Electric Forest Recap 2018

Can you believe it has already been a week since we departed our beloved Electric Forest?! I don’t know about you, but my post-festival depression is very, VERY real! Well, one way to ease the pain is to revisit some of our favorite moments from Weekend 2. One of the first EF recap posts I read was from Anthony Synder from Columbus, Ohio. His words truly capture how many of us feel about The Forest. 

“We hear the words amazing, epic, incredible, and extraordinary so often that they lose the meaning… Think about it, when was the last time you truly had an absolutely amazing experience, an actual epic adventure, or found a truly incredible spiritual connection with something much more extraordinary than your real life??? If you can’t answer that question truthfully, well that’s okay… Not many people ever do. But for those who seek something on a little (a lot) higher plane… I would like to invite you to come to Electric Forest in Rothbury, Michigan. Please unburden yourself with petty dramas, excuses, insecurities, small-minded thinking, and the insignificant others and open yourself to the idea of true and intense happiness and finding your soul in those big beautiful trees. There is no Wi-Fi- in the Forest but I promise you will find a better connection.”  

Favorite Moments

Electric Forest is about so much more than the music. It’s about the connections you make with total strangers, the freedom to be yourself, and the overwhelming sense of community and belonging. So, what were some of our top moments? This year, Harry Lawson from Colorado Springs experienced his first Forest and for him, it was watching a spontaneous interaction between two guys both dressed up as Spiderman. It was Adam Jimenez (Chicago) first Forest as well. In addition to the wonderful vibes, he loved picking up the random phones, “I was not expecting someone to answer. It completely blew my mind when I realized I was having multiple conversations with people across the forest.”

Playing In The Rain

Although the rain and evacuation might have been a damper to some, it was also a cherished moment for both Cody Lynn and Melissa Szymulewska.  Cody Lynn stated, “My friends and I met so many people at camp. We shared the moment along with bags of Franzia. It was so communal then opened up into this beautiful sunset that ended Day 4 perfectly.” Melissa Szymulewska stated, “My favorite Forest moment was when we had to evacuate the forest and rush back to our camp to secure all of our stuff and make sure nothing would get blown away. We lowered our canopies and all sat under them, either crouching or lying on an air mattress and we all agreed to get weird and enjoy it. I really got to know the people I was with since it was my first time meeting almost every single one of them. Everyone was just so happy and I can tell they were all being themselves, which was a beautiful thing to see. It set the mood for the rest of the night and made me very comfortable.”  Honestly, I couldn’t agree with them more! It was so amazing to see everyone helping their neighbors, offering their cars, tents, and canopies to those in need!

My Personal Favorites

Bianca LaShay Allen, who resides in California blew my mind with her flow wand! I had the opportunity to watch her while catching a break from the heat at The Ranch. Celebrating her 5th Forest, she loves soaking up the energy of the people around her. Bianca cherishes “that magic where you see someone you met two years prior or that Forest magic where you stumble across a stage playing music that you’ve never heard before, yet you vibe with it. Forest is full of endless opportunities to learn something or meet someone new.”

Of course, I also loved the couple who got engaged during Boombox Cartel! As with all festivals, some of my favorite moments are watching people get engaged or married! Congrats you two!!

Favorite Performances

What about the performances? While I was really looking forward to Spag Heddy, that Boogie T B2B Squnto set gave me so much life! The bass, the drops, the visuals… it was pure perfection! Runner-up for me? Chromeo: What can I say, there is nothing better than jamming out and dancing the night away to Chromeo! 

While speaking with festival attendees, there were two performances that were highly praised! 

  1. Griz: Griz was a top contender for many attendees! Asia Brianna and Chris Hart loved how diverse the performance was.
  2. Unicorn Glitter Spectacular: One attendee stated, “Loved loved loved the drag show that we had no idea about. We read the title of it and were like oh let’s go check this out, sounds fun. Wow, were we in for a surprise! It was a great little break from all the other stuff going on. That and everything in the hangar was so much fun. It was a completely different world inside another world.”

Favorite Stages

Asia Brianna (Boston) and Corey Massey (Chicago) both loved Sherwood Court! And who could blame them! For Corey it was the placement of Sherwood that captured his heart. “it’s the first thing you see when you come out of the forest going away from ranch arena. It’s a huge open space and the sound isn’t bad. The sun sets just to the left of the stage which makes for great scenery.”

Kyle Newsham, who was attending her 4th Forest loved the Observatory. “It changed this year and I enjoyed how there was seating up top but a big area to dance down below! It was very well thought out before they built it and one of the Forest workers gave out bubble wands during the Twoaube Krew show!”

Farewell Electric Forest 2018

Jennifer Faulkner, summed up her love for Electric Forest perfectly, “I like Electric Forest the most because it’s different from every other festival. Usually, a festival is planned in a huge open lot, they add a bunch of different decorations with different productions. The Forest is a wonderland; it’s just insane that you’re literally in a forest of imagination; it’s Alice in Wonderland in real life. I have no other words or thoughts to describe a festival like this. It’s unique and just amazing.”

And there you have it everyone; another amazing, unforgettable, magical Electric Forest for the books! I hope everyone had the time of their lives! Can’t wait to see you all in 2019!!!