See our full Electric Forest 2019 photo gallery HERE

Through the enormous trees that makeup Rothbury Farms lies Electric Forest, an extraordinary operation that invites its 40,000+ weekend inhabitants on a mystical journey in the span of 72 hours. I took that journey for the first time this year, and there’s much that needs to be known before venturing into the forest.
 
Entering the mystical Sherwood Forest (Cassidy Kotyla/Soundazed)

Take it from a girl born in West Hartford, Connecticut — an area with no sign of culture beyond what’s available in boarding schools or your local Vineyard Vines — going to Electric Forest is an eye-opening, and at times shocking, experience. Attendees dress as completely different chosen identities, such as the Queen of Hearts or the Mad Hatter, stages are among the immersive trees in the deep forest, and removing yourself from the norm and trading it in for the strange and unique,  even for three short days, can be a life-changing experience. Here’s why:
 

You’ll be astonished by the different walks of life that venture through the forest.

Electric Forest welcomes all personalities – regardless of age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, or class. Whether you’re a corporate analyst living on Wall Street, a Burning Man regular, or a Californian artist, this is the place where personalities do not clash — they unite and celebrate one common purpose.

Third Eye and Butterflies at Electric Forest 2019 (Cassidy Kotyla/Soundazed)

Venture to the Chapel to see the infamous Mad Hatter marry a couple dressed in Savers wedding gowns. Head to the Tripolee Stage and you’ll see young adults fawning over the latest dubstep tracks, there’s really something fascinating here for everybody.

However, one part that fascinates me the most about Electric Forest would have to be the juxtaposition between what occurs in the outside world versus what unfolds within the festival. Everyone seems to takes a break from the fast pace of life to truly relax and let loose, which is all some people can ever ask for when you’re otherwise working a full-time job.

The Chapel at Electric Forest (Cassidy Kotyla/Soundazed)

Think your mother’s cooking is good? Wait until you taste these vendors.

People no longer go to festivals for just the music, they go for the experience — and trust me, an experience is what lies ahead with the vendor options at Electric Forest. Lobster tacos. Shrimp baskets, pulled pork, Island noodles, vegan options – you name it, they’ve got it. While it might be a little pricy to rely solely on vendor food, it’s worth trying something new once a day.

There’s never been more love in the world than at a music festival.

Couple in the grass at Electric Forest (Cassidy Kotyla/Soundazed)

Whether you witnessed couples getting engaged, married, or simply enjoying the company of one another, you’ve seen how the forest can bring people together. There’s nothing like complete strangers embracing you during a cry to your favorite Said The Sky song, or singing along to an Odesza track with your best friends.

Said The Sky at Electric Forest (Cassidy Kotyla/Soundazed)

 

Odesza at Electric Forest (Cassidy Kotyla/Soundazed)


One of the best things about Electric Forest is its inclusivity. It’s the fact that you can approach any stranger and potentially make a new close friend just by introducing yourself and sharing a few short words. Throughout the weekend, it was everywhere — friendships blossoming along the rails while people waited for artists they were obsessed with or people chatting while enjoying the shade. Love is all around you at Electric Forest and lifelong memories are meant to be made here.

TAZ at Electric Forest (Cassidy Kotyla/Soundazed)
TAZ at Electric Forest (Cassidy Kotyla/Soundazed)
OMNOM Rail Riding at Electric Forest (Cassidy Kotyla/Soundazed)

 

There’s nothing better than being one with the environment.

There’s nothing better than walking away from a music festival having learned a lesson in reducing your carbon footprint. Electric Forest is an immersive experience and the festival makes sure you understand the implications of joining their community, taking care of the festival grounds, and they even take time to teach you how important it is to save the environment as a whole. Collectively caring for the grounds and the environment makes the special feeling of being in the Forest amongst complete strangers that much better.

You’ll never experience a weekend like this one.

At Electric Forest, you can expect the abnormal, the strange, and the question that lingers in all of our heads— what other festival is this insane? One might say EDC but I beg to differ. There’s nothing like the forest and the special touch it provides among the expansive trees and under a nightly midwestern sunset. I highly recommend checking out future years of Electric Forest, as it truly is a life-changing experience. See more of my photos from Electric Forest below and the full gallery here.


See our full Electric Forest 2019 photo gallery HERE


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