Lightning in a Bottle

Lightning in a Bottle (LIB) is an annual transformational festival held in the Central Coast region of California. The festival is presented by The Do LaB, a company that focuses on promoting social cohesion, environmental sustainability, creative expression and personal health. They build and promote unique installations, interactive environments and music festivals.

The first installment of Lightning in a Bottle was held in 2000 in South California. It wasn’t even a festival yet, just a private birthday party and a celebration of music and nature. It remained a private event for three more years after that and was transformed into a public festival in 2004. As its attendance grew, Lightning in a Bottle was relocated to different locations in California including the Angeles National Forest, Live Oak Camp, Oak Canyon Ranch, Lake Skinner, and San Antonio Reservoir Recreation Area.

Lightning in a Bottle is an eclectic mix of art, music and culture. Like other transformational festivals, it espouses a community building ethic and has a value system that celebrates both personal transformation and the transformation of culture. It features music performances, visual and interactive art installations, guest speakers, group meditation, yoga classes, and more. Most attendees camp on site, which contributes to building a strong community over the week.

Lightning in a Bottle features an impressive variety of events and attractions for attendees of all ages and backgrounds. There’s something here for everyone! The heart of the festival is the so-called Temple of Consciousness where all the main events take place. It is somewhat similar to the temple at Burning Man, the prototypical transformational festival. Other highlights of the festival include Grand Antique (an interactive area), Lightning in a Paintcan (the biggest live painting event in the United States), numerous art installations, workshops and fairs.

Unlike many other counterculture festivals, Lightning in a Bottle is a family-friendly event therefore it doesn’t allow public nudity, alcohol and drugs. One of its main goals is to create an exciting interactive environment for children and their parents, so its program features a lot of family events. The festival also hosts a lot of events dedicated to sustainability and environmental protection, including alternative energy sources.

In 2020 and 2021, the event was held online due to the coronavirus pandemic.