Complete Guide to Rise Festival: Las Vegas & Les 2 Alpes

Rise Festival refers to two distinct EDM experiences that share a name but offer completely different vibes. The first is RISE Las Vegas, where thousands of sky lanterns float into the Mojave Desert night sky just 20 miles south of Vegas. This three-part immersive festival blends art, music, and light into something genuinely magical. The second is Rise Festival in Les 2 Alpes, France, a week-long celebration of electronic music and alpine adventure where you can ski by day and dance all night at 3,600 meters above sea level.

This guide covers everything you need to attend either festival. You'll find official dates, ticket links, venue details, lineup information, and practical tips for planning your trip. We'll break down what makes each festival unique, what to expect when you arrive, and how to make the most of your experience. Whether you're drawn to floating lanterns in the desert or partying on a mountaintop, you'll know exactly how to prepare.

The two Rise Festivals occupy unique positions in electronic music culture because they push beyond typical concert experiences. RISE Las Vegas transforms a simple sky lantern launch into an immersive art installation where music serves the atmosphere rather than dominates it. This approach has influenced how festival producers think about multi-sensory experiences in the desert setting. Les 2 Alpes brings serious electronic music to a ski resort environment, proving that dance music thrives anywhere people gather with energy and intention.

Both festivals create tight-knit communities that return year after year. The Las Vegas edition attracts roughly 20,000 attendees who participate in synchronized lantern releases, creating viral moments that spread across social media without feeling manufactured. Les 2 Alpes draws thousands of ski enthusiasts and ravers who appreciate the rare combination of world-class freeriding and established DJs performing at altitude. You won't find these exact experiences replicated elsewhere in the EDM calendar.

These festivals prove that location and concept matter as much as lineup when building memorable events.

Specialized festival concepts continue gaining traction as audiences seek experiences beyond traditional multi-stage formats. Rise Festival demonstrates that fans will travel significant distances for distinctive events combining electronic music with unique settings or activities that standard venues can't replicate.

Planning your rise festival experience starts with choosing between two completely different destinations that happen to share the same name. You need to decide whether desert sky lanterns in Nevada or alpine dance parties in France align better with your travel preferences, budget, and available dates. The Las Vegas festival typically runs in October or November, while Les 2 Alpes takes place in early December, so timing rarely conflicts.

Your decision between festivals depends on what experience you prioritize. RISE Las Vegas offers a single-night spectacle focused on the lantern release ceremony, with music and art serving as supporting elements throughout the evening. You'll spend roughly three to four hours in the Mojave Desert creating one unforgettable moment. Les 2 Alpes delivers seven days of continuous programming where you balance skiing, snowboarding, and electronic music across multiple venues at a French ski resort.

Budget considerations differ significantly between both options. Las Vegas tickets typically cost $100 to $200 per person for the event itself, but you'll need separate accommodation in Vegas or nearby areas. The French Alps festival requires package purchases that include lodging, lift passes, and event access, with total costs ranging from $800 to $1,500 depending on accommodation quality and how early you book.

Choose Las Vegas for a concentrated, once-in-a-lifetime evening or Les 2 Alpes for a week-long alpine adventure.

Las Vegas attendees should secure hotel rooms on the Strip or in downtown Vegas for easy access to the shuttle pickup points that transport you to the desert venue. You'll want to arrive at least one day before the festival to adjust to the time zone and explore Vegas. Book your room three to four months ahead during peak Vegas seasons to avoid inflated prices.

Les 2 Alpes requires earlier planning because festival packages sell out months in advance. You must book through the official festival website, where accommodation options range from budget apartments to premium chalets. Flying into Grenoble or Lyon gives you the closest airport access, followed by a two-hour shuttle or rental car drive to the resort.

RISE Las Vegas takes place at the Jean Dry Lake Bed in the Mojave Desert, approximately 20 miles south of the Las Vegas Strip. The festival grounds open in late afternoon, with the main lantern release typically scheduled for after sunset around 7:30 to 8:00 PM. You'll spend three to four hours on site exploring art installations, listening to live music, and preparing for the synchronized sky lantern launch that marks the evening's climax.

The 2025 rise festival edition hasn't announced specific dates yet, but previous years scheduled the event in October or November to take advantage of cooler desert temperatures. You can check risefestival.com for confirmed dates as they announce them months in advance. The venue sits in open desert terrain with minimal infrastructure, so you'll board shuttles from designated Las Vegas pickup points rather than driving directly to the site.

Organizers transport all attendees via chartered shuttle buses that depart from multiple Strip locations starting around 4:00 PM. You cannot drive personal vehicles to the lake bed because the festival controls access for safety and environmental reasons. The shuttles return you to Las Vegas immediately after the lantern release concludes, typically around 10:00 PM.

Standard admission tickets cost $100 to $200 per person depending on how early you purchase and which tier remains available. You buy tickets exclusively through the official RISE Festival website, where they release inventory in waves that sell out progressively. Early bird pricing offers the lowest rates, while last-minute tickets (if available) carry premium charges.

Purchase your tickets at least two months before the event date to secure the best pricing tier.

Your ticket includes shuttle transportation, one sky lantern, access to all art installations, live music performances, and food and beverage options at the venue. Organizers provide lanterns at designated distribution points near the launch area, so you don't bring your own. VIP packages occasionally appear but aren't consistently offered across all festival years.

Rise Festival Les 2 Alpes runs from December 6-13, 2025, occupying the French ski resort at 3,600 meters elevation in the heart of the Alps. The festival operates across multiple venues including outdoor mountain stages, indoor club spaces, and the main resort base where you'll find the majority of scheduled performances. You'll access the festival through a week-long package system that bundles accommodation, ski passes, and event tickets into single purchases rather than selling individual day passes.

The 2025 edition takes place during the first full week of December, strategically scheduled when early season snow coverage typically provides excellent skiing conditions without the peak holiday pricing. Les 2 Alpes sits in southeastern France near the Italian border, positioned as one of Europe's highest ski resorts with guaranteed snow coverage throughout the festival week. You'll find performances scattered across the mountain, from the 3,600-meter Dôme de la Lézette summit to valley-level venues in the resort village.

Performers play multiple sets daily, with daytime sessions on outdoor mountain stages accessible via ski lifts and nighttime shows in heated indoor venues that run until early morning. The resort remains fully operational for skiing and snowboarding during festival hours, so you balance snow sports with music attendance according to your energy levels.

Festival packages cost $800 to $1,500 per person depending on accommodation quality, booking timing, and how many people share your lodging. You purchase exclusively through the official Rise Festival website, where packages include seven nights of accommodation, festival wristband access, and resort lift passes for the entire week. Budget apartments house four to six people with shared facilities, while premium chalets offer private rooms with ensuite bathrooms.

Book your rise festival package at least four to five months ahead because popular accommodation tiers sell out before summer ends.

Early bird pricing typically opens in January or February for the December festival, offering the deepest discounts. You'll pay a deposit at booking with the balance due 60 to 90 days before arrival. Packages do not include flights or ground transportation from airports, which you arrange separately.

Both rise festival editions release detailed schedules approximately two to four weeks before their respective dates, though Les 2 Alpes typically announces its lineup earlier than Las Vegas. You'll find the Las Vegas schedule remains simple because the event condenses into a single evening with staggered activities leading to one main lantern release. Les 2 Alpes publishes complex day-by-day grids showing multiple simultaneous performances across different venues, requiring you to plan which sets you'll prioritize throughout the week.

RISE Las Vegas posts its schedule on the official website and through email updates to ticket holders, showing exact timing for shuttle departures, art installation openings, and the synchronized lantern launch window. You don't need schedule strategy because everyone experiences the same flow from arrival through the final release. Les 2 Alpes releases a detailed timetable showing which DJs perform at specific mountain venues and what time slots they occupy each day. You'll download a festival app or check posted schedules at the resort to track performances, with headliners typically playing late-night slots between 11 PM and 3 AM.

Download the Les 2 Alpes schedule to your phone before arriving because mountain cell service proves unreliable at certain elevations.

Las Vegas attendees need warm layers for desert nights that drop to 50-60°F, comfortable closed-toe shoes for walking on uneven terrain, and portable phone chargers because the venue lacks power outlets. Bring a small backpack for personal items but keep it light since you'll carry everything for hours. Les 2 Alpes requires proper ski gear, waterproof outerwear, and multiple clothing layers you can remove when moving between cold outdoor areas and heated venues. Pack high-energy snacks and electrolyte drinks because altitude affects your stamina more than you expect, especially when combining physical activity with limited sleep.

Rise festival delivers two distinct experiences that prove electronic music thrives in unconventional settings beyond traditional venues. You've learned how to choose between desert sky lanterns in Las Vegas or alpine dance parties in France, secure proper tickets, plan transportation, and prepare for the unique challenges each location presents. Both festivals reward attendees who commit to their respective environments, whether you're releasing lanterns into the Mojave night or skiing between DJ sets at altitude.

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