La Luna Fest: Dance Yourself Klean

I felt my energy rising like the morning sun as the music thumped and the lights flashed. I found myself giving in to the rhythm, letting it move through me and conduct the motion of my limbs in a way that I hadn’t done in a long time. As soon as I gave in to the music, I felt a surge of love for my friends who danced nearby and a grin spread across my face.

I experienced this moment of pure joy at La Luna Festival in Brooklyn. Previously known as the Full Moon Festival, La Luna turned over a new leaf this year with their name change as well as a commitment to eco-friendly practices. In addition to multiple stages, disco balls both indoors and out, and a lineup of hip Brooklyn DJ’s, this all-day and all-night festival featured recyclable aluminum water bottles from Ever&Ever, water refill stations courtesy of Klean Kanteen, compostable cups & straws, trios of trash/recycling/compost bins scattered throughout the venue, and a host of local, vegan food trucks to feed hungry festival-goers.

I regrettably didn’t get to enjoy the food or outdoor stages as I arrived at La Luna past sundown, but that is not to say that I did not delight in the all around good vibes that the festival had on offer. It gave my two girlfriends and I a chance to redeem our last experience at a festival together, almost two years ago. That one had been on a beach and promised a plastic free experience, but turned out to be a sore disappointment that did not deliver on it’s eco-friendly promises. La Luna festival was exactly the opposite.

After getting through check in and security (where they graciously allowed me to hang onto my trusty Klean Kanteen classic bottle), we headed straight for the bar in search of something ice cold to take the edge off of a long, hot day.

As we entered the Knockdown Center on Flushing Avenue, right on the border of Brooklyn and Queens, we could smell rain on the asphalt and sweat in the air. Colorful lights pierced the darkness and the sound of electronic music bubbled up out of the warehouse-like venue ahead.

At the bar we could already tell that this festival was different. Instead of piles of plastic cups and rows of plastic water bottles, we saw short stacks of stainless steel pints and neat groups of aluminum bottles. All three of us were pleased when the bartendress handed us our cocktails in La Luna emblazoned reusable cups. With cold drinks in hand, we headed to the dance floor looking to get down and groovy. We were not disappointed, as the next few hours found us wiggling our bodies to the music and laughing at the DJ's jokes.

La Luna turned out to be a far cry from other festivals I have attended in the past. Instead of the usual crush of 21 year olds looking to party hard, we found a crowd of late-20’s hipsters wearing quirky outfits and a laid-back, welcoming attitude. My own inner party animal perked up at the quality music (I had never heard of any of the DJ’s before, but they all compelled me to dance!) and the sustainability nerd in me appreciated the efforts that organizers clearly went through to create as eco-friendly an environment as possible. Where I normally spend my Saturday evenings cooking or relaxing at home, I found myself grateful for this experience that proved having fun at a music festival is not mutually exclusive from living a sustainable lifestyle.