Electric Forest 2024 was a spectacular event chock-full of incredible performances, boundless art, and infinite possibilities. My weekend was so extraordinary, and I am thankful to the Eforest team and Infamous PR for having me out for the weekend. I'll tell two stories below, the first being an overall look at the festival and what it had to offer, and the second being that of myself and my experience exploring the forest. Let's kick it off with a general overview of each mainstay category of a typical festival: the camping experience, the festival stages, the artwork, and the vendors.
The Camping Experience
EForest offers various camping options, each with access to the necessities and even some extras. Walking around the campsites, everyone had reasonable access to the festival and vibe village, where many vendors and entertainment opportunities ran throughout the day and night. Two late-night stages were located near the campground security checkpoint and offered a variety of late-night acts to satiate even the most ferocious of bass appetites.
The Stages & Special Areas
The festival offered far more performances than the lineup, but we'll stick to the stages now. Of course, catching every act from start to finish is impossible, but this makes everyone's experiences slightly different.
The Tripolee stage found its home at the main entrance to the festival and could be heard from the Vibe Village outside of the festival with relative ease. This stage featured towering dragons on each side and shaded areas in the rear of the crowd, offering a great deal of cozy shade in the open field for campers who needed some respite from late-night shenanigans. Around the perimeter of the crowd area, two restroom areas were erected, and crews maintained hygiene via multiple cleanings throughout the day. A large water refill station stood alongside a row of vendors who offered a fine variety of grub, ranging from pizza to noodles, fried chicken, and vegetarian options.
Further into the festival came the Ranch Arena. A massive stage built to host some of the densest crowds at the festival, the ranch arena had much to offer in the way of shady spaces, food vendors, shopping experiences, water stations, restrooms, and entrances from the Good Life camping area. Inflatable couches and hammocks were strewn about along the outskirts of the stage and throughout the light treeline circling the area, offering fantastic shade and resting space for those who sought it. The sound quality and the stage's visual capabilities were incredibly satisfactory.
Deep into the woods beyond the Ranch Arena came the Honeycomb Stage. A 360 build with numerous elevated viewing areas encircling an amphitheater-esque stage created a delightful listening experience. Relying more on the collective crowd and minimalistic production than LED screens and visual production, the stage offered a more personal connection between the act and the audience than any other stage at the festival. The Honeycomb experience was spectacular and felt perfect for the forest setting; I could hardly believe it.
Not far away from the Honeycomb hideaway stood The Observatory. Alongside a massive multi-level viewing tower was a mid-size stage that hosted many rising stars and even a surprise set from CloZee on day one. The stage had elevated viewing platforms in its rear and a top-tier light production to amplify the magic of every moment in the forest.
Through the forest and past the Time Travel Agency stood the Sherwood Court stage. A massive field offered fantastic relaxation areas to view acts from afar and plentiful room for fans to jump into the action and walk right up to the rail. This stage provided the central stage experience with a smaller crowd and a more leisurely approach to the viewing experience. It was perfect for stepping away from the big crowds at Tripolee and Ranch to immerse yourself in a particular show.
Lastly, the Carousel Club stood proud in the far corner of the festival; a massive tent offering much-appreciated shade towered over the stage. The club had a unique variety of events, offering energetic club-styled sets, laid-back bingo events, and even twerking competitions for massive prizes, including Good Life passes, merch giveaways, and other Electric Forest swag. The Carousel Club may mark the last official stage at the festival, but hidden around every corner was a chance to find a new stage or venue, hosting an epic set or special event.
The Artwork
What made the area near Carousel Club even more exciting was the Dream Emporium, located just feet from the Club. This maze-like experience offered a journey of a lifetime. Complete with a dozen interactive art exhibits, roller skating, a wrestling arena, small stages, and much more, the Dream Emporium was a trip. If you didn't get lost here, you must take a spin inside next year. The Dream Emporium was far from the only hidden gem at Forest; dotted throughout the festival grounds were a dozen or more hidden interactive art exhibits, scavenger hunts, mysteries, secret stages, and more that I could not even imagine. I found a handful of these secrets, but finding just a few made me realize why so many attendees returned to the forest over many years. You could explore for the whole weekend five years over and still only see a fraction of what the festival hides behind secret doors and alleys.
Artistic attractions were strewn about through the forest. There were so many that I couldn't fairly calculate how long it took to assemble this incredible collection in one area nor how many hours were poured into every detail of each installment. Indeed, hundreds of artists have prepared for this festival every day over the past decade, preparing to showcase their artwork within the grounds of this extraordinary gathering. I spoke with a handful of these artists, including one Katie Fogg, a painter and all-around insightful artist. I attended her face-painting seminar and enjoyed compliments on my carefully decorated face for the rest of the day! I had the luck of pairing off with a cosmetic nurse, who had a far steadier hand than the one I offered to paint her face in return. Katie was one of a dozen artists who set up between the Observatory and Honeycomb stages, showcasing live paintings and previous work. She exemplifies the hard work and dedication the event curators have gone through to bring this unique experience to life.
The artwork didn't just start at the festival gates; outside in the Vibe Village, life artworks took place throughout the weekend, including mural paintings by AGPNT (pictured below), a dozen interactive video game stations ranging from pinball machines to PS5s, drag show brunches, and more.
All in all, artwork was everywhere at the festival. You couldn't escape seeing something incredible; someone had spent many hours diligently creating it. The evidence of the laboring hours of love separates Forest from other festivals. The care and detail put into every inch of the forest, grounds, and experience go so far beyond the industry standard that it denotes EForest as a top-tier opportunity to get lost in sound and life.
Food Vendors
Would you get hungry at a four-day camping festival? Someone thought so! Forest carefully curated various food options to nourish the numerous attendees in considerable ways. Typical festival eats, including pizza, chicken nugs, burgers, corndogs, and more, were plentiful, and specialty items that catered to vegetarian and vegan diets were just as easy to find. Delightful sweet treats also speckled the vendor lineup, including S'mores and More (pictured below), who provided a delectable variety of s'mores and hot chocolate to quench that late-night craving.
Merch Vendors
Forest brought together an incredible lineup of merch vendors, giveaway booths, and sponsors to provide all sorts of interactive experiences, fantastic gifts to take home to loved ones, and fresh near gear to rock in the humid air of the electric forest. A few of my favorites included Bell's Brewing, which offered custom pin presses, Kandi creation, and free samples; White Claw, who couldn't help but give you a free koozie; Tito's Vodka, who graciously offered custom engraved necklaces or keychains, sunglasses, and bandanas; Laser Guided Visions, with their unique selection of holographic art; and Ground Score, Grassroots California, and Andremi Designs each offering a variety of apparel options to spice up your festival outfits. I spoke with many different vendors at each location and enjoyed hearing their stories and plans for the rest of the festival season. Recognizing these small and mid-size businesses' efforts to bring their goods and services around the country is essential. Many staff members are on stop number three or four of a dozen more this summer to travel around the country and provide for the needs of thousands of festival goers. Vendors and the communities they grow do great things to support festivals and help keep them viable ventures that can return year after year to provide lifelong memories and special reunions for all of us who attend.
My Story
My story starts with a cross-country trip from Boston, MA, to Rothbury, MI, on Wednesday, June 19th. After an evening pit stop in Columbus, OH (s/o my brother, Kevin, for providing a place to rest), my friend Chelsea and I made it to the forest. An easy experience at the security gate helped ensure a safe experience for all attending; veteran-owned and operated Cerebus Security Solutions did a fantastic job of this with polite and thorough interactions. After a quick stop at the gate, we proceeded to group camping, where organizers had plotted out enough space for our group and the hundreds of others who reserved space ahead of time.
After a speedy and efficient camp setup, I realized I had made a huge mistake: I had forgotten my tent at home, a rookie blunder! Fortunately, I managed to cobble together a cozy and protected sleeping area utilizing the other supplies that would allow me to grab a great night of sleep in the open air under my canopy.
After becoming confident in my setup at camp and grilling up a bite to eat, I got dressed in a shirt I'd be happy to sweat right through, shorts, my FLYN hat, and some fashionable accessories before hitting the festival. From here, I decided it was time to go on an adventure. It was 6:00, and my first goal was to locate Sherwood Court and check out a few minutes of Eggy before setting off to explore for the night. Right off the bat, I was mesmerized by how much the festival offered. I was immediately lost, but I was very much okay with it. After wandering far enough to find the tree line, stopping into the Time Travel Agency to pick up a scavenger hunt quest, and asking for directions at least twice, I went right up to Eggy to enjoy a few blissful basslines and funky jams. I made a few friends and wandered off again to explore the still-unseen festival areas.
A short walk away, I discovered a curious-looking building; blacked-out curtains obscured the view. I approached and nervously drew back the curtain to find a darkened room. I ventured deeper into the thumping venue, finding mystery after mystery in curious rooms: A room with people dressed as cats and massive play towers, another filled with cardboard box creations, one with a viewport to a car wash where volunteers could ride moving vehicles through a short course and dancing performers, a roller rink complete with in-house DJ, a karaoke room with a robot singing heavily autotuned music, and lastly...a full-size wrestling ring complete with a whole show about to kick off.
I cheered as loud as I could as Gringo Loco entered the ring. He followed on the heels of "Wayne," a businessman who wanted to tear down the entire electric forest to build a new parking lot. Gringo's challenger was a member of the Bad Vibes Tribe, and after a theatrical display, Gringo stood tall as the champion. Another member of the Bad Vibes Tribe came out to pound Gringo into submission in a cruel effort to avenge his fallen comrade. The crowd was going wild, and it was time for the main event. Showrunners called the audience for volunteers to step up and make their case to become the next member of Defy Wrestling's Battle Zone experience - and you already know I was the first one up there!
I gave a tremendous Macho Man Randy Savage impression as JIMBOOOOOOO to amp up the crowd and earn a spot in the final four contestants, ready for our next challenge. After selecting a wardrobe, writing a backstory, and preparing mentally for the challenge of a lifetime - we hit the ring again to duke it out. We each had a minute to give a speech to convince the crowd to advance us to the final round in two 1v1 duels of spoken word. I was defeated by the Crossing Guard, who I keenly identified as a sleeper agent for evil villain Wayne, eager to erect a new parking lot and increase the need for crossing guards everywhere. Ultimately, the Crossing Guard took home the belt - but the memories will live on forever, getting sections of the crowd to raise their arms in a big O shape, yelling along their fearless champion's name, "JimbOOOOOO!!"
After the show, I rounded my night out by stopping by the Observatory, Ranch, and Tripolee stages before retiring to cook dinner and prepare to stop by at the afters. I hung out there to catch some of John Summit's set after a stint watching Louis the Child and Levity go back to back just next door at the bass stage. My Thursday was an excellent way to kick off the festival, and things couldn't have gone any better.
Waking up early on Friday, I whipped breakfast like a madman; fried eggs and bacon were everywhere, and all of my friends got a bite. I hit the gates early and enjoyed exploring the festival's artwork, spending hours wandering the woods and finding new avenues to investigate. I managed to spend time at all the primary stages throughout the day, with my highlight being the Boogie T.rio tearing up the Honeycomb stage with vibrant jams and hard-hitting bass. Friday featured a dozen acts I had my heart set on checking out, and I did not disappoint in its delivery.
On Saturday, I slept in a bit. It was well deserved after two days of deep exploration. After making my way in the early afternoon, I again wandered to explore as many shops and locations as possible. I eventually found my way to the Media Happy Hour organized by Infamous PR and used the opportunity to build my network. I made new friends across a dozen other blogs and media outlets. I am incredibly grateful for the chance to get together with like-minded folks to shake hands and share stories. I can't wait to dig into their stories from the weekend, and I will be reposting those over on my Instagram page, so stay tuned for more from the forest!
A rain delay evacuated the festival, and after grilling up some dinner and enjoying a rest at camp, I made my way to bed. Many acts were rescheduled and performed at new times, but I had my fill for the day and was glad other campers could get back in there.
I woke early on Sunday in my dry and warm in my car. I hit the vibe village to grab some grub, then returned to camp to break down my site and prepare to hit the road later that night. I spent most of the day dozing off in the shade at the Ranch Arena, gearing up to hear Excision tear up the stage. After a delightful day of delectable jams from Dirtwire and Umphrey's McGee, I enjoyed Gigantic NGHTMRE up close.Disaster struck when a lightning storm rolled through the end festivities for the night early. I hit the campsite, took a nap in the car, and hit the road shortly after.
Wrapping Up
All in all, my weekend was one to remember. Electric Forest was a spectacular event that came together so magically that I doubt any other event can match its excellence. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to attend, and I am very excited looking forward to next summer. Happy Forest, y'all!
Thanks for tuning in. Watch for more festival content on my social media pages to get hyped up for upcoming events! A big thank you to Alive Coverage for many of the photos utilized above in this write-up.
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