Electric Forest took over Rothbury, Michigan this past weekend, but festivalgoers were not feeling the “magic” this year.
The EDM festival was originally set to run from June 20-23, featuring headlining performances from Everything Always, Pretty Lights, Subtronics, Excision, and The String Cheese Incident with a crowd nearing 50,000. However, on Saturday evening right before The String Cheese Incident’s four-hour set, an evacuation order was heard over the loudspeakers amid an oncoming storm.
“Due to severe weather, please exit the event site and move to your vehicles or protected areas outside of the event site for safety. Stay tuned for updates,” festival organizers said in a statement.
While a portion of the festival grounds opened at midnight on Sunday — and fans had a chance to see headliners Subtronics, John Summit, and Lszee — it closed again at 4 a.m.
— Electric Forest ⚡🌲 (@Electric_Forest) June 24, 2024
This marked the second year in a row that Electric Forest had to evacuate amid weather. Festivalgoers were less than happy with the experience and took to social media to take out their frustrations. Many called for partial refunds for both Saturday and Sunday’s performances and blamed organizers for a lack of planning.
Hope we get a partial refund especially for only accommodating 2 sets for Saturday, no afters saturday, closing down again for the main headliners on Sunday, and then again with the afters on Sunday for not having properly trained medic staff. This was handled poorly.
— alexis 🫧 (@SalinasAlexis_) June 24, 2024
coool with heavy heart give me two days worth of my money back 🫶xoxo happy forest
— 🦋 (@onlybishdotcom) June 24, 2024
Are we getting partially refunded? Between being verbally assaulted by the staff on multiple occasions and getting robbed of 2 nights music in the forest I definitely did not feel like I was living the Good Life 😒 7ITF for me and the 1st time I’ve been sincerely disappointed.
— Tyler Lannan (@TylerMF13) June 24, 2024
lemme get 1/4 of my money back since i got 3/4 of a forest. i get you can control the weather but the lack of planning was clear here this year
— Based Wubb (@funkle_J) June 24, 2024
I will be attending bonarroo next year. Y’all Cancelled the most anticipated headliner even though the fucking rain and lightening stopped. Absolutely unacceptable.
— 👍🏼 (@tweeterdisdik) June 24, 2024
the weather has stopped.. how are you gonna cancel headliners and half of Saturday …. with no empathy or sign of particle refunds for a 600 plus ticket .. you owe us something
— sailor mars° (@jesswilll) June 24, 2024
You shut down music for a storm and made no attempt to rearrange the artists so we could see who we paid to see. You could have at least had the good life stage going tonight in this rainless perfect weather so that the people who have spent their entire lives giving to you at…
— Dylan J (@_bass_head_) June 24, 2024
Maybe my last @Electric_Forest. Ten Forests strait and they shut the fest down twice, once permanently, over a storm that lasted 20 minutes. Walked around for 45 minutes in the campground, No rain or lightning but they stayed closed. No VIP sets. Waste of money, It’s disgusting.
— Paul (@Neroshade) June 24, 2024
In addition to the cancellations, others complained of other disatisfying parts of the festival, with claims of the event being oversold, unqualified medical staff, and hours-long lines to leave the event on Monday morning.
Most magicless forest so far. You guys oversold, it was absolutely slammed everywhere you went. I finished the scav hunt and couldn’t even get into the dream emporium bc there were so many people.
— 👍🏼 (@tweeterdisdik) June 24, 2024
Not this being the worst exiting situation at a festival ever wtf….2+ hours to get out of a fest is the most ridiculous shit I’ve ever heard of in my life
— Forever Boy 🔜 Electric Forest ⚡️🌲 (@forevergolden15) June 24, 2024
ELECTRIC FOREST WHAT IS THIS WAIT TO GET OUT I HAVEN’T MOVED IN TWO HOURS FUCK
— Brayde(⚬⃔⚬ℕ⚬⃔⚬) (@BraydenVera) June 24, 2024
Electric Forest successfully ruined one of the best parts of their fest by having the least qualified med staff I have ever seen. Was evident none of them were qualified in triage care. It does not take NINE medics to help one person when others are in need.
— Michael Wolfe (@michaeljwolfe_) June 24, 2024
Another perfect example of what EF HQ is hiring with your money. This is disgusting. https://t.co/8tmrk75X2l
— ПICΉӨLΛƧ🔜Electric Forest⚡️ (@SuburbanGay_) June 24, 2024
Shame on EF HQ hiring the worst MEDICAL AND SECURITY. Completely disappointed in the response to 3+ medical emergencies that happened at EVOL afters tonight.
— ПICΉӨLΛƧ🔜Electric Forest⚡️ (@SuburbanGay_) June 24, 2024
As of Monday morning. Electric Forest organizers have not commented on refunds.
