Sun City Music Festival is just days away now. Whether you’re traveling to the festival by plane, train, or automobile, some of you are making your way to the area from different parts of the country. We all know how difficult it can be to navigate through a city you aren’t familiar with, so to save you some time and trouble, we’ve created this quick reference guide so you can arrive at Ascarate Park worry-free.

Getting to Sun City Music Festival

Save some money and the environment, carpool with you friends!

Ascarate Park

The third annual Sun City Music Festival returns to Ascarate Park this coming weekend. Disco Donnie Presents and SMG Events are excited to convert El Paso County’s largest public recreational park into a playground complete with three stages full of music, vendors, art installations, and so much more. At a whopping 448 total acres, Ascarate Park serves as the perfect backdrop to SCMF’s audiovisual experience.

Address: 6900 Delta Dr, El Paso, TX 79905

From I-10 East

Take exit Geronimo and turn Left at Geronimo. Turn Left on Trowbridge and Drive forward until Delta Dr. Make a left onto Delta dr. Continue to until you reach the second light. Turn left on Ascarate Park Road.

From I-10 West

Exit Trowbridge and turn Right at Trowbridge and Drive forward until Delta dr. Make a left onto Delta Dr. Continue to until you reach the second light. Turn left on Ascarate Park Road.

From TX-375

Loop East or West exit Fonseca Blvd and Proceed Northeast on Fonseca, make a right onto delta and Turn right on Ascarate Park Road.

El Paso International Airport (ELP)

El Paso International Airport (ELP) is the gateway to West Texas, Southern New Mexico and Northern Mexico. View more information on Commercial and Courtesy Shuttles, Airport Taxies and Car Rentals on the official El Paso Intl. Airport website.

• Address: 6701 Convair Rd El Paso, TX 79925
• Phone: 915-780-4749

El Paso Taxis

• Border Cab Co. 915-533-4245
• Sun City Cab Co. 915-544-2211
• United Independent Cab Co. 915-590-8294

Parking

There is a $5.00 fee for parking within the park and all parking will be available on a first come, first serve basis.

Sun City Music Festival talent Armin van Buuren is always on the move – whether through creating music in his studio, or on his way to the next club or festival around the globe. This year certainly falls in line with his enduring momentum. His fifth and latest studio album Intense, released on Armada Music, features hit single “This Is What It Feels Like” which is fervently climbing up Billboard’s Dance/Electronic chart and is even crossing over to top 40 radio. “It’s not just love for music, it’s my passion. It goes beyond liking, and beyond a hobby, it’s about a way of living. Music is essential to my life.” We couldn’t agree with you more, Armin!

For over 15 years, Armin has been building his international success. A Christmas baby born in Leiden, Netherlands, he grew up in a musical family which ignited Armin’s passion for music at an early age. He spent all the money he earned on his paper route on records. And when his mom won a computer when he was 10, it was all over with. “So as a little nerdy kid I was writing my own basic programs, and learnt about the technology from there.”

Always a man with a plan, Armin thought it was wise to have a back-up plan to his goal of creating music for a living. So he began studying for a law degree. The final year of his schooling had to be stretched out, however, because he had to juggle studies with a hectic touring schedule. It was around this time that his early remixes and originals were gaining popularity. Though it may have taken him three years to graduate, it is his determination that made him succeed. He now has his Masters in law, but his love will always be music. “I see it as my responsibility to promote trance as a genre and I want to support it in every way I can. Music should connect us. As long as the music keeps evolving like it is, I will continue and I don’t see any reason to slow it down.”

And why would he slow down? His albums 76 (2003), Shivers (2005), Imagine (2008) and Mirage (2010) have all reached gold status in The Netherlands. Armin is now the five-time winner of the #1 position on the critically acclaimed DJ Mag’s Top 100 poll – no doubt, as the result of his ingenuity in the studio and unmatched humility. Even with the pressure that comes with being the world’s most popular DJ, Armin has always kept his focus on the music. And that’s exactly what keeps him going.

Husband and father by day; world’s #1 DJ at night. Armin has been quoted to say, “Don’t be a prisoner of your own style.” You’ll get to see the legend close out our Sun City stage this Labor Day weekend for the return of Texas’s largest dance music event, Sun City Music Festival. Buy your tickets today!

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As the month of August powers on, Sun City Music Festival draws nearer and nearer. Going down at Ascarate Park in El Paso, Texas’ largest dance music festival makes its return on August 31st and September 1st. Have you bought your passes yet?

Today, were clashing the sounds of two of our house artists. Though one dabbles in the Dutch and big-room varieties and the other in the tribal and tech varieties, fans of Deorro and Stefano Noferini can agree that the two talents are machines when it comes to banging out chart-topping hits with their signature sound – no matter just how different those two sounds may be.

Deorro

Los Angeles native Deorro began his DJ career at the ripe age of 14, but it wasn’t until he was 17 that Deorro would begin producing his own tracks. His early productions were under the moniker Ton!c. After he began uploading his music to SoundCloud, he was deemed a sensation by the musical platform shortly thereafter, releasing albums Fire and Voodoo which have garnered over one million downloads online. In late 2011, Ton!c signed one of his most popular tracks “Big Fat” to BIP Records, expanding his fan base. The single made its way up Beatport’s Top 20 electro house chart, along with tracks like “Bounce,” “Get Up,” and “Faster Horses” have all seen high rankings on the infamous music retailer.

Now as Deorro, the panda bear loving artist is quickly turning into one of the fastest rising talents in the dance music industry. Releasing some top quality Dutch electro and progressive influenced bangers, Deorro is influenced by many styles like drumstep, house, trance, heavy electro, and even some moombahcore elements, creating a sound that is uniquely his own. You can join the #PandaFam when Deorro comes to El Paso for the third annual Sun City Music Festival. Tickets are available online, purchase yours today!

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Stefano Noferini

Sun City talent Stefano Noferini has a golden touch when it comes to choosing dance floor destroyers. That’s probably because the Italian artist has been building an arsenal of great music for quite some time now. He first began DJing in 1996 and his first production was released in the same year. He scored his first official debut on an Italian independent label a few years later and the rest, is history.

As his production library expanded over the years, so did his fan ship. Stefano played a pivotal role in Italy’s burgeoning house music scene thanks in part to his national radio show Club Edition, forging a bond with his country that still resonates today. The show is currently heard by millions of people in over 15 countries worldwide. Even though his show aids in his expanding global reach, it is his incredible live sets that keep fans coming back for more. Often called a DJ’s DJ, Stefano has an innate ability to pick tracks that make you want to dance and mixes them with a technical prowess that is unmatched by most. Utilizing percussive poly-rhythms in his tech house grooves, Stefano’s signature sound is always very energetic and lively.

Stefano is a mastermind producer in almost every aspect of house music. Over the years, he has revisited the tribal influences of his earlier career but it is his balance between techno and tech house that dominates his current productions. A prime example of this Beatport main chart toppers “Mama” and “Burajava” released in 2010. But it was his collaboration with Matteo Marini and Sylvia Tosun on the track “Push ‘n’ Pull” that soared to #1 in the US Billboard Dance Chart and earned him the right to be called Beatport’s “Breakout Artist of the Year” in 2010, and be nominated as their “Artist of the Year” in 2011.

Armed with a deep crate of sexy tech-inspired tunes, get ready as Stefano Noferini makes his way to El Paso for Sun City Music Festival. Buy your tickets today!

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Another year of Sun City Music Festival is just days away, and in preparation with the upcoming event, we have a few ticket reminders to make sure you have a fun and carefree Sun City experience.

If you haven’t bought your tickets to the festival yet, don’t fret! Online ticket sales will continue on through to the day of the event. Please beware of frauds and scalpers.

Ticket Warning

Sun City Music Festival urges our patrons to beware of fraud and counterfeit tickets, whether online or in the parking lot of the event. Please do not buy tickets from scalpers. To assure the authenticity of your ticket purchase, please only purchase tickets from authorized ticket outlets. Authorized ticket outlets include the SunCityMusicFestival.com website, Eventbrite.com website, and any retail locations listed on the ticketing page of the Sun City Music Festival website.

DO NOT REMOVE YOUR WRISTBAND. Tickets and wristbands will not be reissued under any circumstance and are not transferable, so please hold onto them.

Sun City Music Festival will take place rain or shine. The acts we advertise have confirmed their appearance, however acts are subject to change without notice. Please guard your tickets carefully. Prices will increase and tickets may sell out as allotments run out, so please buy early to get the best pricing.

The long-time producing DJ Markus Schulz has had a dizzying year. He’s been nominated for five International Dance Music Awards and been voted “Best American DJ.” However, Markus is not one to sit on his laurels. Aside from running his widely successful Global DJ Broadcast radio show that reaches millions every week, he’s leading the way at his seven year old imprint, Coldharbour Recordings, one of the most respected trance and progressive labels out right now.

Markus’ story begins in Germany. “I was born in Germany but I moved to the US when I was 13. I still speak fluent German, but my vocabulary only goes up to the age thirteen, which means that in interviews in Germany I must come across as a bit stupid.” As the 90s started to pick up speed, Markus began DJing gay clubs, as they were the only venues where he could play his underground tracks. Expanding his talents, Markus moved to the Las Vegas where the rave scene was fully embracing the German techno in his crate.

For the past decade, Markus has crafted and fine-tuned his multiple trance and house music identities. His most notable identity may be his Dakota alias, which is his outlet for darker, deeper and more progressive sounds as seen on the Thoughts Become Things albums. His more recent identity is with fellow tranceman Ferry Corsten as the New World Punx. The name derives from Ferry Corsten’s massive anthem, “Punk,” and Markus’ hit, “The New World.”

One of the things we love about Markus is his fan-coined nickname the “unicorn slayer,” which describe his signature hard-driving productions. He briefs us on the nick-names history in an interview, “By ‘unicorn,’ people mean tracks with really fluffy melodies. I don’t do this; I’m more into square waves and pitch bends. Somebody tweeted a while ago, ‘Markus Schulz: the unicorn slayer of trance.’ I retweeted it and it trended. Then people started showing up at gigs with ‘unicorn slayer’ T-shirts. When I played at Avalon in Hollywood there was a giant life-sized unicorn with a gogo dancer on top!”

If you’re ready to slay some unicorns, then make your way to Sun City Music Festival coming to Ascarate Park this Labor Day weekend on August 31st and September 1st. Buy your tickets today!

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We regret to inform you, this will be our last Weekend Warriors post for Sun City Music Festival. But rejoice! That just means that the event we’ve been waiting for is right around the corner! You won’t need to warrior through the weekend with mixes next Saturday or Sunday – you’ll be too busy dancing all night.

For the final warriors, we’ve gotta give it up for our headliners. We are so excited to have Tiësto, Armin van Buuren, Steve Aoki, and Alesso performing on our Sun City stage this August 31st and September 1st, but which mixes do we chose?The amount of shows these four have played at is endless!

So, we decided to bring it back to basics. The essential basics. At some point in their careers, all of our headliners have lent their mixing skills to the pivotal radio program Essential Mix hosted by Pete Tong. To close out our weekly Friday journeys, we’re sending you off with four mixes that aren’t just good – they’re essential.

Still don’t have your tickets? Grab your tickets today and secure your spot on the dancefloor with thousands of your closest friends!

Tiësto – Essential Mix July 8, 2005

Armin van Buuren – Essential Mix May 25, 2013

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Alesso – Essential Mix March 24, 2012

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Steve Aoki – Essential Mix October 27, 2012

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Over that past week, we have been steadily releasing the artist schedules by stage for El Paso’s Sun City Music Festival. From the sounds of the underground on the Beatport stage, the bass frenzy over at the Bass Dunes stage, to energy-fueled Sun City main stage, we are super excited to dance the night away August 31st and September 1st under the Lone Star sky.

Just in case you missed the earlier releases, or perhaps you need a recap, here is the complete artist schedule for all three stages at Sun City Music Festival. We’ll see you soon!

Day 1: Saturday, August 31

Sun City Stage

• 12:30 – 02:00 AM Armin van Buuren
• 11:30 – 12:30 AM Steve Aoki
• 10:30 – 11:30 PM Markus Schulz
• 09:30 – 10:30 PM Adventure Club
• 08:30 – 09:30 PM Deniz Koyu
• 07:30 – 08:30 PM Deorro
• 06:15 – 07:30 PM Support Artist: Johnny Kage
• 05:00 – 06:15 PM Support Artist: DJ Technick

Bass Dunes Stage

• 12:30 – 02:00 AM Borgore
• 11:30 – 12:30 AM Crizzly
• 10:30 – 11:30 PM GTA
• 09:30 – 10:30 PM Candyland
• 08:30 – 09:30 PM Kill Paris
• 07:30 – 08:30 PM Ookay
• 06:15 – 07:30 PM Support Artist: Automatic
• 05:00 – 06:15 PM Support Artist: Omar Garnica

Beatport Stage

• 12:30 – 02:00 AM Popof
• 11:15 – 12:30 AM Sébastien Léger
• 10:00 – 11:15 PM Stefano Noferini
• 08:45 – 10:00 PM Michel De Hey
• 07:30 – 08:45 PM Support Artist: Cesar Acosta
• 05:00 – 06:15 PM Support Artist: Anahi Villalobos Chavez

Day 2: Sunday, September 1

Sun City Stage

• 12:30 – 02:00 AM Tiësto
• 11:30 – 12:30 AM Alesso
• 10:30 – 11:30 PM Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike
• 09:30 – 10:30 PM Danny Avila
• 08:30 – 09:30 PM TJR
• 07:30 – 08:30 PM Seven Lions
• 06:30 – 07:30 PM Support Artist: Andrew Parsons
• 05:00 – 06:30 PM Support Artist: Osen

Bass Dunes Stage

• 12:45 – 02:00 AM Dillon Francis
• 11:30 – 12:45 AM Baauer
• 10:30 – 11:30 PM Flosstradamus
• 09:30 – 10:30 PM Zomboy
• 08:30 – 09:30 PM Le Castle Vania
• 07:30 – 08:30 PM Just Blaze
• 06:15 – 07:30 PM Support Artist: Mazoboys
• 05:00 – 06:15 PM Support Artist: DJ Bota

Beatport Stage

• 12:45 – 02:00 AM John Digweed
• 11:00 – 12:45 AM Brodinski and Gesaffelstein
• 10:00 – 11:00 PM Eats Everything
• 09:00 – 10:00 PM Cassy
• 08:00 – 09:00 PM Droog
• 07:00 – 08:00 PM French Fries
• 06:00 – 07:00 PM Support Artist: DJ Rich
• 05:00 – 06:00 PM Support Artist: Zystem

Although he is still considered to be a relative newcomer to the industry, Sun City Music Festival artist Danny Avila is leading the pack of dance music’s next generation of raw talent. Whether it’s his drive or youthful spirit that breathes life into his performances, one thing’s for sure, DJ sets are what set him apart from the competition. So have you bought your tickets yet?

Hailing from Spain, Danny Avila discovered dance music on his own even though his father was and is an interior designer for many of the world’s most famous nightclubs. “I discovered my passion for music, especially electronic music, when I was 12 years old on my own. The fact that my father was designing clubs and hotels in Marbella helped me because his friends who owned the clubs let me into their DJ booth while DJ’s like Fedde Le Grand, Axwell, Erick Morillo and many more were performing. That’s how I had my first contact with big artists and I knew that I wanted to be one of them in the future.” But Danny didn’t just stumble on to music or DJing. In an early interview, he went on to say, “Actually it was not something that I just decided one day. I started DJing in Marbella when I was 12 years old so it’s always been something that I’ve loved doing from a very early age. But even before I started DJing, I played the piano when I was younger, so my life has always revolved around music in one way or another.”

Danny first came to our attention in 2011 after the release of his big-room debut single, “Breaking Your Fall” on Big Beat Records. At the ripe old age of 16, the Spanish prodigy won the ‘Best Newcomer DJ’ at the prestigious Vicious Music Awards that same year and it has been nothing but a string of successes after that. “Breaking Your Fall” led to Danny being highlighted by music industry bible, Billboard in their “21 Under 21: Ones to Watch 2012” list, as well as MTV and Dancing Astronaut’s respective ‘Ones To Watch’ lists, showing his ability to be loved by both the mainstream and underground audiences.

His list of accolades go far beyond any media generated list though. He is also the youngest artist to hold a residency in Las Vegas since the city’s founding, as well as being the youngest Covermount CD artist, the youngest prime-time DJ on US broadcasting behemoth SiriusXM, and has even played on the main stage of some of the most notable festivals all before his 18th birthday. Danny Avila’s relentless ascent into the upper echelons of the music industry continues to pick up speed. Known for his innate track selections that are exploding with energy and are brimming with creativity, his live performances are always bold, fresh, and original.

So to answer your question, Danny, yes. We are ready to jump. Come jump with us when Danny Avila takes the stage at Sun City Music Festival on August 31st and September 1st. Buy your tickets today!

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Cassy may be instantly recognizable for her luscious curls but it is her prowess on vinyl both in and out of the DJ booth that has the house music world completely enthralled by this Sun City talent. Born Catherine Britton in London to a Caribbean father and Austrian mother, Cassy moved to Vienna at an early age, surrounded by a city that was soaked in music history. “There was a great electronic music scene in Austria when I was growing up, and I was listening to everything. It was very diverse. There were trance DJs first, then artists like Kruder & Dorfmeister and a strong techno scene too.”

Cassy had her first taste in the music industry as a vocalist on Autorepeat’s “Music Takes Me Higher” released on Sabotage Records. Encouraged by Electric Indigo to start DJing when she was in her late 20s, productions from the talent were soon to follow. After her first DJ gig in Vienna, she met Dave the Hustler in Geneva and the two began working on a collaborative project for the imprint Mental Groove. Geneva was also where she met Luciano where she would go on to co-produce “La Ondita” on his album Blind Behaviour.

Cassy moved to Berlin in 2003 where she was inspired by the city’s club scene and music. She started working at the highly-revered Hard Wax record store and developed her acumen for vinyl selection. In fact, that love of vinyl has not changed. Cassy is one of the very few DJs who only play records when performing. When asked why she only plays on wax, Cassy said, “Nostalgic reasons, partly. I like watching DJs play vinyl. But the sound is better too. It’s more pleasant, more luxurious. I always buy the real thing, not the fake, even if it’s more expensive or more hassle.”

One thing we love most about Cassy is that she doesn’t stick to one genre — you can always find her gliding between house and techno, incorporating a soulful balance in her DJ sets. Currently holding residencies at four of the world’s leading venues (Panoramabar in Berlin, Trouw in Amsterdam, Rex Club in Paris, and Output in Brooklyn, NYC), it is clear that we aren’t the only one’s who are spellbound by the talented Cassy. We can’t wait to see her juggle some vinyl when she performs on the Beatport stage Sunday, September 1st. Have you bought your tickets yet?

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Over the past few days, we’ve been releasing the artist schedules for our stages at Sun City Music Festival. Spreading over three areas of sound, find out when your favorite artists are playing so you don’t have to miss any awesome sets from our talented roster!

Our main Sun City stage is chock-full of world-renowned acts. On August 31st and September 1st, the stage will feature names like Tiësto, Armin van Buuren, Alesso, Steve Aoki, and loads more!

Tickets are still available to the celebration, so buy your tickets today and secure your spot on the dance floor!

Sun City Stage Schedule: Saturday, August 31

• 12:30 – 02:00 AM Armin van Buuren
• 11:30 – 12:30 AM Steve Aoki
• 10:30 – 11:30 PM Markus Schulz
• 09:30 – 10:30 PM Adventure Club
• 08:30 – 09:30 PM Deniz Koyu
• 07:30 – 08:30 PM Deorro
• 06:15 – 07:30 PM Regional Artists
• 05:00 – 06:15 PM DJ Technick

Sun City Stage Schedule: Sunday, September 1

• 12:30 – 02:00 AM Tiësto
• 11:30 – 12:30 AM Alesso
• 10:30 – 11:30 PM Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike
• 09:30 – 10:30 PM Danny Avila
• 08:30 – 09:30 PM TJR
• 07:30 – 08:30 PM Seven Lions
• 06:30 – 07:30 PM Andrew Parsons
• 05:00 – 06:30 PM Regional Artists