Countdown to Electric Forest 2012

360 Panorama of the Electric Forest at the Double JJ Ranch in Rothbury, Michigan

Just days remain until the gates open for the 2012 Electric Forest Music Festival. EFF makes its second appearance at the Double JJ Ranch in Rothbury, Michigan starting Thursday, June 28th.

Since my visit in 2011, the forest has evolved into a jam fanatic’s sanctuary and an electronic dance lover’s safe-haven. The String Cheese Incident will grace the stage with three nights of high-spirited and always groovy energy, along with two nights of lights with STS9, a bass explosionfrom Bassnectar, sitar jams from Thievery Corporation, and a re-dedication to EDM that hasn’t been seen on this side of the Mississippi.

The view from where main stage will sit

The festival channels EFF’s partnership with Insomniac, who just brought Las Vegas an incredible experience with The Electric Daisy Carnival. This year’s lineup is also overflowing with variety, from Michigan based up-and-comers to highly respected musical mavens. There will be more lasers and more to experience, yet the same unique vibe that’s existed on the property since the first Rothbury in 2008.

The Wagon Wheel & Beach

For each festival goer, the forest provides for a truly unique experience; whether you’re following SCI on tour or you’re looking for a good face-melting, the forest has it all. During the day, the forest becomes a sacred ground flooded with handcrafted artwork and hammocks hanging from every spare tree. It is a place where old friends greet new faces and the energy is continuously flowing. At night Sherwood Forest comes to life with illuminating lanterns, enormous stained-glass windows and interactive artistry. The woods create entirely new euphoric paths, and each path is worth taking.

The combination of music and art brings festival goers from near and far for the experience alone. It is a place where friends set aside their musical differences once they set foot on the festival grounds. This year the forest will feature even more participatory art, with games and instruments waiting to be played.

An Empty Electric Forest

The extended weather forecast shows highs near 90 degrees on Thursday, with partly cloudy skies, and possible thunderstorms throughout the weekend – pretty standard for Michigan in the summer.

Also new this year is an interactive festival greening experiment, dubbed Electric-ology. Festival-goers are encouraged to recycle via bonus points, redeemable for merchandise and private concerts. There will be more going on at the beach by the lake with daytime parties and nighttime DJ sets closing out the early mornings. Food trucks will round out the vendor selection with some high-end offerings normally found at street fairs. There’s even a fan-planned “Colors of Holi” for Sunday AM.

Electric Forest 2011, String Cheese Incident

Stay tuned for daily photo blogs and videos, and let us know how you’ll be raging the forest this year.

-E

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Filed under blog, BREAKING, Electric Forest, Featured, FESTIVAL NEWS · Tagged with Bassnectar, Electric Forest, Erica Treais, Etree, String Cheese Incident, Treais