Create & Cultivate isn’t your average conference, and this weekend proved it.
Over 2,000 people pulled up to downtown L.A. on Saturday and Sunday, July 19–20, for the two-day creator-first festival, where mavn partnered on a pop-up stacked with creators, panels, and surprise appearances. And when Becky G made her entrance? She instantly became one of the most talked-about guests.
The 28-year-old Grammy-nominated singer (whose real name is Rebecca Gomez) stepped into the festival’s Creator Compound to talk about navigating the industry as a proud Latina. She wore a sharp beige pantsuit with a deep V blazer—no shirt underneath—and crisp white heels.
While Gomez brought the surprise star power, creators like Tessa Brooks kept the momentum going. With over 30 million followers across platforms, she took the stage to talk about pivoting from content into long-term impact. The Challenge champ Tori Deal also showed up, hosting a panel on authenticity and signing copies of her new kids’ book called The Adventures of Bumble Pea and Koala Pear: The Search for Syrup.
The festival, dubbed a “Coachella for career women,” was built around four stages: content, business, sports, and food. Speakers included Ciara, Ayesha Curry, Sophia Bush, Jhené Aiko, and Brittany Snow. There were flash tattoos, brow bars, and enough brand activations to make your feed scroll for days.
“We brought it to life and the things that the audience wants,” Create & Cultivate CEO Marina Middleton told KTLA. “They want music, they want fun, they want activation, they want to learn. And above all, they want to connect and network.”
The AI-powered “Connect Garden” helped attendees do just that—pairing people up for networking sessions based on what (or who) they were looking for. “We wanted this festival, but also with like real tangible takeaway,” Middleton continued.
By Sunday afternoon, the mavn space had become a go-to hangout.
With collabs from Zillow, Hendrick’s Gin, and Milagro Tequila, mavn hosted over 50 influencers and closed out the weekend with a live set from rising artist Diner.
If you missed it, don’t stress—Create & Cultivate already confirmed the festival will return to L.A. next year on September 19–20, 2026.
