What to Know Before Hitting Las Vegas During EDC Week

^{EDC Week offers many events for people who enjoy the fun and music associated with EDC, but don't want the stress or cost involved with the actual festival. (Photo: courtesy of Insomniac)}

In the middle of May, ravers and dance music fans take over Las Vegas and flock to the Strip. The Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) brings hundreds of thousands of people to the city to catch some of the world's best DJs in one place. The club lines get longer, the pool parties fill up fast, and it’s like no other time in the city when so many artists are concentrated in one city at the same time.

The festival runs May 15–17 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and features a wide range of electronic dance music, including trance, techno, tech house, bass music, and everything in between, dubbed "uns-uns music." 

Getting a ticket is both difficult and expensive, especially since the lineup doesn’t get released until months later. General admission and VIP passes sell out well in advance, and 2026 is no exception.

But Vegas offers a solution for those who can't get in or simply don't want to deal with it: EDC Week. And this year, Insomniac is bringing the first-ever World Party Parade to kick off the 30th anniversary celebration on May 14 to roll through the north end of the Strip. There are limitless events to take advantage of, and the following is a full lineup of EDC Week events.

Event Breakdown Day by Day

During EDC Week, 18 music venues across the Strip, Downtown, and the surrounding area participate by offering branded shows at Las Vegas casinos' dayclubs and nightclubs from Wednesday, May 13, through Tuesday, May 19. There are options before, after, and during the festival to cater to locals or people who visit to enjoy the best DJs in town.

About 60 artists are set to play shows across various EDM genres. Some of them are also playing at the festival, but others aren't on the EDC lineup at all and are showing up specifically for the week. Either way, it means you can pack your schedule full of DJs you want to see with the options at intimate club settings or at pool parties, without spending festival money.

The EDC crowds make these events feel different than just regular club nights or pool parties. Speaking from experience, these can be a lot of fun, even if you're not necessarily a raver. The temperatures in mid-May are warm but haven't hit the brutal summer heat yet, so it’s great weather for dancing poolside. It's worth considering even if you’d normally write off EDC.

Almost all of these shows are for those aged 21+ since they're held at Las Vegas dayclubs and nightclubs, but Hardwell b2b Maddix at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center and the Bassrush Massive at the Theater at Virgin Hotels are the only 18+ events part of EDC Week. Downtown Las Vegas Event Center event is the official EDC pre-party and also the last event scheduled at the venue before it undergoes a transformation into a parking lot.

Thursday in particular is when things really start to pop off heading into the EDC weekend. Monday has events for those staying past the festival who want to wind things down.

Wednesday, May 13

• Marquee Dayclub at the Cosmopolitan — Deorro (11 am)
• Liquid Pool at the ARIA — DJ Buza (11 am)
• Marquee at the Cosmopolitan — Chris Lorenzo (10 pm)
• Zouk Nightclub at Resorts World — Ray Volpe (10 pm)
• Encore Beach Club at Night at Wynn — Mau P (10:30 pm)
• LIV Nightclub at Fontainebleau — Josh Baker, Kettama, Prospa (10:30 pm)

Thursday, May 14

Thursday is the biggest day of the pre-festival stretch and usually the most fun. This is also the night of the World Party Parade on the Strip, so plan accordingly if you're trying to do both.

• Swim and Social at The STRAT — Basscon Pool Party (11 am, 18+)
• Encore Beach Club at Wynn — Subtronics (11 am)
• The Pool at Virgin Hotels — Korolova presents Captive Soul (11 am)
• AYU Dayclub at Resorts World — Bassrush Pool Party ft. Alison Wonderland (11 am)
• Marquee Dayclub at the Cosmopolitan — DayTrip Pool Party ft. Eli Brown, Danny Avila, Rebuke (11 am)
• Palm Tree Beach Club at MGM Grand — Above & Beyond (11 am)
• Tao Beach at the Venetian — Porter Robinson (11 am)
• Liquid Pool at the ARIA — Shr3d (11 am)
• LIV Beach at Fontainebleau — Knock2 (11:30 am)

• The Theater at Virgin Hotels — Bassrush Massive (8 pm, 18+)
• Downtown Las Vegas Events Center — Hardwell b2b Maddix (9 pm)
• Omnia Nightclub at Caesars Palace — Armin van Buuren (10 pm)
• Zouk Nightclub at Resorts World — James Hype & Meduza (10 pm)
• Hakkasan at MGM Grand — Charlotte de Witte (10 pm)
• Substance (near Fremont Street Experience) — Adrian Mills All Night Long (10 pm)
• Marquee at the Cosmopolitan — Discip, Silva Bumpa (10 pm)
• LIV Nightclub at Fontainebleau — Dom Dolla (10:30 pm)
• Encore Beach Club at Night — Subtronics (10:30 pm)
• XS at Encore — Diplo w/ Alec Monopoly (11 pm)

Friday, May 15

• Tao Beach at the Venetian — DJ Snake (11 am)
• Encore Beach Club at Wynn — Gryffin (11 am)
• The Pool at Virgin Hotels — Dreamstate Pool Party (11 am)
• AYU Dayclub at Resorts World — Noizu & Bolo (11 am)
• Palm Tree Beach Club at MGM Grand — Zedd (11 am)
• Marquee Dayclub at the Cosmopolitan — Lost Frequencies (11 am)
• Omnia Dayclub at Caesars Palace (Grand Opening Weekend) — Fisher (11 am)
• Liquid Pool at the ARIA — Que (11 am)
• LIV Beach at Fontainebleau — Disco Lines (11:30 am)

• Omnia Nightclub at Caesars Palace — Steve Aoki (10 pm)
• Zouk Nightclub at Resorts World — Wax Motif (10 pm)
• Hakkasan at MGM Grand — DJ Sourmilk (10 pm)
• Marquee at the Cosmopolitan — NOTD (10 pm)
• LIV Nightclub at Fontainebleau — Tiësto (10:30 pm)
• Jewel Nightclub at ARIA  — Mike Attack (10:30 pm)
• TAO Nightclub at Venetian — Al Tamar (10 pm)
• XS at Encore — Hugel (11 pm)

Saturday, May 16

• Tao Beach at the Venetian — Special Guest (11 am)
• Palm Tree Beach Club at MGM Grand — Alesso (11 am)
• Encore Beach Club at Wynn — Calvin Harris (11 am)
• The Pool at Virgin Hotels — Bolo, Bradeazy, Jaden Bojsen, No Thanks, Rommii (11 am)
• AYU Dayclub at Resorts World — Mathame (11 am)
• Liquid Pool at the ARIA — Kid Conrad (11 am)
• Marquee Dayclub at the Cosmopolitan — Timmy Trumpet (11 am)
• Omnia Dayclub at Caesars Palace (Grand Opening Weekend) — Rufus Du Sol (11 am)
• LIV Beach at Fontainebleau — David Guetta (11:30 am)

• Omnia Nightclub at Caesars Palace — Chris Lake (10 pm)
• Hakkasan at MGM Grand — Murda Beatz (10 pm)
• Marquee Nightclub at the Cosmopolitan — DJ Vice (10 pm)
• TAO Nightclub at Venetian — DJ Cla (10 pm)
• Zouk Nightclub at Resorts World — Special Guest (10 pm)
• LIV Nightclub at Fontainebleau — Special Guest (10:30 pm)
• Jewel Nightclub at ARIA  — DJ Buza (10:30 pm)
• XS at Encore — The Chainsmokers (11 pm)

Sunday, May 17

• Tao Beach at the Venetian — Steve Aoki (Dim Mak Takeover) (11 am)
• Encore Beach Club at Wynn — Marshmello (11 am)
• The Pool at Virgin Hotels — Avello, Dennett, Whethan, Mary Droppinz (11 am)
• Marquee Dayclub at the Cosmopolitan — Insomniac Records Pool Party ft. Omnom, CID, Jackie Hollander (11 am)
• Palm Tree Beach Club at MGM Grand — Chris Lake (11 am)
• Omnia Dayclub at Caesars Palace (Grand Opening Weekend) — Martin Garrix (11 am)
• Liquid Pool at the ARIA — Eric Remy (11 am)
• LIV Beach at Fontainebleau — John Summit (11:30 am)

• XS at Encore — Sofi Tukker (11 pm)
• Omnia Nightclub at Caesars Palace — Deseo Latin Sundays (10:30 pm)

Monday, May 18 

Some artists use the Monday slot after the festival is over for longer or more relaxed sets, and it's a good night to catch someone you might have missed earlier in the week.

• Marquee Nightclub at the Cosmopolitan — DJ Snake (Hip-Hop Set) (10 pm)
• LIV Nightclub at Fontainebleau — David Guetta (10:30 pm)
• XS at Encore — Kaskade (11 pm)

Tuesday, May 19

There is only one EDC Week event on Tuesday to finish up the week, and that's Martin Garrix at OMNIA Nightclub. OMNIA is typically the only major nightclub open on Tuesdays, so it can be packed on a night like this with such a well-known headliner.

The World Party Parade

As we mentioned before, this year's EDC will be different from any edition before it. For the first time ever, Insomniac is staging the World Party Parade, a full EDC-themed parade rolling through the Las Vegas Strip on Thursday, May 14 at 6 p.m. It's completely free and for all ages. Attendees will line the sidewalks along the route to take it all in.

The parade launches from the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on the north end of the Strip at 2880 S. Las Vegas Blvd and will continue down the boulevard past Circus Circus, Fontainebleau, Resorts World, and the Sahara before returning to the Festival Grounds. The whole procession lasts about two and a half hours, featuring 15 giant art car floats with DJs, performers, and marching bands. Nearly 30,000 attendees are expected to line the sidewalks.

It's a wonderful way to mark 30 years of EDC on one of the world's most famous street corridors. Insomniac founder Pasquale Rotella has said the parade is designed to be accessible to the full community, including people who aren't attending the festival. Since it’s an all-ages event, it’s also a rare opportunity for people under 21 or families who want to bring kids to be part of the celebration. 

As of now, the artist lineup for the parade itself has not been announced, but with EDC only a month away, more details are expected soon.

For parking, Sahara and Circus Circus are the best options with free parking and some of the shortest walks to the parade area. Parking is also available at other nearby resorts along the route for a fee.