This was: Hocus Pocus Festival 2024

Hocus Pocus Festival took place from October 31st to November 2nd at Factory Town in Miami, Florida. Hosted by Miami Link Rebels and Insomniac, the event embodied all things Halloween complete with a costume contest and a haunted house. Across four stages, attendees were treated to a myriad of electronic music styles, from Latin beats to hard techno.

Venue

Located in Hialeah, Miami’s “City of Progress,” Factory Town is committed to fostering a diverse community of music lovers and creatives. While the venue’s open-air design and community-focused mission were highlights, there were a few logistical challenges.

The remote industrial location complicated transportation, with difficulties finding rides or calling rideshares. Additionally, the lack of permanent bathroom facilities meant long wait times for the VIP trailer restrooms and disappointingly unsanitary porter potties in the general admission areas by the end of the night. Despite these logistical challenges, the venue is well suited for electronic music events with its state of the art sound system.

Food & Drinks

Hocus Pocus Festival pleasantly surprised us with its variety of food offerings. Attendees could indulge in everything from Spoonbills Snoballs ($8) and loaded al pastor fries ($20) to BBQ sandwiches ($16) and various platters ($20-$35).

The drink selection was standard for Miami, with single cocktails ($16), double cocktails ($22), bottles of Aguardiente ($50), ready-to-drink canned cocktails ($14), beer ($10), and non-alcoholic options ($5-$7). Monaco Tequila Cocktails even had a stand offering free shots.

Stages

The festival featured four distinct stages, each with its own unique character:

Infinity Room

This stage, the main stage of the festival, transported attendees to a realm of infinite possibilities. Featuring artists like Eliza Rose, Cassian B2B Kevin de Vries, and ARTBAT, the stage looked like an old spooky house with “Hocus Pocus” illuminating at the top and laser beams shooting out of the windows.

The Park

Serving as the festival’s dedicated hard techno stage, featuring the likes of Nico Moreno, Oguz, Eli Brown, Lily Palmer, and Charlotte de Witte. The stage had a large LED screen behind the DJ booth and a balcony that offered a bird’s-eye view of the action.

Espacio Proximo

This stage celebrated the rich diversity of two fundamental facets of the Miami dance music scene: house music and Latin beats. Artists like LF System and Austin Millz performed on a stage framed by a pyramid of LED lights, speakers on each side, and palm trees lit up in the background, evoking the vibrant Miami vibe.

Cypress End

The smallest of the stages, nestled beside the haunted house, provided a more intimate vibe. Offering a mix of acid house and psytrance, this stage gave attendees a break from the larger, high-energy areas of the festival.

Music

Across the four stages, artists delivered captivating performances that kept the dancefloors packed and the energy high throughout the weekend.

Kobosil

Kobosil, considered one of techno’s fastest rising DJs and producers, brought his signature deep, fast, and aggressive sound to the Infinity Room. Drawing inspiration from EBM, noise, and industrial, he captivated the crowd with tracks like “Pray & Die,” “Beat You Back,” “Paper & Pen,” “Eye Twitching,” and “Getting Started.”

Nico Moreno

Nico Moreno closed out Thursday night (or rather, Friday morning) with an electrifying set on the Park stage, playing hard-hitting tracks such as “Bust Like,” “F4Ke Drop,” and the crowd-pleasing “This is What it Feels Like” featuring Warface.

VTSS

Newcomer VTSS made a lasting impression with her high-energy, genre-blending performance. She enchanted the audience with tracks like “Profiler” and “Get Down,” showcasing her versatile talents as a techno maximalist.

Patrick Mason

Berlin-based DJ and producer Patrick Mason epitomized the energy of the New Underground, delivering an infectious, highly energizing live hybrid set that took the audience on a journey through sound. Tracks like “Time to Time” and “Don’t Want To” had the crowd captivated by his larger-than-life dance moves and dynamic presence.

Final Impressions

Hocus Pocus Festival’s commitment to Halloween and spooky theme was impressive, from giant illuminated eyeballs to inflatable ghosts, there was something around every corner.

Attendees could also indulge in various vendor stands selling rave accessories, apparel, and more, all while immersing themselves in the Halloween-themed decorations and lighting that fully embraced the Hocus Pocus spirit. There were also ample places to chill and sit including a repurposed school bus. By blending spooky entertainment with world-class electronic music, Hocus Pocus Festival cast a spell on attendees, making it an epic Halloween weekend in Miami.