All About Electric Forest Festival

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Rothbury, Michigan, USA

Open-air

XL – 20k-50k

Electronic

$$$$

Live music

+3 Days

Electric Forest is a multi-genre festival that brings together music and art in a breathtaking atmosphere.

Here’s everything you need to know about Electric Forest festival. 

The original event began as Rothbury festival

Electric Forest Festival originated as Rothbury Music festival in 2008, named upon its location of Rothbury in Michigan. Its first edition ran from 3- 6 July, drawing 30,202 festival-goers.

Grant Township, where the festival is held in Michigan, received a $2 donation for each ticket sold. According to the Muskegon Chronicle, the festival raised a total of $60,404.

After presenting two successful editions in 2008 and 2009, the festival did not return in 2010. The organizers said that the festival would not take place in 2010 as they were not able to host the great line-up that people have witnessed in the previous years, due to artists’ recording and touring schedules.

In 2011, the festival returned as Electric Forest. The main Odeum Stage, which hosted famous performances by Dave Matthews Band, the Dead, and The String Cheese Incident, was replaced by The Ranch Arena, which became the main stage.

Electric Forest features the best electronic music

The festival is popular for the great electronic music that attracts large crowds of dance music enthusiasts and fans of this genre. Electric Forest has hosted electronic music icons such as Porter Robinson and Sylvan Esso.

Throughout the years, some of the biggest names in the music industry have graced the stage of Electric Forest. The festival features local and international music artists who set the stage on fire.

Kygo, Odesza, and Bassnectar have all performed at the festival in the past few years.

In 2014, the event was completely sold out for the first time

Electric Forest festival sold out for the first time in 2014, as a large crowd of people arrived to immerse themselves in the event’s eclectic atmosphere. The 2014 edition hosted some top headliners including Andy C, The String Cheese Incident, and Papadosio. This marked the arrival and cementing of Electric Forest in the music festival scene, making it one of the top festivals in the US.

The festival is nestled amid a natural setting

The festival, which takes place in the magnificent Sherwood Forest, blends the natural grandeur with an eclectic atmosphere.

During the day, attendees  will have the chance to explore the breathtaking scenery while lounging on a hammock tied up to the trees. Upon nightfall, festival-goers will be amazed as the scene transforms to a  vibrant atmosphere like no other.

Electric Forest offers several lodging options 

For those who would like to make the most of their festival experience, camping is a recommended option.

The festival provides attendees with several accommodation options including Camp Hush, which is a quiet campground, and the Effortless Camping, which has a pre-set tent.

The festival features many activities

Besides music and entertainment, Electric Forest offers festival-goers creative opportunities to take part in contests, artistic projects, and so much more.

The Brainery workshop is one of the activities, which invites people to share their passions and unique skill sets with other festival-goers. The festival also features The Wish Machine which inspires people to take action and create a plan to make the world a better place.

The festival showcases several workshops and contests that increase people’s engagement and encourage them to take part in this one-of-a-kind experience.

Electric Forest’s format has changed over the years

In its inaugural edition, the festival was four days long including one weekend. In 2017, the festival was split into two weekends for the first time. This format remained the same in 2018’s edition.

The event switched back to its original format in 2019.

There was a special edition of Electric Forest 2020 

Aiming to celebrate the festival’s 10th anniversary, the organizers wanted to go  above and beyond to host an event unlike any other. The festival’s 2020 edition was about to feature a lineup of some top-tier musicians including The String Cheese Incident, Flume, and Major Lazer.

But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Electric Forest organizers decided to postpone the event for September 2020. The Rothbury Village Council rejected the proposed postponement, which resulted in the cancellation of the festival’s 2020 edition.

So instead, the organizers launched a special edition of the festival the same year, allowing people to tune into Electric Forest Radio all weekend long and indulge in a unique entertainment program featuring music, meditation, and much more.

In 2022, festival-goers can buy some NFT collections

Besides the great experience that the festival guarantees, Electric Forest is also riding the wave of technological innovation.

In this upcoming edition, AEG Presents is collaborating with NFTs startup Autograph to release some NFT collections and activations for Electric Forest, in addition to other music festivals including BUKU, Hangout Music festival, and Firefly.

There is always something new to experience at Electric Forest festival. This festival returns every year with an outstanding lineup and some must-try activities. Get ready to lose yourself amid terrific music and some adventurous camping.