KAABOO Del Mar festival gets off to sunny, breezy start

Attending KAABOO Del Mar, which kicked off its third year early Friday afternoon under sunny skies, is a family affair for Colorado's Jeremy and Sacha Lane. The couple, both in their mid-30s, are attending the upscale music, comedy, food and drink festival for the second consecutive year with their daughters, Hunter, 2, and Amy, 7. "We drove out here from our home in Elizabeth for three weeks of sightseeing, but coming to KAABOO is the main point of our trip here," Jeremy said as he and his family lounged on the grassy paddock area of the Del Mar racetrack. They were listening to the agreeably mellow music of Washington singer-songwriter Ethan Tucker, a 2016 contestant on "The Voice" TV show. "We like everything about this festival," Jeremy, a construction worker, said. "My wife is into the cooking demonstrations, we both like music and comedy, and it's not too rowdy so we can bring the family. It's more kid-friendly this year." Sacha agreed: "It's so clean and comfortable. There's no dirt, no Porta Potties. I would not take my kids to Burning Man!" The Lanes opted for KAABOO's second most expensive VIP option, buying three Hang Ten passes, whose amenities include backstage access, preferred seating and food and drink. (Hunter was admitted free, while Amy's ticket was half off.) Hang Ten and Hang Five passes are sold-out for this weekend. Single-day, two-day and three-day Hang Loose passes tickets are available at the festival box office and are priced, respectively, at $149, $299 and $349 apiece. The total cost for the Lanes' passes was $8,000. That's barely more than half the cost of the top-tiered Ultimate Hang package. Priced at $15,000 and limited to just 40 people, the Ultimate Hang includes such perks as a private wine-tasting with Saturday's KAABOO headliner, Pink. Friday's scheduled performers included Red Hot Chili Peppers, Weezer, Kesha and Michael McDonald. The festival concludes Sunday with Tom Petty & and The Heartbreakers, Alanis Morissette, Jason Derulo and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jackson Browne. For those seeking a boost, on-site IV treatments are available, courtesy of Rapid Recovery Hydration Solutions. Options include the Festival Fatigue Fighter, for $140 and $160 a pop, and the Afterparty Antidote, priced at $190 and $200. "Those are our two most popular items," said a perky young Rapid Recovery employee of the IV offerings, which contain anti-inflammatory and anti-nausea medication, plus B12 and other vitamins. First-time KAABOO attendees Amanda and Joliana Frausto said they were unlikely to avail themselves of the IV drips. But the sisters from San Dimas gave high marks to the festival. "It's really chill and has a very nice atmosphere," said Amanda, 22, a behavioral therapist. "Yeah, it's a lot different from the Vans Warped Tour and Life Is Beautiful, which we're going to in Las Vegas," said Joliana 20, a journalism major. "There's art here and it's very relaxed." Amanda nodded, as a growing throng of KAABOO arrivals flocked past her. "This festival is geared to older people than the festivals we usually go to and it's more laid back. And we don't mind that, because we're getting older, too."