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- Stay in Bloom Festival Continues to Blossom as Dabin Returns for Year Three
Stay in Bloom Festival Continues to Blossom as Dabin Returns for Year Three
Jason
May 07, 2026
Stay In Bloom SF this past weekend (Friday 5/1 + Saturday 5/2) felt like one of the most complete festival ecosystems I got to attend. From the moment I walked into Frost Amphitheater in Stanford, I felt the pride and artistic merit everyone poured into this event. From attending the very first Stay in Bloom in 2024 to this year, it was breath-taking seeing how far Dabin and his team could improve an already amazing experience.
The venue, Frost Amphitheatre, made a huge difference with its natural elevation, open sightlines from all around (and I must mention, nice green grass to sit on), and a stage setup that never felt overwhelming. I could move around the space and still clearly see the performance, which made it easy to be present with the music the entire time. The sound was a standout for me as well. From anywhere in the crowd, you could expect a clean, balanced sound.
What I also really enjoyed were the brand activations throughout the grounds, and I just want to highlight a few that I was able to participate in! The VALORANT-presented presence gave the festival a more immersive, crossover feel that matched the overall whimsy of the festival. Before the start of each festival day, the VALORANT-branded pop-up truck was hosting tailgate surprise sets with insane special guests. Not to mention the crossover between VALORANT and EDM fans is more common than one would think! The YOJU stand was a fun brand activation with cool photo ops as well as hands-on experiences and tastings. End Overdose brought a grounded layer with real harm-reduction education that I will always welcome anywhere and everywhere. Kandi’s World added a more classic rave energy that tied everything back to the roots of gifting and community.
One of the coolest features about these brand activations was how Dabin and his team implemented a token system for each activation you visited. Tokens were earned and found in many different ways through participation, purchases, and hidden tokens throughout the venue. These tokens could later be used at a crane machine to win exclusive prizes, including artist merch! The overall world-building and storytelling Stay in Bloom prioritizes does not go unnoticed.
The overall crowd energy stood out just as much as the production. Artist curated festivals have been making waves, especially in these recent years. Stay in Bloom was no different. With highly curated programming and artist-specific branding, you could feel how connected and passionate the audience was to this festival. Even if you went in with no knowledge of the festival, the community is so welcoming and enthusiastic to introduce you to this world. PLURR really felt present and I’m grateful to see it thrive in an environment like this.
The fan culture and community was insane. People went all out making gifts for each other with custom stickers, kandi, keychains, shirts, and small handmade trinkets being exchanged constantly across the grounds. It made the whole festival a community space to share your creativity with. I love all trinkets, but the fact that so many people curated special Dabin/Stay in Bloom themed items to give shows how much this experience means to so many people.
One of the biggest moments for me came toward the end of the weekend with the surprise SLANDER b2b on Day 2. It carried a lot of weight knowing how SLANDER and Dabin collaborated within the same melodic bass era and how that entire wave of artists grew through shared experiences, touring cycles, and early support across the Gud Vibrations era and beyond. Seeing that connection play out live made the moment feel bigger than just a surprise set. With a song as influential as “First Time”, it made this moment feel surreal especially for being their first b2b ever.
By the end of the weekend, I left with feelings of creativity, community, and passion. The venue, the sound, the activations, and the community worked together in a way that felt cohesive. Music has always been a universal language for people to connect, and Stay in Bloom nurtures a space that allows all fans to grow and thrive. And yes, I am already planning for my Stay in Bloom SF 2027 trip.