Outdoor Rave Coming To Bonney Field 20 Years After Cal Expo Shut Down Amphitheater

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — An outdoor paint party like you've never seen is set to light up Sacramento, but it's the sounds that neighbors are worried about.

The world-renowned Life In Color Rave will make a stop at Bonney Field at Cal Expo, but concerts at the venue have presented noise issues for neighbors.

The field can fit 12,000 people for concerts, and this one is expected to be a sellout. It's dubbed the world's largest paint party, and thousands will dance in an electronic dance dream in two weeks.

"Cal Expo is in the entertainment business so if people have ideas on what to do on top of soccer and international and national rugby," said Cal Expo CEO Rick Pickering.

The rave will take over the home of the Sacramento Republic FC for the first outdoor music festival at Bonney Field. It was at that site an amphitheater shut down 20 years ago after Cal Expo negotiated a noise settlement with neighbors.

Pickering says a noise monitoring company has been hired to measure and control every beat before and during the party.

"The old speakers 20 years ago used to push sound into the atmosphere—in fact many speakers were angled up," he said. "Now technology focus sound down specific to the audience you're playing to."

The festival will be held just a few weeks before the start of the soccer season.

Cal Expo says it's the tenant's responsibility to clean up, and the company that manages Bonney Field says it has a plan in place.

Neighbor with concerns can call Cal Expo's 24-hour hotline at 916 263 3050.