Here we are again–the week of Electric Forest and the anticipation is growing by the minute as the clock ticks closer to one of the best festivals of the year! While I’m excited to see my Forest Family once again, what I’m not looking forward to is the finger pointing and complaining after the fest when one or a few fans of one artist clash with fans of another artist. We all know how the story goes. We’ve all seen videos and heard stories when fan bases have disagreements. So let’s flip the script and make this the year where everyone gets along and has nothing but amazing memories from the most magical place on Earth.

Here’s a simple little checklist to ensure that everybody is happy all weekend!

1. Share the space. Electric Forest belongs to all of us and most of us travel pretty far to see the sets from artists that we love. If you want to be front row for an act, but another fan also wants to be front row for theirs, share the space! Most people are willing to trade spots, and it allows you to go get some food and hit the bathroom. It’s a win-win!

2. Don’t be disrespectful. Although this seems like common sense at a festival, it astounds me how people can actually be rude in such a loving environment. Be mindful of your actions. Don’t be the person that everyone is talking about on the internet for months after the event.

3. Sit down in the back. Again, this seems like common sense to most music fans, but if you want to sit down during a set, do so in the back or near the soundboard. Festivals can be exhausting, but don’t make other people upset because you need a break. Sitting between sets is perfectly fine of course, but do not sit with your back to an act while they are playing. That’s a huge No-No. People will take it the wrong way entirely, trust me.

4. Show love to all acts. Hey, you may not be the biggest fan of an act, but that doesn’t give anyone the right to “Boo” them. Leave those bad vibes at home. There are multiple acts playing on multiple stages all weekend, you do not need to be at a show that you don’t like, so don’t! Go see something else, or get lost in the forest for a while! There will be space for you when you get back.

5. Keep totems to the side and back. There is quite possibly nothing worse at a festival than a huge totem right in the front row blocking the view for everyone else in the crowd. Totems are great for keeping friends together and expressing yourself in a creative way, but they aren’t great for making new friends during a set. If you are going to be with a crew that needs a totem, please don’t camp in the front and ruin the show for others.

6. Be polite in the crowd. We’ve all seen it before. That one person that has too much to drink and plows through a crowd with no sense of manners whatsoever. Don’t be that person. Be polite going through a crowd. Say excuse me and thank you. Don’t act like you own the place. Politeness really does go a long way, sometimes all the way to the front. Oh, and if you want to be near the front, don’t make a mad dash while an act is already playing, that just causes a headache for everyone involved. There is plenty of time in between sets to get your spot! Don’t show up late and expect to get prime real estate!

7. Clean up after yourself! Trash is always an issue when thousands of people come together to celebrate. Please be mindful and leave no trace, both inside the festival, and out in the campgrounds. You may see groups of people cleaning up after sets throughout the weekend and they will be welcoming to another set of helping hands. Don’t be shy! Electric Forest also has an Electricology program that rewards you for helping to keep the festival clean! To participate and potentially win tickets for life, head here!

-Adam Straughn

