In only three years, EPIZODE is already recognized as one of the most iconic electronic music festivals in Asia. It is also touted as one of the best NYE music getaways that gathers ravers, industry folks and avid travelers in a dreamy environment equipped with an unparalleled music selection, combined with next-level production and in an artistic setting.
We got an opportunity to chat with the EPIZODE Festival CEO Natasha Rogal about the upcoming edition of EPIZODE this month, check it out below:
1. What are the important things you focus on so that fans would experience a great time?
N: I personally love and attend many festivals and for me, the festival begins with sunset and opens to the full in the dawn and continues all day after. This year we will have many really special sunsets, for example, we will meet the first sunset of 2020 with the absolutely magical Satori, we have a separate day for a showcase of Gardens of Babylon, which are famous for their parties filled with ceremonies and meditations gradually turning into complete harmony on the dance floor. Moreover, if someone is tired of music – they can always go to yoga at sunset or attend a gong meditation. We expanded the territory and this allowed us to build a separate market, increase and diversify the food court. We work with local environmental activists and want to engage festival guests in various collaborative activities, for example, beach cleaning.
2. In your opinion, how do you think the ‘location’ factor of the event matters to the fans and crowd?
N: So far the biggest struggle has been working with the location. It’s a completely different mentality and also it’s quite far away. But at the same time, Vietnam is an amazing country with very friendly people, so I believe it will just take time for me to develop strong connections with government and local communities. I’m still exploring the country, spending a lot of time there, visiting different provinces and meeting different kinds of communities who are connected to music or the ecological movement, for example. I’m trying to find the best solutions for the festival. I want to achieve stability in the economic, social and ecological development of the project using local sources, providing opportunities to representatives of the local market to become a part of such a great event. Also, I feel that Epizode is kind of a bridge between East and West that wasn’t there before and so we have a unique opportunity to show how beautiful this country is.
3. What were the biggest challenges you faced before actually being able to put together your first festival?
N: In fact, for me, the whole festival is a big challenge, it’s not that each task is a challenge, but compiled together. The communication of the people, artists, the team (which actually works together for the first time) – all of this is the big challenge. You can’t really dissect it. I guess the super big challenge for me personally is to go through the Epizode in a good mood and full of strength despite the lack of sleep. Despite the infinity of different tasks, the biggest challenge is that you can sleep a limited number of hours a day. Everything else comes next.
4. What steps should a festival take to reduce the use of plastics and use more biodegradable materials?
N: You know, one of the highlights of this year was precisely the eco-initiative. The first thing I noticed when I was traveling in Asia was a rather careless attitude to the garbage and specifically to plastic. This is striking and conditionally the problem of plastic is not yet obvious in this region. Therefore, it was extremely important for me to launch mechanisms within the framework of the festival that would reduce the negative aftermath of holding such a large-scale event. In comparison to last year, we refused to use plastic tubes and disposable plastic utensils. We are working on the possibility of organizing separate garbage collection with the ability to track its trail. We are, really, at the very beginning, but I do not plan on limiting myself to a festival, I started negotiations on investing in garbage processing plants in Vietnam in general, and I hope that this will also be successfully implemented.
5. What can the fans expect at EPIZODE 2019?
N: This year, we have significantly expanded the territory, which gave us a unique, compared to previous years, the opportunity to provide a wide program not only at night but also during the day. We would like to give our guests the opportunity to listen to their favorite DJs at night, and then recover during the day: we will continue daily yoga classes on sunset, create a separate spiritual zone where meditations with several masters will take place, which we specially invited to the festival.
Over 130 artists will bring their music to create thousands of moments and set the backdrop for 11 days and nights on the idyllic shores of Phú Quốc Vietnam.
Epizode Festival returns for 11 days and nights in Vietnam. Party into the New Year from December 27 to January 7 on the white shores of Phú Quốc .
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