Chappell Roan says it best: “What we really need is a Femininomenon.”
Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields Festival delivered exactly that: a day proving what happens when women come together to make a difference in our world.
Insert Daisy Chain Fields.
In the middle of Irvine, California, a giant orange daisy-stickered balloon floated over The Great Park, signaling the start of the inaugural festival.
The festival was founded on the belief that joy, community, and creativity can inspire meaningful change. It exceeded that mission. Despite the 95-degree humid temperatures blanketing The Great Park, the girlies came together for a day of music, crafts, community, and connection. I spent the day experiencing all the festival offered, from music to crafts, brand activations, art installations, community, and joy.
Daisy Chain drew its inspiration from Lilith Fair, launched in 1997 by Sarah McLachlan, at a time when radio wouldn’t play two women back-to-back; the festival carried that same spirit forward.
You know that creative side the festival wanted you to experience? Well, for their first festival activation ever, Etsy designed the Etsy Creative Village, an IRL marketplace for fans to shop and create from Etsy sellers, all from women-owned businesses, part of Olivia Rodrigo’s Official Daisy Chain Fields Collection. The village included a bead fountain to design your own safety-pin keychains, a parlor with custom temporary tattoos and fairy hair tinsel. Embroidery patches were available for purchase, and even a junk journaling station from ByJasmini.
“I think the entire purpose of the festival and everything Olivia is championing for really resonates with me. Standing up for girls and all the non-profits she’s supporting is really great. I have to show up and give the journal community a product they can take home with a reminder of the day. It’s been so great to see the community come out here. I’ve met a lot of my followers in the junk journaling community who made me an incredibly sweet bracelet,” ByJasmini told The WiMN.
The stacked line-up spanned genres and generations, from 90s punk rock band Bikini Kill to Doechii to Mitski and Garbage. The lineup also featured Devon Again, Eli, Die Spitz, Quiet Light, Rachel Chinouriri, Not For Radio, Santigold, and The Breeders. The night ended with incredible sets from Chappell Roan, Not For Radio, and the woman of the hour, Olivia Rodrigo, who brought out some of her own musical inspirations. Sarah McLachlan joined for a two-song set with a tribute to Dolly Parton, Stevie Nicks closed the night with a stunning duet of “Landslide,” and Alanis Morissette surprised the crowd with a performance of “Ironic.”
But what made this festival special was that the entire time I was there, I felt I was there for the good of the cause. Heading into the festival, Olivia Rodrigo announced that $10 million had been raised for the ten non-profits represented at the event. That announcement truly put into perspective how monumental an occasion this was going to be. At the start of Olivia’s set, she came out to thank the 45,000-person crowd, the artists who performed for free in support of the mission, and to share the collective impact this festival was already making. But then she surprised the crowd with a special announcement from none other than Melinda Gates herself, who pledged to match the $10 million raised to $20 million for the non-profits present.
If Daisy Chain Fields proved anything, it’s that we continue to need more festivals like it. Festivals that can inspire, make a difference, and bring a community together. This one was truly for the girls.
The WiMN can say we were part of herstory. It was an honor to stand with all the women who showed up for one another and celebrate all the women and girls. Until next year, Daisy Chain!
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