Breakaway Arizona’s Second Edition was Two Days of Pure Fun in the Sun

1 week ago 22

Breakaway Arizona proves it has the potential to be a flagship spring festival in the sun-soaked state with a successful second edition.

One of Arizona‘s best-kept secrets is its extremely underrated electronic music scene. Those who aren’t familiar with the state would be surprised by how many electronic music festivals it hosts, including some massive ones like Goldrush Music Festival and Decadence Arizona. With the emerging Breakaway Music Festival making its mark around the country, they decided that last year was a good time to make their debut in the desert with Breakaway Arizona.

I attended the debut edition last year at Sloan Park Festival Grounds in Mesa, and it was a fantastic time, so I was excited for its return to the venue this year. This year’s diverse lineup contained names like Marshmello, ISOxo, Loud Luxury, Kygo, Dr. Fresch, and more. With a solid foundation to build on from last year, I was eager to see how the festival would take it to the next level in 2026.

A high-energy lineup made for an electric day one.

Getting to Sloan Park on day one was a breeze, thanks to the festival’s central location in the Phoenix metro area. Box Office pickup was quick, and the ticket and security lines were swift and easy. Once inside the venue, I was reminded why I enjoyed it so much last year. The festival grounds are spacious and spread out, and there are plenty of amenities like bathrooms and bars, so lines were nonexistent all weekend. There were plenty of shaded areas and places to sit on the warm 87-degree day in the Arizona sun.

There were two stages: the main stage and the L.A.B. (Leave it All Behind) stage.

I spent day one at the main stage, and I immediately noticed the upgrade from the year prior: the stage was noticeably bigger, and the production was taken up a notch. I decided to stay in VIP for the entire day, and it was a phenomenal experience. The bathrooms and bars were nice, and the VIP lounge was a great place to take a break from the action. There was also plenty of space to dance, and the crowd was extremely friendly and vibing all night.

MPH was the first full set that I caught, and his UKG melodies were an excellent way to kick off the night. Loud Luxury was up next, and they put on a party in my first time seeing them. ISOxo was undoubtedly my favorite set of the whole weekend, and he threw down a high-energy performance that oozed of Skrillex’s influence. Nearly getting to the rail for his set was the highlight of the festival for me. This set was also the rowdiest I’ve ever seen VIP get, with mosh pits alive and well, which I absolutely loved.

The night concluded with Marshmello, and he was another artist on the lineup that I was seeing for the first time. I didn’t know what to expect going in, and I was pleasantly surprised with a heavy dose of dubstep and riddim throughout. I was also taken aback once again by how great the production was with pyro, fireworks, lasers, the whole shebang.

Perfect weather on day two made for perfect chill vibes.

Just like on the first day, the lines for tickets and security were instant. The same could be said of the bathroom and bar lines again. The weather was great, with a high of around 84 degrees, and it got perfect once the sun went down. Breakaway offered lower-priced tickets to attendees who entered the festival before 5pm, which brought more people out earlier on a beautiful Saturday.

I approached the second day differently from the first, but it was just as fun. While I did spend some time in VIP, I decided to spend most of the day in GA, mainly because the L.A.B stage didn’t have a VIP area. I also spent most of the day flip-flopping between stages, which I didn’t do at all on day one. I got my groove on with some Disco Dom, which was a treat because I’ve only seen him perform as Dombresky.

When I went over to the L.A.B to catch the end of Habstrakt and the beginning of Dr. Fresch, I experienced one of my favorite parts of Sloan Park as a venue. Near the back of the stage was a big grassy area with lots of tables. This spot would contain some of the best vibes I encountered all weekend. My group and I loved it so much that we decided to stay there through Effin’s set. Lying in the soft, lush grass on a perfect Saturday evening with some of my best friends, while the bass ripped in the background, made for a truly magical moment.

Once Effin’s set ended, we caught some James Hype, and then Kygo closed out the festival. These were two more artists that I was seeing for the first time, capping off a damn fun festival. Kygo played a nostalgic set that was the perfect chill vibes to end a great weekend. The fireworks show to end the night was also spectacular, ending another promising year of Breakaway in the desert.

Breakaway Arizona proved it could be a staple spring festival for the state.

While other festivals in the state may have flashier lineups, Breakaway Arizona is an accessible and affordable festival in a market where festivals can be pricey. Two-day passes were around $160 a week before the festival, which is a great deal considering how great the production was. This is the only festival that’s at Sloan Park, and they make the most of it. The spacious, grassy areas make for a fun, laid-back experience.

The festival also ends at 10pm each day, which I don’t mind at all as I get older. The crowds both days were also fantastic, and PLUR, and the festival never felt overcrowded, and there was always space to dance. They also seemed a little older than at other Arizona festivals, which may be tied to the chill, respectful nature.

Despite the risk Breakaway took by entering a crowded Arizona festival market, they’ve successfully laid the groundwork to become the spring festival to be. The fantastic venue, low price, and central location make it a hard one to pass up if you’re in the area. Considering the improvements the festival made from an already strong year one, the future of Breakaway in Arizona is as bright as the hot desert sun.