Coachella 2025 Recap: An Inside Look Into The Biggest Events Over Weekend One
Festival season is upon us and weekend one of Coachella has (once again) delivered an epic celebration and nonstop parties over the weekend! The star-studded three-day festival (which had Lady Gaga, Missy Elliot, Post Malone, and More on the bill) is underway, many individuals actually only attend for the over the top non-stop soirees throughout the weekend. From Cardi B, Lil Wayne, to Dove Cameron and Tyga, there was no shortage of excitement and performances. Iconic brands, refreshing sips, and bites took to the desert for an unforgettable weekend.
Off-Site Parties & Activations:
Nylon House:
Photos by Jason Sean Weiss and Zach Hilty
NYLON hosted the return of NYLON House in the Desert at Maraza. Presented by Ulta Beauty, the unofficial kickoff to the biggest festival celebration in music featured a star-studded guestlist, a special performance by award-winning, multi-platinum singer/songwriter Dove Cameron and high-energy DJ sets by James Hype and Austin Millz.
This year’s oceanic theme, Deep Dive, invited guests to plunge into the depths of self-discovery and ignite vibrant worlds waiting to be uncovered. Guests enjoyed an undersea-inspired beauty experience with Ulta Beauty’s professional glam refreshes and exclusive giveaways and stepped into giveaways by: Covergirl, piercings by Banter, festival-ready manicures by Sally Hansen, and mood-boosting scents from adidas Vibes fragrance collection.
Gallery Desert House:
This weekend, the Coachella Valley was taken by storm by #PATRÓNDesert. PATRÓN EL ALTO, our naturally sweet, and incredibly smooth handcrafted prestige tequila, took the most sought-after parties in the Coachella Valley to new heights with extraordinary experience and the debut of PATRON EL ALTO Mini (50ml), setting the stage for festival season and toasting to unforgettable moments. As one of the most celebrated cultural events of the year, blending music, food and art, Coachella provides the perfect backdrop for PATRÔN EL ALTO to take center stage at the #PATRÓNDesert takeover.
For the third consecutive year, PATRÓN EL ALTO set the bar for festival season with an exciting mix of VIP takeovers, esteemed DJ performances, specialty cocktails – and elevating iconic Coachella events like ZENYARA Desert Nights by Dorsia, Gallery Desert House by Gallery Media Group, NEON Carnival, and the GUESS Compound.
Photo Credit: Gallery Media Group
During the day, Haley Kalil (Influencer), Joey Graziadei (The Bachelorette, Dancing with the Stars), Kelsey Anderson (The Bachelor), and Delaney Rowe (TikTok Personality) soaked up the sun at the ultimate desert retreat presented by PATRÓN EL ALTO – filled with vibrant pool parties, speciality workouts, signature PATRÓN cocktails.
Zenyara Desert Nights:
Friday evening was pure vibes at the exclusive celebration held at the iconic ZENYARA Desert Night by Dorsia. Earlier in the evening, 2X Grammy-award winner and producer Mustard (“Not Like Us”, “Ballin’”) toasted ahead of his exhilarating performance with the hottest tequila of the weekend, PATRÓN EL ALTO mini!
Muni Long celebrates Coachella weekend with PATRÓN EL ALTO tequila at Zenyara Desert Nights on Sunday, April 13. Courtesy Photo.
As night fell, guests stopped by the exclusive, invite-only ZENYARA Desert Nights by Dorsia where they experienced the PATRÓN EL ALTO Mini for the first time. Guests popped bottles of PATRÓN EL ALTO – the exclusive spirits partner – and sipped on the pocket-sized version of the prestige tequila while enjoying sets by Bob Moses and a b2b set between Damian Lazarus and Dennis Cruz.
818 Outpost:
Courtesy Photo.
Califia Farms joined Rhode and Postmates in the desert, providing custom cocktails and mocktails using 818 Tequila and their new juice product, Creamy Refreshers. Cocktails included a delicious “Key Lime Colada” with Califia Key Lime Colada Refresher, 818 Tequila Blanco, Cream of Coconut and Lime Juice; and a “Portable Charger,” their spin on an Espresso Martini with Califia Farms Espresso Cold Brew, 818 Tequila Reposado and Tonic. For the ultimate mocktail cool-down, Califia also served up their new Strawberry Creme Refresher made with real strawberry fruit juice and a splash of coconut cream.
Sonic Desert:
Photo Credit: GettyImages / Paul Archuleta / Matias Doorn
The sun-drenched sands of the Coachella Valley became the backdrop for one of the most anticipated and exclusive events of the season as SONIC DESERT returned for its third consecutive year. Set against a stunning 20-acre private estate, 21 Arrows Ranch, located just minutes from the festival grounds, this invitation-only event took place during weekend 1 of Coachella on Saturday, April 12th, drawing a dynamic mix of celebrities, influencers, creatives, and cultural tastemakers for an afternoon of immersive indulgence.
Revolve Festival:
Courtesy Photo
REVOLVE Festival took place on Saturday, April 12, at a stunning new location in Thermal, California. Guests enjoyed live performances from Lil Wayne, Tyga, and special guest Cardi B, immersive brand activations, and curated VIP experiences.
Attendees explored activations from top fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands, including Affirm's desert oasis lounge and Vivrelle’s luxury accessory carnival games. REVOLVE BEAUTY activations featured Ole Henriksen’s viral peptide lip treatments, Bask Suncare, Perelel Health, NOYZ Fragrance, and a K-Beauty World convenience mart featured products from Mixsoon, Rael Beauty, I’m From, Sungboon Editor, Some by Mi, and Tocobo. Revolve Festival was THE party to attend during the day on Saturday!
Billboard x Amazon Present“MuSick”
Billboard and Amazon teamed up with comedian/musical improviser Reggie Watts to present “MuSick: Live from Reggie Watts’ Couch,” a special activation and event with Amazon Pharmacy and Amazon One Medical during weekend one of Coachella.
The activation was based on a simple premise: Amazon is making healthcare less painful. When Watts woke up on festival day feeling awful, he turned to Amazon One Medical and Amazon Pharmacy to chat with his care team and get his meds delivered even while he’s traveling. Feeling inspired by this stress-free turn of events, he wondered what else might be possible. Reggie rolled out - literally - taking his motorized couch on a spin around Palm Springs and blasting his one-of-a-kind “MuSick” for all to hear. He eventually pulled up at the Ace Hotel where festival-goers got to have their own wellness-inspired experience with Reggie’s “sick” beats serving as their soundtrack, and a DJ set from special guest NEIL FRANCES.
Party-goers were treated to specialty cocktails and mocktails including aptly named beverages like the Sinus Spritz, MuSick Margarita, Cougha-colada, Thirst Aid, and Placebo Effect, as well as cold pressed juices from the wellness bar. Branded misters were also on-hand to help festival-goers fight off the desert heat.
Neon Carnival:
Patron El Alto Tequila Presents Neon Carnival. Photo Courtesy of Getty Images
The desert lit up once again as Neon Carnival, the most coveted invite-only after-hours experience of the year, returned for its fourteenth unforgettable event on Saturday, April 12th at the Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, California. Created by nightlife impresario Brent Bolthouse and produced by Jeffrey Best of Best Events, the exclusive event delivered its signature mix of high-energy music, immersive attractions, and a who’s who guest list of celebrities, influencers, and entertainment industry elite. VIP attendees include: Paris Hilton, Carter Reum, Rachel Zoe, Karrueche Tran, Teyana Taylor, Lori Harvey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Too Short, Lance Bass, Jhene Aiko, Anderson .Paak in his vinyl-spinning alter ego, DJ Pee .Wee, Charly Jordan, Chase B & Friends and more.
On-Site Activations:
Heineken House:
Anderson .Paak aka DJ Pee .Wee attends Pusha T’s set at Heineken House during Coachella Weekend 1 Photo Credit: Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Heineken
Heineken House, the iconic festival within the festival, was the place to be during Coachella Weekend 1! The mini festival hub served as a desert oasis for Coachella attendees and was immediately recognizable by the line of guests looking to enjoy the best brews and beats in the desert outside the vinyl-clad “listening bar” style space.
This year’s Heineken House saw standout performances by Afrojack, Pusha T, and more throughout the weekend, with Anderson .Paak also spotted in attendance at Heineken House enjoying the performance on Saturday.
Aperol:
Charli XCX enjoys an Aperol Spritz at Coachella! Photo Credit: Lex Gallegos for Aperol
Aperol, is back at Coachella for its third year as the Official Spritz Partner—this time with a brand new Aperol Spritz Piazza, an immersive oasis delivering spontaneous moments of joy all weekend long.
Located in the heart of GA, the Aperol Spritz Piazza is a vibrant, Italian-inspired escape where festival-goers can gather, soak in golden hour, and celebrate Italy’s #1 cocktail with friends.*
Red Bull Mirage:
Courtesy Photo.
Red Bull® brought an electrifying experience to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival with the debut of the Red Bull® Mirage, a 20,000 square-foot structure, located directly across from the Quasar Stage. As the festival's exclusive energy drink, Red Bull® provided attendees with the wiiings to fully immerse themselves in the music and atmosphere on its opening day.
The Red Bull® Mirage offers an unparalleled hospitality experience and seamlessly blends exclusive access, unique programming, and the exciting pre-launch of the highly anticipated Red Bull Summer Edition White Peach.
The Red Bull® Mirage, became a central hub of activity on day one as guests watched performances by The Martinez Brothers and Loco Dice.
The structure featured distinct experiences across its multiple levels, providing guests with spaces to recharge, socialize, and find inspiration.
General Admission guests enjoyed access to specialty drinks including the Red Bull Summer Edition slushies, a pop up dj set by Joaqu.n of Pangea Sound, and much-needed shade with cooling misters.
Level 1 offered a ‘first taste’ of the Nobu Omakase experience paired with a curated Red Bull cocktail menu, available to festival goers by reservation only.
Level 2 provided a thoughtfully curated space that served as the ideal backdrop for a Red Bull Mirage Happy Hour that brought together tastemakers, creators, and media.
Level 3 served as an invite-only retreat for artists and celebrities, offering a private space with stunning views of the Quasar Stage.
The Red Bull® Mirage is set to continue its offerings through the rest of Weekend 1 and Weekend 2 of the festival.
What a whirlwind! Weekend 1 proves to reign supreme and over the top soirees and brand activations. Kicking off the events on Thursday evening - there is no shortage of entertainment. While some activations offered a relaxed retreat to combat the heat, others turned up the heat a bit more. Let’s just say, the stars and influencers were BUSY and atime was HAD this year during weekend one of the beloved Coachella Music Festival.
