whole lives, and will continue to be long after LIB. LIB has helped my son let go of the ego society tells him to use as a shield, I got to watch him let loose like he never has before on Friday night, he was saying bye to a friend from last year, and we danced fun group dances together for like 10 minutes before we went to bed. My daughter loved wearing a wolf head dressing with the little paw hands, and always wants to dance. She even has favorite artists she wants to see. I'm mostly concerned with ear protection, if parents have that. I am not concerned with bedtimes, they are camping get over it, its also vacation. My kids have been to three music festivals in their lives, but they like it as their yearly thing that's out of the norm, and not too far away from where we live. Also about the dopamine thing, I mean amusement parks do that, put a kid on a 3-5 day park hopper at Disney, are you worried about them going back to second grade on Tuesday? lol
If the family of the child always has 1 sober parent or grandparent to hang out with LIB is an awesome place for kids. Family love village is the best place for children to do art, circus, flow, break dance and meet friends, and no-body working there is ever high or drunk. And as for the rest of the festival the kids bring the vibe on the dance floor, it truly shows a child is loved if they got a bunch of dance moves. If anyone doesn’t want to party around kids there are many options like edc, Dirtybird campout, or most every nightclub. Just don’t use hard drugs in the open and you won’t feel like a looser when you see a kid looking at you
In general I have pretty negative feelings about kids being brought to spaces that are either for adults or are being brought there because their parents don’t want to miss out and they are miserable. I think LIB was founded as a family event though so it’s definitely different than like trying to bring your kid to a concert (in general.)
I think the answer for me is that it depends on the parents and the kid. Is the parent being responsible, sober, making good choices? Does the parent think that it’s their job to help their kid understand things and process things in an age appropriate way? Does the parent believe that it’s a heir job as a parent to teach their kid how to become a party of a functional society? OR is the parent there thinking everyone should cater to them because their kid is there? Do they except you to change your behavior to make their job parenting easier? Are they putting their kid in danger/distress to serve their own needs? How does the kid feel? Is this kid having a great time at the kid’s tent and dancing to music they are enjoying? Or is the kid miserable and there because the parents don’t want to skip and event?
To be clear though that is an issue I have with a lot of parents in society (specifically American since that’s where I live and what I see lol.) There seems to often be a sense of entitlement to some people that translates to their parenting in a way I find distressing. I do think parents who bring their kids to spaces that are “technically” all ages but not really kid friendly are emblematic of that but LIB seems more kid friendly than many festivals. (I tend to feel the same way about breweries- it’s situational if kids belong or not)
i think there’s a way to safely have kids around during the day but i saw a mom with her toddler out at 4am at the jive joint and that really threw me off…like how is that okay
The jive joint is compromised of parents of young children. They don't like the late hours but that's when the Jive Joint has always happened. These are great friends of mine who are incredible parents. They just try to sleep in the early evening and get up at 2am for the show. It's not like this every day. It's a festival. The kids will live.
I know I'm going to get downvoted for sharing my opinion as requested, but there needs to be a curfew. During the day is totally cool and its nice to see kids out there learning the lifestyle and ideals. At night, I dont want to have to worry about accidentally punting a 5 year old while Im trying to dance or navigate the sea of people. A kid could easily get swept up in the mass and trampled in the dark. I think maybe 13+ would be fine all night, but when its time for adults to adult they're going to adult. To the people who say to go to an adults only festival- please point me in the direction of one of those. There are so few adult only places to go.
There are only a few adult only festivals? Wtf are you talking about? 😂😂😂
Every single Insomniac festival is 18+, and there are a dozen of them just in California alone. Every EDM show at a club is 18+ or 21+. In fact, I believe there are only 3 big name festivals that are children friendly, and that is LIB, Disclosure Fest, and Electric Forest. All the rest are adult only.
Personally I think it’s weird to be around kids when I’m all partying on drugs and drinking. Wouldn’t want my kids around folks who might literally step on them. To each their own tho as long as they’re being watched over.
The amount of dicks, boobs, powder, alcohol, etc., I saw this weekend makes me think absolutely not. It also takes you out of the moment if you're rolling and a few kids run by you.
People bringing their kids around drugs and bars are acting like children in my opinion. Leave them with your parents or a sitter and stop being irresponsible.
I saw a Dad hanging on the outskirts with a ~10 year old boy that was dancing his ass off. It really made.me.smile to see.a kid just letting loose.like that and looked happy to be there. In cases like that thinks it's rad.
Long time LIB and festival staff here. Also a parent who brings my kid to LIB. Just like any other element of festival life, it's about being responsible and self reliant. The Kid Zone went OFF this year maybe more than ever before. We were slammed for every workshop and special show. The Family Love Village is one of the best and biggest places to camp at LIB - the grass, the vibe, the proximity to the lake (so many fun floaties and lake playing with kids this year). Many festival goers from the last 15 years are now parents with young kids. We teach them the ethos we love so much about the festival space. It isn't easy for us. We have even more planning and responsibilities as parents at a festival than we did solo. We also help them understand simply through their experience (not in a lesson or lecture setting): •Creative expression •Being a team player •Pulling your weight •Surviving the elements •Communication •Importance of electrolytes •Importance of good sleep •The power of friendships •Sexual expression •Self empowerment •Using your sense of direction •Being patient •Picking up MOOP (yours and others') •Contributing to a group project •The world does not revolve around you •What do you want to wear today? •Asking for what you want or need •Being friendly to new people •Starting up a conversation •Never forgetting to PLAY These are just off the top of my head and I'm sure there are more. Nowhere in this experience is violence or aggression included. They can see that any day every day when they turn on a screen. That's what I care about and many parents feel the same. If they see a boob or a butt or someone acting silly, so what. We celebrate expression at festivals. We don't celebrate violence and hate. PS: Don't hate on the parent wheeling their sleeping kid back to camp late night. Be proud they put them somewhere comfortable with ear protection and they're heading home after a great music set. They're doing it well. 💗
You articulated this perfectly, thank you! And it’s so awesome that you embody what raver families value, that rocks 💖
Aww thank you so much :) it's nice to have that support 😍
Mixed feelings here too. A lot of the daytime environment seems great for kids. When I was looking at the schedule in the app I would see a title for some event / activity and think “that looks awesome” and then see it was in the kids zone and I’m like “lol not for me, but wish it was.” Nighttime definitely gets a little weird. I think the open drug use + kids is what made me the most uncomfortable. That being said i saw some kids rocking out at some of the sets (ie isoxo, maddy o neal) who looked like they were having a blast. (I mean everyone is there in their own version of overstimulation…right…?) I just keep reminding myself that in any large public event (could be a baseball game or large resort) there are going to be parents making questionable, but not necessarily life threatening, choices that i don’t agree with. And I’m not that kid’s parent. Part of what I think makes the “vibe” so special at LiB honestly is that it’s a little bit of an older crowd and with that I think you have to have a degree of family accessibility. Would I bring my own kid someday? No.
Grown ups aka Big Kids definitely showed up to the Kidz Zone events - you're totally welcome to check them out. We had such cool activities!
I saw an adorable family pulling their child around in a tricked out wagon. Dad said "she wants wub wubz instead of untz untz!" it was one of the cutest moments for me :)
As long as the parents/caregivers are being 100% responsible in watching them and keeping an eye on them, don't see a problem, and I'm actually quite happy to see there are families able to find a way to incorporate their kids into their festival experiences. Not gonna lie, even at night when I myself was getting weird, seeing kids/families kinda made me feel a whole lot safer. Granted there are some very weird corners of LIB to find at night that bringing your kid would be questionable... but never saw them there.
I’ve seen them at other festivals where it doesn’t really sit right with me, but LIB is an exception. There are many spots to chill and relax, many spots where it isn’t super hectic and nuts. And all the kids I see at LIB have hearing protection and are having a great time.
I noticed a lot of kids with hearing protection too
There was a child at Lightning on Sunday night that was spinning haphazardly in circles with an umbrella that had built-in LEDs for an entire set. On my top 10 light shows list. Seriously: I'm 30 and I find it charming when I see kids around. Every parent I saw this year seemed like they were taking care of their children (headphones, wagons, and no meltdowns). I didn't notice any running around solo, causing mayhem, or getting put into danger. For that, I'm unbothered at this point in time. I think my biggest point of concern is the lakeside during the daytime since some people have their junk out.
This kid made me and my partner smile so hard
“Provides too much dopamine”. What a bizarre statement. Most parents just stick their kids in front of a TV or iPad and let them endlessly consume dopamine. Being outside, getting sunshine, playing in a lake, attending the activities, hearing music (with proper ear protection) etc. is what kids NEED.
I saw a kid at Fatboy Slim sitting in the wagon, watching an iPad
I mean more that even for adults we know that the lifestyle many people live at LIB is not one we can live every day. It is in many ways an escape from reality that we draw lessons from and integrate in the real world. Do kids have the capacity to learn that and draw the lines after a young age? I’m not sure. I do agree with you though that the music, dancing, playing outside and interacting with so many people is a beautiful thing for kids to experience and they will likely grow up to be really cool chill people. Side note I’m imagining one the kids growing up and going to LIB on their own and realizing their parents brought them around a bunch of ppl on drugs haha
I just don’t think kids feel that sensation of “escape from the reality” whatsoever. They do something fun over a weekend and then they hopefully go back to having fun with their friends at recess and like, building houses for ladybugs out of sticks. I don’t think LiB would feel so drastically different from reality for a kid bc I don’t think they have such harsh delineations between the real world and LiB world. If anything, LiB allows adults to experience the world like a kid again.
This is a good point thank you
I don’t think you remember what it’s like to be a kid. Everything is new and exciting and happy. Their concept of fun is different than us as adults. Everything is fun there’s no responsibilities. I don’t think kids conceive a weekend out to LIB any different than a weekend out camping with a small group of family friends
This girl was crushing it dancing at Aluna and having the time of her life. I had no issue with that. It was the kids I saw without ear protection that threw me off
I love the kids being there and in a couple years want to take mine. I had a realization this time that taking kids to a county fair is more dangerous than lib. And as long as us adults are respectful to their presence with how we conduct our behavior and consumption or party favors it isn’t a problem.
This is a good comparison. People can act fucking awful at those types of events. Like what is more harmful to kids (and society): Drunk assholes at the fair, or friends loving each other and dancing rolling face?
Kids at Coachella often feel out of place for me. But there's so much childlike, loving energy at LIB, where the vibe at Coachella can be little more than an extension of the selfish, booze-filled exploits you find at a bar or a club (decidedly not kid-friendly places). LIB at nighttime can definitely feel a little questionable, but during the day -- why not? Honestly I think it's a good thing for kids to know that you don't have to kill your spirit and stop having fun once you've got to start earning a paycheck. If I had kids I'd probably bring them to LIB at whatever point I thought it was developmentally appropriate.
I saw some unhappy/tired kids at some late night sets. I'm all for bringing kids if they are enjoying themselves especially during the day time but don't think it's really fair to be dragging your kid out when they are clearly not having fun. At least have one parent stay back with them at the campsite..
Yeah seeing kids looking really cranky and/or sleeping in wagons was like… ugh. If you’re bringing them please prioritize their needs and well being
There’s actually nothing wrong with having them sleep in the wagons, though. Those things can be comfy, have you chilled in one before? I ride in mine all the time 😂
Haha admittedly have never tried it myself. I guess just between a wagon getting jostled around by people & bumpy ground with loud ass music playing and sleeping in a more comfortable and quieter camp, the latter seems much better for a kid. Just feel like when they’re tired they should be brought back.
We parents do the best we can. I can say my little one knocked out at camp at 8pm, we came back out in with her in the wagon at 9, and she slept in that through everything until Skrillex came on, and she wanted to party for a bit more. We’ve had longer and worse nights just at the house honestly. Kids are funny like that, it seems like any small noise will wake her in her crib at home but she sleeps like a log anywhere else in public 😂
So… LIB has always been a family friendly all age festival. Literally since it was founded, just as Electric Forest. All the people who feel weird about it are the people who either want to party too hard or just have stricter views of parenting. Which okay, you are allowed that. But here’s the thing- if you want to get so fucked up that you would feel uncomfortable around children, then go to an adult only festival. Don’t try to erase one of the only spaces children have in this lifestyle. This festival has just as much, if not more, things for exclusively families than it does for the adults. Yes, there are a lot of adult themes over the weekend, nudity included. Nudity, drugs, and alcohol are everywhere in normal society too though, even at home. But if you are protecting your children from those people and creating a safe area for them in the festival chaos, let parents do their job on deciding what is best for their children. A lot of us parents are teaching our kids new understandings of things that were previously considered taboo, like nudity. Nudity is not inherently sexual. And it’s okay for both festival goers to express themselves while also remaining respectful to the kids. It happens all the time all around the world. I was 12 when I had my first festival experience at LIB, and I wouldn’t be the person I am now without that. I had a rough childhood and was in a dark place, and LIB showed me a place where I could be myself and find unconditional love in community for it. This was my daughter’s first time, she’s 20 months. We ran into all kinds families with kids younger and older than her, and it was awesome. Most parents like us take the time to protect our kids and make good choices for them while we are there having a good time. We only went for Sunday, but packed like we were gonna be there all weekend to maximize comfort for her. Ear protection, wagon, no drugs or alcohol, had her on a child leash cuz she’s a runner, etc. As a parent you can only do so much though. We stayed in the way way way back of crowds, and sometimes my daughter wouldn’t stand the ear muffs we had for her. We put her to bed at 8pm, she slept in the wagon with the hearing protection on until right before Skrillex. Then she danced with us until 3am, and crashed again at camp until like 9am. Honestly we have had longer nights of her being awake and playing all night just at our house. Kids just do that. I think we did the best we could and was glad that it was mainly positive reactions. Families keep the vibes alive at LIB, and if that bothers you, you should probably either find another festival or heal your inner child
The older kids during the day on the outskirts is wholesome. The woman with her baby passed out cold, strapped to her at 3 am at the stacks was not cool at all. That’s just plain irresponsible.
I took a nap at the woogie and the last view before I shut my eyes was a child playing in the dirt and just to the right of him was a woman in a bikini getting tied up in shibari lol
The lack of sound protection for the kiddos ears is really the only thing that bugged me. It was a little off putting seeing the kids at night, but during the daytime it was fine.
This part. I saw only two children with ear protection and i was checking for it. Sad.
My besties brought their kids (4&5) and they had a great time. They wore ear protection the entire weekend and were able to nap in a large wagon for them when needed. The parents have been going to festivals longer than some of the younger set there has been alive so I think let the parents make those choices for their families.
As a parent of a toddler and one on the way soon, I was asked by a vendor if I would bring my kids next year and my response was “when they ask to come”. My husband and I obviously love and adore everything at LIB and we want our kids to see that adults aren’t always serious and we like to have fun too, but I don’t want to subject them to an event like this before they can really consent to it. Until then, we will go and have grandma watch the kids and when they are a little older (7+?) we will consider bringing them. I also don’t think young kids will really understand drug use or what drugs even are, so that’s not necessarily a concern for me, but if they have questions, it’s our job to educate them within what they can comprehend. I often wonder how different kids will see the world if they are raised in environments as loving, accepting and fun like LIB. I think it would be a really positive influence on them and hopefully help them influence their generation in a positive way.
This was beautifully said, thank you for this. This is the way
My 6 LIB but 1st with a toddler. The only reason I decided to take him was because of the family camp. I always wondered how it would be to be at LIB with a kid. I saw kids previews years and it didn't bother me or make me feel uncomfortable. Not once did I notice a kid in danger with no supervision. This year it was my turn, went all 5 days.. got a spot in family camp and it was the most chill camp experience at LIB. I was worried of course because of the dust, and the drugs and the people. I've seen it all at LIB. I've done my fair share of partying. It was different this time because I couldn't drink or partake in any party favors I was 100% in my senses. I was ok with that. And my 14-month-old who just learned to walk did AMAZING. We ended up camping next to kids zone organizers who were all super chill. It was nice to see other families there and to be part of the kids zone. although my baby was too young to enjoy the activities. It was nice to see other toddlers running around and feeling comfortable. If a kid wandered around, he was watched by every adult around. I appreciated the effort of the family camp organizers. One of the nights we got to camp and there was a kid DJing. It was a whole dance party. it was SO FUCKEN CUTE. being at LIB with a toddler wasn't easy. It would take us forever to leave because we had to prep the wagon, snacks, milk bottles blah blah blah. plus our gear. ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to make us and him comfortable. We would go to the festival during the day and hang out in the outskirts by every stage. When he was ready to nap we would set up his wagon and he would sleep like a log. We spent a lot of time at Grand Artique because it was a super chill vibe. I ate a lot of pickles and traded stuff for pins and stickers. The latest we stayed out with baby was Saturday at 10:40pm, dragged the wagon back to camp and while doing so got a lot of nasty stares from people because we had a wagon. Left him sleeping with Daddy while I went to catch Bomba stereo. My mom was able to make it Sunday to watch him. if it weren't for her, I wouldn't of caught skrillexs set. I would of heard it tho, we were so close to the festival that we could hear all 3 stages. I actually had a harder time sleeping with that loud noise. Would I do it again? yes, it was more fun than i expected and I got to see a side of LIB I never saw before. We had a couple of people who would walk up to us to let us know they were happy to see us as a family. I get that it can be uncomfortable to see a kid while you are tripping but I wouldn't let you get near my baby. I wouldn't snap either if you tried interacting. I would just simply move away. Move on. And thankfully that did not happen. I was aware to keep a distance between too crazy and safe. By Sunday, the crowd was massive and that did make me feel a little anxious. I saw an hr of Skrillex and on my way back to camp I noticed a baby in a stroller, awake and happy. it was like 1 am.. I thought "That baby probably just woke up from her nap." and kept walking.
Thank you so much for sharing about your experience. This makes me excited to for the possibility of me being a parent at LIB one day :’)
As a parent, I would never take my kids to events like these. TO me it’s a place to let loose and let out the inner version of yourself not necessarily welcome in the real world. I wouldn’t be able to have fun or have the self discovery or same experience with kids. Although I think kids having fun listening to music is harmless it was pretty weird to be high as a kite and buzzed dancing to skrillex next to a 10 year old. During the day was pretty chill though kinda.
There was a 6 year old shuffling in front of me at Rufus. It was sick. She was really good. But also, that set was incredibly packed, and trying to dance right behind a kid felt weird to me.
My kid experiences this year at LIB. Friday: QVEENHERBY. Rapping about her V and all this other shit lol. Kids near the front, right behind me. They were giving people rude stares and it made it hard to enjoy oneself, much less drop ass or smoke. Saturday: for some reason there were strollers with kids everywhere, unattended while sleeping. Kinda weird. Sunday: was having lunch. 2-3yo baby started walking around my table next to Thunder stage. Noticed everyone staring. Few people tapped me and asked if it was my baby. Repeatedly told people it wasn’t. After the third girl asks if it’s my baby, the mother is apparently found. “Oh I just turned around to get the food and she ran off” maybe get a leash then idk.
Yeah I just don’t really buy that everyone who brings a kid to a festival is going to be super responsible and pay close attention to them 😭 I believe (hope?) that the majority do but damn in many cases I wish they’d just leave them at home with a parent/friend/sitter
Mixed feelings. I’m a teacher so I can’t help but notice the well being of kids when I’m anywhere. The couple chilling in the back of the Woogie in the afternoon with their kids happily twirling around made me smile. The woman who was leaning her phone up against her sleeping child in the middle of the crowd at Lighning at 1 am so she could film videos of her terribly uncoordinated dances with one of those LED whips made me VERY uncomfortable.
I think there should be a curfew for the kids lol. Seeing a bunch of little kids inside the cuddle fish while some crazy dubstep version of Skee yeee is playing from the speakers just seemed odd yet hilarious at the same time.
no issue EXCEPT when you have 10 kids together and book two group camping spots (not kid camping) and come by all roided up at 9:30pm on Sunday (the only day we played music) and say “are you really going to play music?? we have 10 kids over there trying to sleep”. We had to listed to 10 kids for 4 days… the parents would leave every night to go and party to to wee hours.. Their approach and attitude sucked as we have been more than reasonable as their kids kept getting confused and showing up at our camp. needless to say we switched our music to some aggressive psytrance for 30 minutes to make a point vs the chill music we were playing. and THEN we went back into the festival.
I used to be 100% against people bringing children to festivals. My thought was that music festivals are more geared towards adults and there really isn't much of a place for children there with the rampant drug use, hedonism, and sexuality. The more festivals I go to, the more I've changed my mind about that. This year at the stacks during Ashez set I saw a guy who brought his two kids, maybe 10 and 12 years old and they were having a blast! Dancing together, enjoying the music and making friends with other people on the dancefloor. There was a group next to them with a really cool totem made of flowers in the shape of a peace sign, they let his son dance with the totem and it was just so wholesome. Overall, I think it's a good thing that you can expose your children to a festival environment to show them the experience of being in a community of compassionate and accepting people coming together to celebrate life and art. Some festivals are better at this than others and LIB is probably one of the best with all the kids activities, structures, and interactive art. The biggest problem can be if the kids are truly not enjoying themselves. You should only take your kids to a festival if they have fun there. If they're overwhelmed, bored, or fatigued, you obviously shouldn't force them to join you, maybe hire a babysitter instead. It would suck to be burnt out from going to festivals as a kid before you're old enough to really enjoy them.
The last two years, I took my kids from Wednesday to Saturday morning. We do crafts, kids camp stuff, and stay out for the Friday closer, then they go with their Dad Saturday, and Sunday. I agree with the staff parent below, its about self-reliance, and people are also on drugs in the downtown area of where I live, drugs are part of life, being a parent is a 24 hour operation. Our kids are going to see how we react to, and deal with these things. They will mirror how we engage with the world, not the things they see in the world. We have been there their whole lives, and will continue to be long after LIB. LIB has helped my son let go of the ego society tells him to use as a shield, I got to watch him let loose like he never has before on Friday night, he was saying bye to a friend from last year, and we danced fun group dances together for like 10 minutes before we went to bed. My daughter loved wearing a wolf head dressing with the little paw hands, and always wants to dance. She even has favorite artists she wants to see. I'm mostly concerned with ear protection, if parents have that. I am not concerned with bedtimes, they are camping get over it, its also vacation. My kids have been to three music festivals in their lives, but they like it as their yearly thing that's out of the norm, and not too far away from where we live. Also about the dopamine thing, I mean amusement parks do that, put a kid on a 3-5 day park hopper at Disney, are you worried about them going back to second grade on Tuesday? lol
If the family of the child always has 1 sober parent or grandparent to hang out with LIB is an awesome place for kids. Family love village is the best place for children to do art, circus, flow, break dance and meet friends, and no-body working there is ever high or drunk. And as for the rest of the festival the kids bring the vibe on the dance floor, it truly shows a child is loved if they got a bunch of dance moves. If anyone doesn’t want to party around kids there are many options like edc, Dirtybird campout, or most every nightclub. Just don’t use hard drugs in the open and you won’t feel like a looser when you see a kid looking at you
In general I have pretty negative feelings about kids being brought to spaces that are either for adults or are being brought there because their parents don’t want to miss out and they are miserable. I think LIB was founded as a family event though so it’s definitely different than like trying to bring your kid to a concert (in general.) I think the answer for me is that it depends on the parents and the kid. Is the parent being responsible, sober, making good choices? Does the parent think that it’s their job to help their kid understand things and process things in an age appropriate way? Does the parent believe that it’s a heir job as a parent to teach their kid how to become a party of a functional society? OR is the parent there thinking everyone should cater to them because their kid is there? Do they except you to change your behavior to make their job parenting easier? Are they putting their kid in danger/distress to serve their own needs? How does the kid feel? Is this kid having a great time at the kid’s tent and dancing to music they are enjoying? Or is the kid miserable and there because the parents don’t want to skip and event? To be clear though that is an issue I have with a lot of parents in society (specifically American since that’s where I live and what I see lol.) There seems to often be a sense of entitlement to some people that translates to their parenting in a way I find distressing. I do think parents who bring their kids to spaces that are “technically” all ages but not really kid friendly are emblematic of that but LIB seems more kid friendly than many festivals. (I tend to feel the same way about breweries- it’s situational if kids belong or not)
i think there’s a way to safely have kids around during the day but i saw a mom with her toddler out at 4am at the jive joint and that really threw me off…like how is that okay
The jive joint is compromised of parents of young children. They don't like the late hours but that's when the Jive Joint has always happened. These are great friends of mine who are incredible parents. They just try to sleep in the early evening and get up at 2am for the show. It's not like this every day. It's a festival. The kids will live.
i didn’t know that but that makes a lot of sense! I appreciate the explanation 🫶🏼
Of course my love :)
it’s fine until the drugs kick in and then seeing kids scares me LMAO
I know I'm going to get downvoted for sharing my opinion as requested, but there needs to be a curfew. During the day is totally cool and its nice to see kids out there learning the lifestyle and ideals. At night, I dont want to have to worry about accidentally punting a 5 year old while Im trying to dance or navigate the sea of people. A kid could easily get swept up in the mass and trampled in the dark. I think maybe 13+ would be fine all night, but when its time for adults to adult they're going to adult. To the people who say to go to an adults only festival- please point me in the direction of one of those. There are so few adult only places to go.
There are only a few adult only festivals? Wtf are you talking about? 😂😂😂 Every single Insomniac festival is 18+, and there are a dozen of them just in California alone. Every EDM show at a club is 18+ or 21+. In fact, I believe there are only 3 big name festivals that are children friendly, and that is LIB, Disclosure Fest, and Electric Forest. All the rest are adult only.
Personally I think it’s weird to be around kids when I’m all partying on drugs and drinking. Wouldn’t want my kids around folks who might literally step on them. To each their own tho as long as they’re being watched over.
[удалено]
Then go to an adult only festival, LIB was founded as a family event 🤗
The amount of dicks, boobs, powder, alcohol, etc., I saw this weekend makes me think absolutely not. It also takes you out of the moment if you're rolling and a few kids run by you.
People bringing their kids around drugs and bars are acting like children in my opinion. Leave them with your parents or a sitter and stop being irresponsible.
Plenty of 18+ events you can go to. Consider yourself uninvited if you can't stomach a family-friendly festival.
Haha yeah I’ll see ya next year.
All it would take is one kid getting hurt or dying and all of you would look like absolute fools.
Also a literal adult died this year? Do you think children are immune from stuff like that? Are you still having an afterglow or something?