Electric Forest, our favorite music festival, returns to Rothbury, Michigan this weekend! The festival officially starts on Thursday June 27 and the party goes until Sunday June 30. Festival-goers with an early arrival ticket will starting setting up camp on Wednesday June 26. This festival is very special to us and we are over the moon excited to share our Forest experience. We want to share our best Forest tips and tricks to ensure the most magical Forest experience!
Check out our review of Electric Forest 2018!
Check out our review of Electric Forest 2017 Week One!
Check out our review of Electric Forest 2017 Week Two!
Electric Forest is more than just a music festival. This festival masterpiece is carefully and beautifully created to provide a once in a life time experience for festival goers. The members of the Forest have curated special stages and areas to host workshops, classes, meet-ups, and lots of other special surprises. The Forest has so much to offer and so much to see, so a little guidance goes a long way.
Before we dive in.. still need a Forest ticket?
EF OFFICIAL TICKET EXCHANGE: Missed your chance at #EF2019 tickets during the On Sale? Have a ticket but now can’t make it? The NEW Electric Forest Official Ticket Exchange is the place to buy and sell wristbands for Electric Forest 2019. Learn more here!
Top 10 Tips for a Magical Forest Experience
1 – Leave expectations at home
Often we find ourselves going into a festival with high expectations. When those expectations aren’t met, we are disappointed. So come in with no expectations! I promise you will not leave upset, this is one of the best musical festivals on the planet. It’s just better with no expectations 😉
2. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
Safety is always number one, especially at Electric Forest. It gets super hot during the day, so buy extra water for the weekend. There are water stations setup all throughout the festival and campgrounds, so stay stocked up on water, it’s literally a life-saver.
3. Bring clothes for the heat, cold and rain
Electric Forest has very diverse weather. For daytime, prepare for the heat! Daytime temperatures usually range from the high 70s to mid 80s. At nighttime, it gets very cold! It’s not always cold at the stages, but the walk back to the campsite can be a bit chilly. For nighttime, expect temperatures in the 60s. Remember, it’s always better to be prepared than unprepared, so bring clothes and gear for the rain. In past years Electric Forest has experienced rain storms, so make sure you and your campsite are prepared for the worst. Bring ponchos, rain boots, umbrellas, whatever you need to survive a thunderstorm.
4. Bring a hammock
If you have a hammock, make sure to pack it! If you don’t, I highly recommend getting one before if possible. The Forest is the perfect place to lounge around. Whether it be during the day or at night, hammocks are always a move at the Forest. Some areas may have hammocks already setup, but we recommend bringing your own.
5. Get Involved!
There is SO much to do at Electric Forest! Obviously there are sets all day and night at all the stages, but there is way more than that! There are amazing programs to help people get involved such as Her Forest. This program helps connect women coming to Electric Forest by uniting them for the weekend.
The Brainery, will be offering workshops all weekend to help festival goers learn new skills, play fun games, and interact in new ways with one another. There will also be yoga every morning for all the Forest yogis. Get involved, it makes a huge difference in your festival experience!
6. Visit The Hangar
The Hangar is located inside the festival and offers wonderful services. The Hangar is home to barbers, massage therapists, makeup artists and much more. Go get your beauty on at The Hangar and find special surprises 😉
7. Party at The Renegade stages
The RV campsites typically throw renegade stages every night. The Forest usually closes around 4am and after that the renegade stages go on all night long! The renegade stages are usually located near RV camping and have unique lineups for every night. Special guests make appearances at the renegade stages every year, so make sure to stop by for late night dance sessions. There’s nothing like partying at the renegade stages until the sun comes up, that Electric Forest sunrise is a must-see.
8. Pick up your trash
The Prize Cart is an interactive program created to help keep the Forest clean. This cart goes around after all the main sets at the big stages and hands out prizes in return for trash. Some prizes have little value while some are worth a lot. The more trash you pick up, the better the prize and the more the Forest will thank you. You can also earn Eco Points by collecting trash throughout the weekend and turning it in. Reduce, reuse, recycle.
9. Bring gifts for the giving tree
Electric Forest has a huge giving tree filled with fascinating finds. Some festival goers will climb to the top of the tree and hide valuable treasures in hard to reach areas. These are left to be found by daring tree climbers. Whether you have the adventurous spirit to climb the tree or not, there is something for everyone. You can’t take something unless you leave something, so make sure to bring a gift for the giving tree.
10. Get Lost in the Forest!
Sometimes, you have to get lost to be found… and Electric Forest is the best place is to lose and find yourself. We love catching sets and dancing the night away, but there is nothing like getting lost in the Forest. There are so many incredible and immersive art installations scattered around with secret hidden treasures. We highly recommend spending a day just enjoying the Forest with no agenda. In the past years, these days have been some of our favorite memories.
