Citing liquor laws in Michigan state, fans of the annual Electric Forest are now banned from bringing in all outside alcohol to both the venue and campgrounds of the Rothbury, MI site. According to EF HQ: “Per Michigan state law, any alcohol that is found during the search of your vehicle on entry must be confiscated. This applies to both the campgrounds and the festival venue.” This outside alcohol ban is also confirmed on the website’s Festival Guidelines page.

In previous years, attendees were able to bring in sealed containers to the festival, and some are worried that this restriction will significantly raise the costs of attending. The new rule was discovered and discussed on the EF subreddit page, where one fan expressed his concerns, saying, “I am paying over 300 dollars a ticket and not being allowed to bring beer? F**k that garbage, never thought EF would have a rule that really pissed me off.”

The plot thickens, however, as the new legislation might not even apply to Double JJ Ranch. According to an interesting section of state legislation:

“mcl 436.2021(4) This act and rules promulgated under this act do not prevent a class A or B hotel designed to attract and accommodate tourists and visitors in a resort area from allowing its invitees or guests to possess or consume, or both, on or about its premises alcoholic liquor purchased by the invitee or guest from an off-premises retailer and does not prevent a guest or invitee from entering and exiting the licensed premises with alcoholic liquor purchased from an off-premises retailer.”

Furthermore, considering the liquor laws in Michigan haven’t changed in the last year, blaming them seems to be a scapegoat of sorts. Perhaps, with the rise of festival fatalities in recent years, Electric Forest is doing their part to minimize risk and liability.

Whatever the case, just be careful out there and enjoy yourselves!

[H/T Reddit]