Unlike goofball DJs, Magdalena doesn’t physically assault the air with judo hits, allowing herself only a wry smile and slight flick of the wrist as she drops another bassline and brings the 300-hundred or so assembled ravers to a simmer. When she finally hits a peak, segueing into Sound Syndicate’s “Weekend Rhythm”, the simmer turns to full boil."The Fyre Fests of this world are more common than Netflix documentaries would lead you to believe"
Ravers make the most of the pool at Ocaso. Photo: Ryan Valasek
The main stage at Ocaso Festival is quite something. Photo: Ryan Valasek
The explosion of boutique festivals in once remote corners of the Earth has given rise to a whole spectrum of events — some good, many more very bad. On the latter side lie the comically inept: the Fyre Fests of this world are more common than Netflix documentaries would lead you to believe.
The Lisbona Sisters keeping the crowd entertained during the day. Photo: Ryan Valasek
“I really appreciate the level of how polished everything looks,” a partier named Joel Bier tells me as we watch Costa Rican DJ Richard Salazar spin. “Granted it’s their third year, so I know they’re learning as they go, but it’s truly amazing this exists.”“I’ve seen a lot of things, I’ve been fortunate to go to a lot of awesome festivals and travel the world, and this by far ranks up there with top, top experiences.”
Ravers at Ocaso Festival. 85 percent of ticket sales are to Costa Rican locals, or Ticos, as they like to call themselves. Photo: Ryan Valasek
The mood of the festival itself paints an interesting bell curve shape, starting off Night One with a beach party. Night Two moves to the pool of the Best Western — a somewhat neglected crop of Spanish colonial buildings, slightly overgrown and paint peeling but rich in character. Nights Three and Four are the peak, as the festival moves from the accessible township of Tamarindo deep into the jungle. After 48 hours of madness, Ocaso then downshifts, with that Magdalena-helmed decompression pool party on Night Five and a beach party to close out all official festivities.
A view over Ocaso's main stage. Photo: Ryan Valasek
A dancer silhouetted in front of the main stage at Ocaso. Photo: Ryan Valasek
Utilising programs that intelligently manipulate the LEDs to move with soundwaves, his goal is to create new neural pathways of the brain through light movement. “We transform environments through intelligent lighting systems and visuals,” he tells me, with the calm tone of an astrophysicist explaining quasars to a toddler, “to give the feeling of traveling through the cosmos”. Whatever he’s doing, it seems to be working - by the look in their eyes, most people are currently somewhere past Jupiter."Whatever he’s doing, it seems to be working - by the look in their eyes, most people are currently somewhere past Jupiter"
The greatest error a festival in a place like Costa Rica can make, beyond avoiding endless waits, underserved shuttles and all-out chaos, is disrespecting the host. This might be in environmental terms, by trashing the grounds, or it might be cultural — by ignoring the people who welcome you. It’s perhaps here that Ocaso is at its most impressive.
“We transform environments through intelligent lighting systems and visuals,” says the lighting designer. Photo: Ryan Valasek
Full spectrum - the line-up at Ocaso is nothing if not varied. Photo: Ryan Valasek
The night gets going. Photo: Ryan Valasek
Dancers are a feature of Ocaso. Photo: Ryan Valasek