Visions From The Second Biggest Party At Coachella

A scattered synopsis of last weekend at Vestal Village.

By: Morgan Williamson and Photography by Vestal // Julian Martin

Easter weekend in Indio had nothing to do with Jesus or some Houdini act. It may even have been the antithesis of holy (not quite satanic, but long live low morals, and debauchery and too many group hugs). What transpired was a good, weird time. But now the realities of weekday drawl have reemerged, and those at work may still be feeling the after-effects. In short, religious holidays are always an accepted excuse to get a little sideways but the folks of the second biggest four-day bender courtesy of Vestal Village were going up on Thursday through Sunday.

Yeah, the surf scene showed up (there were notable heads), along with an eclectic mix of models, gals that could model, or those who have an Instagram following because they have an iPhone six or seven and know how to work the cheeky and or topless shot #withfilter. The real kicker was that the pool party was stocked with free booze, live music and a poolside groove that carried on all day. The weekend was a kick-back filled with beautiful people, in an enchanting location overlooking a lake and mountainside. You don’t have to get high to have fun, but hell, why not?

If you’re lucky enough to get the VIP invite to Vestal Village, I got a few recommendations. First, bring whatever makes you float (and I ain’t talking pool inflatables). It’s wise to raft up on the floaties in the oasis, link with the finest fare, gaze into the mountains (for maybe too long), and acquire some euphoria. Second, get a furnished glamping tent. They’ll run you less than a four-day weekend at a hotel and you'll return home with a memory foam mattress (which I swapped for my old one), blankets you’ll want to keep, a padded chair fit for a deck, a bottle of wine, a free pass to Mammoth Mountain and a set of solar powered speakers. Also, the tents open up to a lake where the mountainside chandeliers across the oil slick – no better view to help alleviate that hangover.

If Coachella is the biggest party in California, Vestal Village is the four-day festival you wish you were invited to. But if you got the means to do it right, double dip. Go to Coachella, jam out to Radiohead, the Avalanches, Nicolas Jarr, Moderat, Father John Misty (if you’re feeling lovey dovey), lose your soul in the Yuma to god knows who (at that point). Then snag some wide eyed spirit and have a strange night in a tent on a lake, or a mansion if you're middle class fancy – there are many ways to skin a good time. Whether it’s lust, romance, or just a moment to remember to forget, here’s too fuzzy recollections and depleted serotonin.