Heard It Here First

Rolling into Yahn Dawn 2026 felt like a transition into another season. As we meandered through the Rocky Mountains and made our way toward Pretty Lights’ Yahn Dawn 2026, I finally saw my first signs of Fall. Driving through the windy, aspen patched mountain roads, we finally made it to Meadow Creek Festival Grounds. Awestruck by the surrounding mountains that so nicely nestled the festival in the mountains alongside Buena Vista, Colorado, I knew a magical weekend was afoot.

Day One, Mikey Thunder and MADHAUS (Maddy O’Neal) braved the rain at the Prismatic Playa. Shortly after, Meadow Creek was blessed with a double rainbow. A good omen led us right to LP Giobbi. She prepared a highly anticipated special Dead House set to get the Mainstage going for night one, followed by Pretty Lights to close out Mainstage.

Pretty Lights night one rolled in with the entire set feeling like one long track. It was hard to tell where one song started and another ended. Right on cue for the theme of the weekend, Pretty Lights started up night one with the track “Trip Thru Time.” “The time has come, the rain has cleared…the night is beautiful,” shared Derek Vincent Smith as he transitioned into his second track, “The Time Has Come.”  The way they manipulate tracks live, blending everything into a fluid flow while creating an original set within the moment, is a major part of what makes this Pretty Lights project so unique.

Saturday brought a heavier day for Yahn Dawn in comparison to night one. Representing Denver’s local sound, Pheel. got the people started at the Prismatic Playa Stage. It was a sight to see all the festival goers grooving on their floaties and embracing the Colorado sun. Deep, thick bass filled the area as pheel. manipulated the decks with scratching and atmosphere setting beats. Following pheel., Thought Process took the beachfront. He had time to rinse a couple of tracks before he was stopped short as inclement weather moved in. The weather thankfully didn’t stay to hang out, coming and going as quickly as it arrived.

Emancipator started up night two at the Mainstage following another rainbow. He kept the energy moving with an ambient flow that gradually worked its way into an Afro house and bass house vibe. Hi hats began leading into fluid house drops, shifting the tempo without ever feeling forced. There were closing touches with thick bass that kept people moving late into the evening, just in time for Pretty Lights night two.

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Pretty Lights night two’s sound felt more in your face, with boisterous bass and fat drops pushing through the set. There was a beautiful mixture of glitch and soul, with vocal loops holding the songs and cutups together. Scratch work added another layer of groove and movement, while a classic hip hop influence continued pushing throughout the set.

I especially enjoyed the smooth tunes Mikey Thunder cooked up on Saturday night’s Pretty Lights set break. He mixed in a track by Ayla Nereo that I really enjoyed. I really savored this recess. It gave attendees a chance to not only dart off for a restroom or snack break, but an opportunity for connection. I found the crowd leaning into conversation. Many were able to finally put a voice to the smiling and wiggling neighbors they had been nonverbally dancing and vibing with for hours.

With plenty of thumping and bumping, PL night two was more of a party set in comparison to night one. Just when you thought he was going to bring the energy down, he would pick it right back up with bass house, grooves, and another heavy bass section. At one point, I thought they would flow out smoothly with “Gazing at the Glare”, but oh boy, was I wrong. Pretty Lights wasn’t done with us yet. When we thought they might give us a simple landing, they would throw in another high energy swirl in at the end, with “Look Both Ways”, followed by a swift goodnight. All of a sudden, we were all heading toward the Holographic Silent Disco.

The Ohm Dome at the Celestial Sanctuary turned heads as folks walked past while we all left the Mainstage. Perfectly placed, the Ohm Dome sat right on the way to the campgrounds, enticing passersby with its ambience. The crowd attending the sound bath experience exceeded the dome’s capacity Saturday and Sunday night. A great problem to have.

Night two at the silent disco was delicious. Dark City Agent, Pheel, and Thought Process were absolutely COOKING late night at the Holographic S.O.I.R.E.E.

The Yahn Dawn silent disco very much surprised me and surpassed what I think of as a standard late-night silent disco experience. The production and headphone quality were both very solid, and I have never seen a silent disco with this level of production. It genuinely set the vibe.

As with any festival, there are always going to be things that could be improved upon. For me, one of the biggest contrasts of the weekend came from the relationship between festival goers and local law enforcement. I also heard similar concerns connected to Fields of Vision (King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard‘s multi-day festival), with festival goers repeatedly bringing up their negative experiences with the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office. Since these concerns extended beyond just one weekend, which makes them worth addressing.

Throughout the weekend, I heard from many different parties that local police had been harassing festival goers who were simply hanging out. Many attendees I spoke with felt disappointed by the presence and approach of local law enforcement at Meadow Creek. Having officers who understand the event, its crowd, and the community they are serving is vital to creating an environment where people feel safe to clown around.

This obviously isn’t something that Yahn Dawn has control over, but felt important to mention.

The festival itself worked hard to create a welcoming environment centered around music, community, and connection. The concerns I had and heard were specifically about the interactions between festival goers and local law enforcement.

Security and Police are an essential part of maintaining safety at a festival, but how that presence is felt by the community matters just as much.

Although his earlier set was cut short, we got the chance to see Thought Process again. Pheel. and Thought Process threw down for a silent disco B2B. On the other channel was Dark City Agent. Both sides were cooking. Pheel. and Thought Process worked through some juicy tracks with thick low end. Dark City Agent brought some high energy tracks, even mixing in a sample from the classic Pink Floyd “Another Brick In The Wall”  which of course, got the people amped up.

Returning for year two, Shooka did his thing closing out night two. His thick, omnipresent bass house vibes controlled the late night, and nobody could possible stand still. After finally seeing Shooka live, I know I’ll be looking out for his next show on the West Coast to catch that incredible perfomrance again.

The many wellness offerings gave attendees plenty of different activities to take part in, beyond the music. One that stood out to me was the Johnny Tsunami Energy Arts, The Way of Water Echo Harmonic Healing workshop, which brought together Tai Chi and breathework in a powerful practice. Being a big fan of yoga, I also really enjoyed Jessy Agha’s Prana Vinyasa Elemental Flow with Butler. Once again, the Ohm Dome was filled to the brim with enthusiastic yogis. Saturday’s Yahn Dawn Horizon 5K Sprint gave fans a chance to flex their running game. Derek and other festival contributors ran around the campgrounds while sleepy festival goers cheered them on from their tents, ending the race under the Yahn Dawn arch.

SATURNA did his thing, delivering a cavalcade of vibes at the Prismatic Playa Stage on Sunday, throwing down heavy bass while weaving distinct and multi-faceted sonic tapestries.

The legendary RJD2 brought another kind of live musicianship to the weekend, throwing down melodic tunes while integrating hip hop and scratching. Electronic music classics and fan-favorite hip hop tracks intermingled seamlessly with piano and violin. Working the turntables and MIDI pads live right in front of us, he showed what it means to be a true live performer and disc jockey, seamlessly moving between scratching, cuts, and a diverse selection of music.

Gramatik started up the Mainstage for the final evening at Yahn Dawn 2026. He brought plenty of funk and groove to the weekend, bringing a heavier and more traditional dance music sound. It gave the crowd a chance to switch gears and really throw down before the final showing of Pretty Lights.

Night three, Derek announced that Pretty Lights consulted with each other and decided to do a different take to shift the energy for the night. The intention focused on love.

“Building a world of love, If y’all with that… that’s what we are doing out here after all!” — Derek

Many embraced their friends and loved ones alike around them. A vibrancy seemed to enter the air. The set started to feel like a reflection of the community, the music, the connection, and just how far the Pretty Lights project and its universe have come.

One track that grabbed my heart and highlighted Pretty Lights’ mixing and selector skills came during the first set of night three. When he played Perry Como’s “It’s a Good Day”  with Dawncall’s “Enchanted Woods,” PL knew exactly what they were doing. This mix absolutely warmed the crowd from the inside out, being that Sunday night was calling to be the coldest night of the weekend in Buena Vista.

The last night at the silent disco was heartwarming, thanks in large part to Mikey Thunder having a big hand in curating the late night lineup. It was great to see Yahn Dawn invest in uplifting newer local artists. Mondokoosh has only been DJing for around five years, while Pants has been doing it for less than two. It was great to see these young acts get the recognition and spotlight to throw down.

The Chill Train on Uplink B hit the spot for the final night. Mondokoosh got the folks flowing on the dancefloor, making the final hours of the weekend feel like a warm embrace and a perfect cherry on top. Following Pretty Lights’ night three love set, this soulful energy from Mondokoosh’s selection was welcomed with open arms. Smiles were everywhere through the final hours. Moving from a fluid groove on Uplink B with Mondokoosh into TF Marz throwing down with filthy uptempo jams gave everyone what they needed during the the closing moments of the festival. It was a fitting way to move toward the end of the weekend without losing momentum.

That balance between established acts, emerging artists, live musicianship, electronic production, community, and jaw dropping production is what made this magical Yahn Dawn weekend truly stand out. From the first double rainbow to the final hours on the Chill Train, Yahn Dawn gave us plenty to take home from the mountains. By the time we made our way out of the mountains, the weekend at Yahn Dawn 2026 had passed in the blink of an eye, truly feeling like a “Trip Thru Time,” that many will never forget.

Which Pretty Lights set from Yahn Dawn 2026 at Meadow Creek stood out to you the most? Did any new artist or tracks you found over the weekend grab your heart? Let us know on socials and in the comments below!

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