Escapade festival Stylz

It's year six and Ottawa’s popular Escapade festival continues to host some of the biggest names in electronic dance music. Deadmau5, Zeds Dead, Mark Knight and Tiesto have all headlined the festival in the past. However, along with the music and its various sub-genres, the EDM culture also brings with it a unique style and, for those involved, a collective of like-minded people ready to dance and get lost in the rhythm.

"It's not just the music. The sense of community draws people," Pasquale Rotella, producer of the documentary film Under the Electric Sky, told the Huffington Post. The doc centers around this community during the largest dance and music festival in the United States, the Electric Daisy Carnival.

Though nowhere near the size of EDC, Escapade has grown steadily over the last six years. The first festival debuted in 2010 and attracted only a few hundred people. Last year's fest saw 30,000+ descend upon the Rideau Carleton Raceway and even more are expected this year to take part in a culture this is only expanding.

Ottawa Life photographer Andre Gagne was on hand to capture some of the flash and fashion of Escapade 2016!

Ottawa Life’s Festival City Series will provide a unique look at some of your favourite summer events.We’ll go beyond the music with artist interviews, volunteer profiles, concert reviews and spotlights on the tastes, sights and sounds of the festival season. Your city! Your festivals! Your summer! Like a good sunscreen, Ottawa Life has you covered.

All photos by Andre Gagne