Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Attend Neon Carnival, the Invite-only Coachella After Party
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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce were among the VIPs at Neon Carnival, arriving in the early hours on Sunday morning after catching sets by Jack Antonoff’s band Bleachers and Ice Spice on the Coachella stage.
Ice Spice joined Swift at the after party, with the two matching in all black. Swift still had on her Coachella look, a casual ensemble topped off with a green cap — merch from Kelce’s podcast “New Heights With Jason and Travis Kelce.”
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Paris Hilton, a Neon Carnival regular through the years, also opted for black. She had on a cutout dress with sunglasses and a cowboy hat as she posed with her aunt, “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Kyle Richards, and pop star Kesha.
Jon Batiste, too, went for black. He was incognito, with sunglasses and a bandana covering his face.
It was the color of the night it seemed, even with the young influencers. Sisters Ashtin Earle and Alix Earle wore black, though accessorized with gold details and accents. Meanwhile “Vanderpump Rules” reality star Ariana Madix kept it simple in black pants and a sweatshirt, with the words “nepo baby” written across. She was best dressed for the windy weather, which dropped to 53 degrees Fahrenheit.
While unaffiliated with Coachella, Neon Carnival has become the music festival’s favored after party — a massive bash with rides, games and big-name DJs. It’s invite-only; you have to know someone to get on the list for the coveted wristband.
Inside, there’s yet another level of VIP; the A-listers have a closed-off section where there was Patrón El Alto bottle service. It was the usual suspects, including Jeff Bezos and Tyga, as well as L.A. club promoters and a slew of models.
Actress Sammi Hanratty of “Yellowjackets” was among those playing games, hoping to win a teddy bear in a balloon-blast competition with a water gun in hand.
This year marked Neon Carnival’s 13th anniversary, held Saturday from 10 p.m. until late at Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, Calif. Head sponsor Liquid I.V., the electrolyte powder drink company, took over the carnival with a VIP tent entrance and its logo on the ferris wheel — the event’s highly photographed pièce de résistance. And Levi’s, a longtime supporter, returned with its own section of carnival games where the prizes were Levi’s accessories.
The DJ lineup this year included Grammy Award winner Anderson .Paak, also known as DJ Pee .Wee, DJ Hunny Bee, James Kennedy of “Vanderpump Rules” and a surprise performance by rapper Busta Rhymes.
Earlier in the day Anderson .Paak was behind the turntable at Kourtney Kardashian Barker’s second consecutive Camp Poosh, her lifestyle and wellness company brought to life at a 40-acre estate in Palm Desert.
“Is this Travis’ brand?” asked a guest in one of the tented activations. It was husband Travis Barker’s cannabis company Barker Canna Co., which offered a pre-roll workshop.
It was all in the family, with Barker tapping her sisters to stack the bar; Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila and Kylie Jenner’s Sprinter vodka sodas flowed all day. Guests — a younger crowd — lined up to pick out goodies like Adidas shoes and Havaianas, as well as Erewhon snacks.
“They literally brought Erewhon to the festival,” a passerby said of the upscale chain, with a cult-like following in Los Angeles. “We love to see it.”
Sarah Jeffery, Shanina Shaik and Lukas Gage were among the VIPs enjoying the party, with special access to activities like tattooing by Justin Villalobos and Jon Boy.
Activating during Coachella is a perfect fit for the company, Barker told WWD prior to the event. She welcomed nearly 800 guests to Camp Poosh.
“When we launched Poosh, it was an online editorial only, where we could share tips and tricks with our community and answer questions,” she said in an exclusive statement. “We would do small events, but it was always just 20 of my close friends in my backyard.…As Poosh has grown, we have made so many more friends of the brand — and they definitely won’t all fit in my backyard anymore — and there has been such strong interest in meeting Poosh in person and trying all of the things we write about and share in a hands-on way.”
Saturday was a busy day for partygoers. ZOEasis, started by stylist Rachel Zoe, returned for its eighth year, with Saweetie and Ashlee Simpson Ross among guests. And Interscope and Capitol Records hosted their own bash, a private affair with the likes of producer Benny Blanco and singer Reneé Rapp.
Patrón also hosted a daytime party, bringing out an older crowd to enjoy tequila poolside. Guests included influencers and reality TV names, including Thomas Sandoval and Tom Schwartz of “Vanderpump Rules.”
Kemo Sabe, the high-end Western wear company offering boots, jewelry and custom hats, hosted a pop-up on site.
“We do pop-ups all over the country,” said Shannon Asher, director of marketing and PR for Kemo Sabe, which was founded in Aspen in 1990 before expanding to other locations. “This is our first time in California, being at Coachella this weekend. We’re dipping our toes into Coachella because we’ve never done it before, feeling out the festival vibe.”
The opportunity came up to activate through a partnership with Patrón, she added. “They were in our Aspen store and came to us. We’re like, ‘absolutely.’ We always wanted to be involved with Coachella and it was just a natural fit. It’s been really well received, which has been awesome to see.”
Launch Gallery: Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, and More at Neon Carnival 2024
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