Top-notch tips for how to make the most of your time at the festival and in Las Vegas from a local super-fan.
Guide by Jeff Miller
Annotations by Michelle Fisher
Everything You Need to Know to Prepare for lovers & friends This Year
Lovers & Friends is a one-day festival, which means there’s plenty of time to get the whole Vegas experience. Before hitting the festival grounds, give yourself a night to hit the city in your own way, whether that means checking out the new Fontainebleau hotel, placing a big bet on roulette, or hitting a show or club on the Strip. And the party doesn’t end when the festival does. After the last performer, some of those same headliners will be hitting the clubs nearby.
No Lovers & Friends experience is complete without…
Lovers & Friends may be one of the newest festivals on the circuit, but the now-annual R&B blowout quickly made a name for itself with an impossibly stacked lineup of nostalgic hit-makers—like Snoop Dogg and Usher—and divas—like Lauryn Hill and Ashanti—two years in a row. This year, musical royalty will descend upon the Las Vegas Strip on May 4, along with 100,000 ready-to-groove attendees for a one-day bash.
The Lovers & Friends 2024 lineup is basically a hodgepodge bonanza with Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, and Janet Jackson as headliners, and everyone from Gwen Stefani to the Backstreet Boys to Usher below them (plus Sean Paul, Tyrese, and 98 Degrees a bit further down).
The festival is already sold out, but there’s a waitlist and tickets on aftermarket sites. Whether you’ve already booked your plane ticket or are debating whether it’s going to be a family affair, we’ve got your guide on how to get there, what your ticket options are, and the lowdown on anything else you may want to know about Lovers & Friends 2024.
1. The weather in May is perfect so I’d suggest hitting up a pool party or one of the pools at the Mandalay Bay or MGM Grand, where there are lazy rivers.
4. The lineup this year is amazing! Janet! Alicia Keys! Usher! Nas! Backstreet Boys! And those are just the top headliners. Those of us who grew up in the '90s cannot ask for more! I've gone to the festival all three years, some of my favorites from the past were Jodeci, Miguel, and Missy Elliott.
Lovers & Friends takes place at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds, right on the Strip, with room for more than 100,000 fans to spread out across four stages. The best way to get there is to walk or take the monorail to Sahara station—there’s no parking available and no access for passenger vehicles. The Deuce bus line also goes to the festival grounds and is accessible from the other end of the Strip; you can buy tickets on the RideRTC mobile app. Taxis and limos can also take you to the venue, and there will be a taxi queue at the end of the night as well.
Where is Lovers & Friends held and how do I get there?
Tickets to this year’s festival are officially sold out as of press time but there’s a waitlist option on the website. There are also limited packages still available in the $800 range that include hotel rooms, a Friday welcome party, a Sunday afterparty, a swag bag, expedited festival entry, and, if you choose the VIP option, a special mainstage viewing area as well as exclusive merch. And, of course, you can try your luck on Stubhub, Seatgeek, and other aftermarket sites for tickets as well.
How do I buy Lovers & Friends tickets?
If you’re a fan of ’90s-2000s R&B and pop, the lineup is essentially every artist in your Spotify library. The aforementioned diva trio of Mary J Blige, Janet Jackson, and Alicia Keys are topping the bill, which also includes literally dozens more of your faves including Snoop, Usher, Lil Wayne, Nelly AND Nelly Furtado, Ciara, TLC, T-Pain, Akon, Brandy AND Monica AND Eve, Method Man & Redman, Tyrese… and that’s just barely scratching the surface. How they’re going to do it all in one day is a total mystery.
What’s the Lovers & Friends 2024 lineup?
The better question is, what shouldn’t you bring? Most bags aren’t allowed inside, with the exception of clutch purses and fanny packs. All other bags need to be clear and smaller than 12” x 6” x 12”. Water hydration packs are allowed but must be empty on the way in. You can bring your vapes, GoPros, misters, and cooling towels. It’s usually fairly warm in May, so shorts, tanks, and tees are good daywear, though you may want to bring some layers as it could cool down dramatically at night.
What should I bring to Lovers & Friends?
You can expect a myriad of options on the field. And, of course, Vegas has an insane amount of restaurants for any taste or budget before or after the show, including the classic Golden Steer directly across the street and Mother Wolf at the Fontainebleau closeby.
What are the Lovers & Friends food options?
Though no drugs or drug paraphernalia are allowed, weed is legal in Vegas and vapes are specifically included in the allowed section of the FAQ, so you can judge for yourself what your comfort level is bringing it in.
Can I bring weed to Lovers & Friends?
There are port-a-potties for GA attendees, but if you get GA+ or VIP there will be air-conditioned bathrooms for you to use as well.
What’s the Lovers & Friends bathroom situation?
It’s Vegas, baby: Where isn’t the official afterparty? You can expect to see some of the performers from the festival out in the clubs afterwards (though you should expect steep prices to get into said clubs). Last year, Sean Paul, DJ Snake, and more turned up (and down for what) all over the Strip.
Where’s the official Lovers & Friends afterparty?
Though the lineup is impossibly stacked, that doesn’t mean you’re going to see all your favorite artists. The festival grounds are huge and walking between stages is a chore, so when set times come out be prepared to be at least a little disappointed to, for example, miss Fabolous if you really wanted to see Ginuwine. Man, this thing runs deep!
What should every Lovers & Friends first-timer know?
2. There is NO parking at the festival grounds so be prepared to Uber or taxi. Another option is parking at a hotel further down the Strip and then taking the monorail to the Sahara stop.
3. Personally, I go GA. With so many artists performing across multiple stages, you want to be able to go from stage to stage. I've only seen VIP sections by the main stage.
5. The festival is usually pretty laid back when you first arrive, and it's easy to get around. But, be warned, it gets very crowded as the night goes on and it gets harder to get around. So be ready to scope out a place and park it at some point.
8. Hopefully Milkshake Wasted comes back this year. Be prepared, no one takes cash.
10. The bathrooms are actually not bad. They’re much better than ones I've dealt with at other festivals. But if you’re concerned, head over to Sahara or Resorts World and use the bathroom there.
festivals
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Ashley Osborn is a Los Angeles based professional photographer and creative director with a passion for music, documentary, and lifestyle photography. She grew up in Minneapolis and picked up her first camera when she was only six years old. She is fortunate enough to have spent a lot of time on the road during her career with bands such as Twenty One Pilots and Bring Me The Horizon and has documented some of the world’s most influential women in music including Beyoncé, Selena Gomez, Billie Eilish, Jessie J, Avril Lavigne, Kesha, PVRIS.
Photo courtesy Alan Sabido/Lovers&Friends
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Photo courtesy Luther Redd/Lover&Friends
You always want to get a map, or get the app. It can be crazy to get from point A to point B, but you'll want to explore. There are maps all over the festival as well, it can feel like a mini city. There are also beautiful pockets where you can lay in the grass or grab a bite to eat. It’s always really quiet by the Grove Stage over on the west side by the main entrance. That's my favorite place to escape.
Michelle Fisher is a Las Vegas local who has been to Lovers & Friends every year since it started. Some of her favorite things to do are attending concerts, exploring new restaurants, interior decorating her condo, and spoiling her amazing pitbull, Jimi.
Meet the Annotator
Ashley Osborn is a Los Angeles based professional photographer and creative director with a passion for music, documentary, and lifestyle photography. She grew up in Minneapolis and picked up her first camera when she was only six years old. She is fortunate enough to have spent a lot of time on the road during her career with bands such as Twenty One Pilots and Bring Me The Horizon and has documented some of the world’s most influential women in music including Beyoncé, Selena Gomez, Billie Eilish, Jessie J, Avril Lavigne, Kesha, PVRIS.
Be prepared with lots of different clothing options. I always have a poncho in my bag ready to go. Trying to buy one downtown can be expensive. Look into bringing a kit with sunscreen, poncho, sunglasses, and hat—essentials going into any festival.
Be prepared with lots of different clothing options. I always have a poncho in my bag ready to go. Trying to buy one downtown can be expensive. Look into bringing a kit with sunscreen, poncho, sunglasses, and hat—essentials going into any festival.
Photo by Jonah Rosenberg for Thrillist
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[I've been] playing at Jazz Fest probably since I was about four or five years old. Just being able to share the stage with The Neville Brothers on the closing set, since I was about 12 years old, has always been a big memory to me. Though it happened multiple times, I just could never get over how great that felt, being able to be with the people whose shoulders I stand on.
If you're staying in the French Quarter, catch a pedicab. That's always a cool ride. I see a lot of people on those things whenever I'm driving down Esplanade Street to get to the festival. And sometimes they'll get off and stop at certain neighborhoods, like my neighborhood, Treme, and get some food. I think that's a cool way to get there, and it's quicker, too.
There's no right or wrong way when you're at Jazz Fest. All of it is like paradise.
the new Fontainebleau hotel,
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7. I saw a lot of people passing out from the heat the first year. Thank goodness [organizers] learned from their mistakes and made sure to provide way more shade and allow ins and outs, so you can get out of the sun and into some AC.
6. My best advice is comfy shoes, sunscreen, and HYDRATE.
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9. Just bring some edibles with you.
The lineup this year is amazing! Janet! Alicia Keys! Usher! Nas! Backstreet Boys! And those are just the top headliners. Those of us who grew up in the '90s cannot ask for more! I've gone to the festival all three years, some of my favorites from the past were Jodeci, Miguel, and Missy Elliott.
I love the Mango Freeze and the Crawfish Monica!
My best advice is comfy shoes, sunscreen, and HYDRATE.
Hopefully Milkshake Wasted comes back this year. Be prepared, no one takes cash.
Editor’s Note: Thrillist’s Guide to Live Music in 2024 is your go-to resource for navigating the most travel-worthy music events of the year. For festival guides like this, we asked past attendees, musical artists, and mega fans to add their personal anecdotes, unexpected highlights, and insider tips through annotations.
Read more guides and stories here.
Update: Lovers & Friends 2024 was canceled due to weather, according to festival organizers.
Photo courtesy Alan Sabido/Lovers&Friends
The Truly Honest, Very Detailed Guide to Lovers & Friends This Year
How to make the most of your time at the festival and in
Las Vegas, complete with extra tips from a local super fan.
Guide by Jeff Miller
Annotations by Michelle Fisher
Jeff Miller is the founding editor of Thrillist LA. Find him on Insta at @jeffmillerla.
Allie Conti is a journalist who has been working in print and digital media for more than a decade. She's previously been a staff writer at VICE and the Miami New Times, and is a contributor to the New York Times and New York Magazine among other outlets. She was the creator and host of the popular investigative podcast VIGILANTE, and has been interviewed about her reporting on NPR, WNYC, WBUR, and NBC Nightly News. A graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, she lives in Brooklyn, but can sometimes admit to herself that Philly is probably a superior city.
Photo by Jonah Rosenberg for Thrillist
Editor’s Note: Thrillist’s Guide to Live Music in 2024 is your go-to resource for navigating the most travel-worthy music events of the year. For festival guides like this, we asked past attendees, musical artists, and mega fans to add their personal anecdotes, unexpected highlights, and insider tips through annotations. Read more guides and stories here.
Photo courtesy Greg Noire/Lovers&Friends
Photo courtesy Greg Noire/Lovers&Friends
Photo courtesy Greg Noire/Lovers&Friends
Photo courtesy Alan Sabido/Lovers&Friends
Photo courtesy Greg Noire/Lovers&Friends
Photo courtesy Greg Noire/Lovers&Friends
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