By: Cynthia Quinonez
One day in December 2018 there were whispers about people getting an email from Pasquale Rotella about an exclusive offer to a select group of people where you gain membership to go to Insomniac Events Festivals and shows all year long. Everyone raced to their inbox to see if they got that email, and to see what it’s all about. The problem was that Insomniac Events accidentally sent it more than the intended audience and that made for some very upset people. This was very much like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory hearing that the fifth ticket was forged. Much like Charlie buying a scrumdiddlyumptious bar, I go check my email and much to my surprise I got the golden ticket!
It was a real invitation which I quickly realized because the emails that went out by mistake, either didn’t have a special code to enter to their website or the code was invalid. My code was in the email and unlocked the passport website where I was able to select from various pass types. I compare the Insomniac Passport to the Disneyland Annual Pass or like the Live Nation Festival Passport except you can only go to Insomniac Events festivals and shows and you can only be invited into the program by Insomniac Events.
One day in December 2018 there were whispers about people getting an email from Pasquale Rotella about an exclusive offer to a select group of people where you gain membership to go to Insomniac Events Festivals and shows all year long. Everyone raced to their inbox to see if they got that email, and to see what it’s all about. The problem was that Insomniac Events accidentally sent it more than the intended audience and that made for some very upset people. This was very much like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory hearing that the fifth ticket was forged. Much like Charlie buying a scrumdiddlyumptious bar, I go check my email and much to my surprise I got the golden ticket!
It was a real invitation which I quickly realized because the emails that went out by mistake, either didn’t have a special code to enter to their website or the code was invalid. My code was in the email and unlocked the passport website where I was able to select from various pass types. I compare the Insomniac Passport to the Disneyland Annual Pass or like the Live Nation Festival Passport except you can only go to Insomniac Events festivals and shows and you can only be invited into the program by Insomniac Events.
In addition to this incredible way to get festival and show tickets, I also get expedited entry to festivals for myself and 3 friends, access to an exclusive lounge at select large festivals where the amenities are mind-blowing. Photo booths, Discounted bar, beauty glitter bar, an outdoor lounge where you can play games, indoor restrooms with plumbing, someone playing music, and occasional meet and greets with artists playing at the festival. We have also received little gifts varying from tee shirts, to a lanyard, a beanie, and a hat. They do a fantastic job of making us feel like we are a part of a special members-only club.
My first experience at a festival with the Insomniac Passport was at Beyond Wonderland 2019. The lounge was like entering Willy Wonka’s candy land, sans Augustus falling into the chocolate river and getting sucked up into the plastic tube. The restrooms alone were worth being inside the lounge—better than VIP! Day 2 we met Wax Motif with an artist meet and greet. There were other artists for passport lounge meet and greets such as Saymyname, Timmy Trumpet, Andrew Rayel, Audien, and Darren Styles.
EDC Las Vegas Passport Lounge had a spectacular lounge, with a perfect view of the fireworks, along with more meet and greets and cool amenities. The Hard Summer Lounge had Air Conditioning. It was also the first passport lounge after another huge wave of passport invites had gone out so it was a huge change from the first two passport lounges, in terms of size. We had $5 coronas and a beauty bar from Lunatics as well as games outside and GTA even made a special appearance. It was also where I coordinated a meet and greet with the man himself, Pasquale Rotella. It was so jam-packed that I got to say hi and thank him for coming before everyone rushed him with excitement. It was also one of the major meetups of new and veteran passport members.
For Nocturnal Wonderland, there wasn’t a passport lounge, BUT we got to help coordinate the Passport camping area, where we had a designated section solely for passport members to camp together and we could get to know one another. It was such a memorable experience, I will never forget it. Pasquale also stopped by to check it out. He had told me he would stop by at some point over the weekend. I believe it was Sunday afternoon, it had finally cooled down enough to go wait in the line for the showers. My boyfriend, Steve, had gone back to our campsite to get his cell phone and he ran back telling me that Pasquale was at our campsite. I ran back so fast in my flip flops, it’s a miracle that I didn’t fall down. It was wonderful that he got to see the area we made our passport headquarters/home for the weekend.
The rest of the events afterward were a blur, but each event and festival grew the passport community closer and closer, in real life and online. To say that the passport was life-changing, would be an understatement. Unexpectedly, the passport program and community has helped me find my calling, which is building a community and creating content. I cannot wait for life to resume and while that may be a long while, my friends from passport are helping me through it. We have daily chats and conversations, zoom parties on weekends during live streams, and have become real friends.
The passport program has been the most amazing experience I’ve ever had and it’s just the beginning. Not only do I have access to all these cool and fun events and festivals, the exclusive lounge, and cool things, but the friends I made, and experiences I have had, made the insomniac passport far more valuable than I could have ever imagined.
1 comment
The passport family has become
Dope and loving specially during this hard time Cynthia has been updating us and keeping us posted with any news this passport is freaking dope and to be able
To bring non passport friends to the lounge is dope :) thank you for all you do girl