With 2022 officially here, many of us are looking to leave the qualms of the last year behind us in the name of a fresh start. If this is you, Day Zero is the perfect place from which to do this. Situated in the oasis that is the jungles of Tulum, the immersive electronica festival looks to welcome visitors to enjoy a diverse lineup, including Nina Kraviz and Sidartha Siliceo, on the 10th of January as we are promised an array of captivating performances across its three stages. While music lies at the event’s core, however, it is also a time dedicated to celebrating the themes of reset and spirituality, all of which are nurtured by the festival’s idyllic setting, preserved by the event’s extensive ecological initiatives, and careful curation. And, while all of the above is exciting enough, with the upcoming festivities marking the festival’s 10th anniversary, it becomes all the more magical.

“As we head into 2022, ten years since we began the event, we look to the future of Day Zero whilst repeating some of the many special moments we have created over the years. This time around, I want the event to be futuristic but also to take it back to the source, to remind people about the original ethos behind the experience. The coming together of people to celebrate a new beginning, a new day, especially as we hope to be rid of the pandemic in the next months,” explains the festival’s founder, Damian Lazarus.

Ahead of the upcoming festival, its founder took some time to discuss the origins of the event, how this year will include its most extensive lineup yet and what attendees can expect from this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Head below to enjoy our conversation with Damian Lazarus and head to dayzerofestival.com to buy tickets…

Hey, how are you? How has this year been for you?
I am doing ok thanks for asking. After an extreme creative push in 2020, I started this year a little slower and focused more on spending time with family and friends, both remotely and physically. As the pandemic was pretty fierce at the beginning of the year, I settled into the idea of relaxing and taking it easy for most of the year but my team were actively putting together some bookings from May onwards, mainly in North and South America. I then decided that come May, I would probably be ready to go back out on the road and start touring, so I agreed to play most of the many shows that were offered thinking that most of them would be cancelled due to the virus. But, the Americas remained open and nothing was cancelled, so I ended up playing 3-5 shows a week from May to November. I got vaccinated and boosted so that made my travels feel a little bit safer and I had a lot of fun along the way whilst playing some amazing parties. I’m taking December super easy as I prepare for Day Zero at the start of 2022.

The pandemic has affected people in different ways, how do you think it has changed the festival world?
Firstly, from the perspective of the DJ, it’s a strange conundrum because whilst you’re itching to get back to the dancefloor and let yourself go, you have this worry that whilst there are protocols in place, it may not be safe and there are still people in hospital fighting for their lives. Secondly, from the perspective of the promoter, it’s possibly the most challenging time I’ve ever known because you need to plan events so far in advance and with very few companies prepared to cover you for insurance at this time, you stand the chance of losing everything you have. Way before putting tickets on sale for an event, you are spending money on permits, booking artists, securing sound and lighting, marketing and most of this will be lost if the event is cancelled due to a new wave of the virus. Creating a festival during a pandemic has to be one of the worst, most stressful jobs ever, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. But when you know that the result of the hard work will enrich the lives of people as much as they do at this event, it makes all the stress worthwhile.

Talk us through the conception of Day Zero, what made you want to start this and why electronica music?
I was looking for positive meaning in the approach to the “end of the Mayan calendar” back in 2012, and I realised that maybe what the Mayans were suggesting was not the apocalypse, not the end of the world, but instead an opportunity for a new beginning, an opportunity to reset. I created Day Zero to celebrate Mayan culture and its traditions, set against the backdrop of a sustainable music and arts festival in the heart of the Tulum jungle, with electronic music beating as its pulse. The event was initially created as a one-off, but during the festival, I felt a connection between people that I had only ever experienced at Burning Man, and I decided that we should make it again the following year.

And now you’ve reached your 10th anniversary, looking back on the years what has been a focal moment?
As we head into 2022, ten years since we began the event, we look to the future of Day Zero whilst repeating some of the many special moments we have created over the years. This time around, I want the event to be futuristic but also to take it back to the source, to remind people about the original ethos behind the experience. The coming together of people to celebrate a new beginning, a new day, especially as we hope to be rid of the pandemic in the next months. Our performance team are creating new experiences every year which tell a story if you pay close attention. Usually, there are 4 tribes depicted that all come from different backgrounds with certain skills and powers; they each have their own areas and are seen separately throughout the event and come together only for the morning sunrise ceremony that is always an extremely magical moment complete with coloured smoke, larger than life-size puppets and flowers. This moment at the event is always a very special and emotionally charged spectacle. Another highlight since the creation of Day Zero is when we found our second location, the magical mountain of Masada in the Dead Sea area of Israel, which in 2019, 15,000 people attended the inaugural experience.

Why did you choose Tulum as a destination, and how are you guys going about protecting it?
I discovered Tulum 15 years ago and have been visiting there 2-3 times a year since. It is a very special place for me. The convergence of ocean and jungle set against the backdrop of the Mayan ruins is the perfect area for us to create this magical experience. It is necessary to remind people of the importance of the natural habitat around us and for us to lead the way in taking care of the environment – for example, we rid ourselves of single-use plastic, we use biofuel for our generators, we offset the carbon footprints of all staff and artists, on site separation of trash, cigarette butts are collected and recycled. We work closely with the local city officials, and they support our efforts to create an eco-friendly and safe event, at all times reminding our audience to be conscious of their surroundings and to help us leave no trace so that we can return the area of the festival back to its original natural form after we leave. We work closely with local sustainable activist groups and with the local community to collaborate on a number of issues, including things like protecting coral in the ocean. Our efforts are documented under the banner of Crosstown Consciousness, a non for profit wing of my Crosstown Rebels business.

What is a highlight for you in terms of this year’s festival?
We have 3 stages at Day Zero Tulum; the Main Stage, The Club and El Teatro. This year we are blessed to have our strongest lineup of artists ever, and the theme and costumes planned for the performers are out of this world. New art and installations will be created all over the site, and the experience will be simply magical.

What is your overall goal in creating this event?
To celebrate ancient civilisations and their history, marrying this creatively and artistically with the best in electronic music, bringing the best party people from all over the world to gather together to reset, realign and rave.

What do you hope 2022 brings?
An end to the pandemic, a return to a more normal life but with a new, conscious way of thinking as we move forward and hopefully the ability for us to create a Day Zero experience in Europe for the first time.