Since its 2011 inception, Electric Forest has developed a robust community online and in person, building in size, scope, and hype with each incarnation. When the hype became too much for the Forest to handle, it was expanded to add a second weekend to accommodate its growing bevy of fans. That hype overload was inevitable given how enthusiastic the Forest Fam is and how inclusive the festivals has become. I’m something of a proud parent/cheerleader myself, sharing my experiences and my photos from the Forest throughout the off-season, helping to draw even more people into the fold. It seems like no matter how big a deal I make of it, no matter how much I build it up, the Forest rises to the occasion as soon as they step foot into it.

There’s really nothing better than walking through Sherwood Forest with somebody for the first time, their eyes wide as dinner plates, their mouths agape and seemingly in a constant expression of awe. As such, the first day at EF in the Forest can be treacherous as everybody steps into that magical world of fantasy, rarely bothering to look anywhere but up. Although, even if you do run into somebody, it’s likely that you’re running into somebody who very well may become your new best friend.

I attended both weekends of EF 2017, in “business” and pleasure capacities, each with a different, though not opposing, results. Weekend 1 was my pleasure weekend, a celebration of ten years with my Boo with 18 of our friends and family in a pair of Good Life log homes. Weekend 1 was my bougie weekend.

I returned for weekend 2 to fill out my coverage for ElectroJams and returned to camp with the plebs, where I’ve spent all of my previous festivals. While there were a number of differences between the two weekends, I’ve opted to blend them together rather than telling their stories as separate events.

We’re going to do things a little bit differently this year with our write-up of Electric Forest. It’s a tricky thing to write about, as there is so much love and work that goes into producing the event that I feel an obligation to match that work and heart in my reviews.

In the spirit of the adventure that is the Electric Forest festival experience, I’d like to offer you the option of reading this article as I designed it, OR, picking your own route through the content. That’s right, it’s a choose your own adventure journey through Electric Forest 2017. You can navigate by theme or randomly through the themes of the music, people, and attractions of the Forest. Otherwise, just follow the rabbit.

Where to?

Further Down the Rabbit Hole | Follow the Music | Meet More Forest Fam | Explore Sherwood Forest

Photos:

Flickr Photo Album | Facebook Album

I work, live and play in Minneapolis. I try to tell the story of the people that create music and experiences through pictures as well as through words. benallen.photos