In the high-stakes world of festival production, few figures are as influential as Megan Perez-Carpenter. As the Senior Producer of Music and Content for Lightning in a Bottle and the mastermind behind the iconic Do LaB stage at Coachella, she has spent years refining a curatorial approach that balances instinct, community, and a rigorous commitment to equity.
A Holistic Approach to Festival Curation
For Perez-Carpenter, the role of a talent buyer extends far beyond simply booking headliners. Her responsibilities encompass a vast creative umbrella, from programming ambient late-night lounges like the Moon Room to overseeing workshops, yoga, and family-oriented content. Because her team operates as a lean, agile unit, she remains deeply involved in every facet of the process, from initial contract negotiations to the granular details of on-site execution.
The cycle of festival planning is relentless. According to Perez-Carpenter, the work for the next edition begins almost the moment the current one concludes. By the time she returns home and catches up on sleep, the strategic planning for the following year—including headliner offers and creative direction—is already well underway.
Championing Equity in Lineup Design
One of the most significant challenges facing the modern festival landscape is the systemic lack of diversity in booking. Perez-Carpenter is vocal about the need for intentionality, noting that if equity is not a foundational goal, it is rarely achieved by accident. She rejects the notion that diversifying a lineup requires a sacrifice in quality, emphasizing that every artist she books is selected for their talent and artistic merit.
Her strategy involves holding agencies accountable. When faced with submission lists that lack representation, she has taken the firm stance of returning those lists to agents with requests for more inclusive rosters. By pressuring the industry to look beyond the traditional, male-dominated pools of talent, she is helping to shift the standard for what a festival lineup can and should look like.
The Future of Festival Experiences
Beyond the logistics of booking, Perez-Carpenter is deeply attuned to what audiences are craving in an increasingly digital world. She observes a growing fatigue with the industry’s obsession with massive, headline-driven spectacles. Instead, she believes fans are returning to the roots of rave culture: a desire for authenticity, community, and trust in the promoter.
This shift is reflected in the success of Lightning in a Bottle, which recently saw its first sellout since 2018 after pivoting toward more intentional, experience-based programming. Whether she is curating surprise back-to-back sets at Do LaB or fostering new talent, Perez-Carpenter remains focused on creating spaces where connection takes precedence over social media metrics. As she continues to shape the future of festival culture, her work serves as a blueprint for how to build events that are as inclusive as they are unforgettable.
