Music festivals are an interesting niche of the event world … They don’t quite fit into the mold of how we traditionally plan events. From the rigging and audio visual that goes into the multiple stages to the food and beverage components; each festival is unique and has its own style when it comes to engaging their attendees. Life is Beautiful is an inspirational social platform dedicated to helping people conquer their fears and chase their dreams; it doesn’t scream music festival to you, does it?

That’s the BEST and my favorite part of the event, it doesn’t fit the mold of a traditional “music festival.”

Life is Beautiful has successfully separated itself from other music festivals by creating a true culture and purpose at the heart of the event. Founded in 2013, Life is Beautiful is three days of art, food, learning and music, with nearly 70 artists performing on four massive stages in Downtown Las Vegas. This year’s lineup featured Kanye West, Foo Fighters, OutKast, Arctic Monkeys, Skrillex, Lionel Richie, The Weeknd, The Flaming Lips, Girl Talk, Alt-J, The Roots, Kacey Musgraves, Fitz & The Tantrums and many more, as well as dozens of culinary giants and world-renowned speakers.

I’m sure you’re thinking the same thing I was… How did the sponsors fit into not only the festival, but the message behind it? They did it, strategically and beautifully. Here are my three favorite sponsorship activations from Life is Beautiful 2014:

1. Westar Kitchen & Bath- Hosted in Container Park (a dining and shopping area of reclaimed shipping containers stacked upon each other), the culinary programming featured a “Culinary Village” experience which was sponsored by Westar Kitchen & Bath. This year’s interactive culinary experiences were multiplied compared to 2013 and were seamlessly integrated into the overall festival footprint. They featured the best local restaurants that Las Vegas has to offer as well as curated, handcrafted pairings of beer, wine and spirits from some of the world’s most distinguished mixologists, wine makers and brewers. All Westar products were used to create the “kitchen” where attendees viewed each presentation. To up the ante and attract more attendees, this year’s village also hosted intimate “Chefs on Stage” demonstrations. Attendees got an up-close and personal look at chefs’ techniques and were inspired with various recipes to try at home.

2. Bacardi- Bacardi offered a piña colada with an environmentally, green twist! Attendees were able to blend their cocktail themselves! There were three stationary bikes with blenders attached to their handle bars. Attendees in the mood for a fresh, fruity cocktail were able to peddle their way to that cocktail with the ingredients combined in the blender generated energy when the bicycle was in motion.

3. Café Bustelo- First, they started off their sponsorship by giving away an all expenses paid trip to the festival on their social media. Second, at the festival, they had a tent that hosted their brand experience. Not only were tired festival goers able to get their coffee fix, but they could connect with brand ambassadors who facilitated games where they were rewarded various Café Bustelo swag items, and able to kick back and relax in their lounge area.

As a sponsor, do you adjust your experience to better suit the event’s message and attendees? I’d love to hear your tips and I’m sure our readers would love to use them at their next event; please share them below.

P.S. Did you attend? I’d love to hear what you enjoyed most about your experience, share those memories and let’s reminisce about the amazing time we had!