Photos by Danica Nuestro
KAABOO Del Mar concluded its 4th year as a festival on September 14-16, 2018 in sunny San Diego. General admission and all VIP ticket price tiers were sold out for the first time in KAABOO history! From the beautiful venue, amazing art installations, and incredible artists, there was a lot to take in within the three days of the festival. With that being said, there are five things I learned while attending KAABOO.
Art is Alive, Well, Beautiful, and Everywhere
KAABOO is unique in being one of the biggest music and arts festivals in the San Diego region. As someone who studied visual and fine arts, I really have a great appreciation for KAABOO for allowing so many artists to showcase their work to different audiences, and allowing attendees to emerge themselves in the art as well. From large-scale murals across different parts of the racetrack and fairgrounds, to the murals and backdrops located in the PALATE + Artwork section of the venue, there was never a piece of art that was left alone because there were always people taking their Instagram worthy pictures.
The Food is a Must Try
When in KAABOO, the food is a must try. Especially since it has an entire stage dedicated to showcasing talented culinary chefs such as Daniella Soto-Innes, 2016’s James Beard Rising Star Chef of the Year 2016 and one of Forbes Magazine’s 30 Under 30: Food & Drink list in 2017; 13 year old chef Evan Estrada, one of the youngest talents on the culinary lineup who has appeared in season 6 of Masterchef Junior; and Richard Blais, a James Beard Award-nominated author of Try This at Home: Recipes from My Head to Your Plate. Alongside the culinary lineup at the PALATE stage there were a wide variety of restaurants, cafes, wineries and breweries located all around the venue at food trucks or in the PALATE + Artwork section. I went ahead and tried the Middle Feast Food Truck which was featured on the Food Network and had one of the top selling burritos on their menu which was super delicious! There was no doubt that all of the food vendors provided the best of the best for KAABOO attendees.
There Should Be More Festivals in San Diego
I was already familiar with the venue since it has been used for other events such as the horse races and the popular Del Mar Fair. It was honestly weird to be there at first and not see the normal layout of the guilty-feeling fair food, carnival rides and fair games, but I will say, there should definitely be more festivals at this venue or in San Diego in general. The weather was incredible at this time of the year (granted I do live in San Diego and the weather is amazing almost all year round), the Del Mar Racetrack and Fairgrounds was an incredible venue, and at a location near the Pacific Ocean, you’re guaranteed seeing one of the most beautiful sunsets all while listening to your favorite artists. What more could you ask for?
You Can Enjoy Artists at Any Age
There is no doubt that I was going through different childhood phases while listening to several performing acts over the weekend (in a good way, of course!). So with that being said, it’s clear that I was going through a lot of happy emotions while listening to the All American Rejects; TLC, Earth, Wind, & Fire, and the Foo Fighters. But what made me enjoy these sets even more wasn’t just because I saw them live for the first time, it was the fact that other people, either my age or older, were showing these artists to their little siblings or children who were also enjoying the music and even singing along to the songs. So even though some of these artists may be considered “throwback” or oldies (to some people at least), there is no defining age or a specific age limit to enjoy them. There were so many people of all ages enjoying the same music and zero bad vibes, which is how all festivals should be!
KAABOO Brings the Best of the Best
To follow up on music, I wanted to give KAABOO props on the artists they brought for their fourth annual festival. I honestly sang my heart out during Katy Perry and the All American Rejects and never realized how many songs I knew from TLC, Wiz Khalifa, Halsey, and so many other artists until seeing them live. I’ll emphasize again on how incredible the food was, how much I appreciated all the art showcased at KAABOO and how many perks and amenities they provide for not only the different tiered VIP attendees but for the general admission attendees as well. I’ve heard many attendees who caught the HUMOR ME acts and enjoyed every comedic performance and overheard many families and guests talk about returning next year before the festival even ended. There’s absolutely no doubt that KAABOO will continue to provide the best for its attendees!
So those were all of the things that I learned and what I came to realize while attending KAABOO Del Mar this year! I HIGHLY recommend anyone and everyone to attend and to bring their families, friends and loved ones as well. This festival will definitely feel like a luxury vacation with food, music, comedy and relaxation all in one place. I’m all in for next year!
