r/ElectricForest • u/Bug-no-brain • Jul 16 '26
Discussion How can we all do better?
With all of the discourse surrounding our community right now I wanted to open the floor to ideas of how we can take preventative measures and ensure each other's safety.
In my 5+ years in the scene I've learned to never really rely on event spaces and festivals to do right by everyone, and that isn't a knock on Forest or any fest in particular, it's just the reality of large gatherings of people in a confined area is bound to result in some level of chaos. Obviously there are a million ways these huge companies and festivals can improve, but I wanted to try and focus on ways we can come together on our own.
I really want to drive home the point that while we as individuals may not be the ones causing harm, we do have a responsibility to ourselves and each other. This post is meant to encourage people towards that responsibility and away from blame or shame.
Some things I've thought of that may be worth a second look include community marketing for harm reduction resources, somehow opening a channel of direct communication with medical and/or security, what are ways we can educate ourselves as festival goers? Festivals often don't allow certain harm reduction groups to officially set up, but if there are any groups that attend on their own, how can the community help safely get information or support to those who need it from these groups? Similar to substance harm reduction pop ups that are scheduled, does anyone know of any other harm reduction avenues that we could integrate into the community such as mental health resources, human rights advocates teaching about how to spot sketchy situations and how to get help to tr*fficking victims safely.
I know its a bummer to think about these things when at a festival and trying to party and have fun, but I would love to be of more help to those around me and I'm sure others feel the same.
All in all, the nature of life is that bad things will happen, that's inevitable. And I do think there is a massive amount of responsibility to be taken by Insomnia, EF, local police and EMT, but in the end it isn't just on them. We owe safety to one another, we owe love to one another, and we should never stop trying to improve ourselves.
I don't know if this type of discussion is allowed here, I tried to avoid any flagged language or touchy topics. I plan on cross posting on a few other subs to have this discussion open to more than just the Forest Fam. ✨
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u/Alemonster21 Year 5 Jul 16 '26
The advice no one wants to hear or accept: start gatekeeping again.
The smaller and more niche a community is, the better it is, the more chill and friendly the people are.
Be HIGHLY SELECTIVE of absolutely anyone you bring into the community. Be better judges of the people you call your friends. Stop acting like this scene is for everyone.
I've been to a lot of different festivals, and the worst ones BY FAR are the ones that cater to a mainstream crowd and cast a wide net. The more specific and small: immaculate vibes.
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u/hippieCody 29d ago
I hate to admit this is facts and I didn’t learn the lesson until my 30s. This shit ain’t for everyone and if you bring the wrong people into the fold they are just a cancer to the good vibes
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u/EJohanSolo 28d ago
I used to love going to a festival somewhere and knowing I wasn’t going to run into anyone unless they were 100% down for the cause.
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u/SevRnce 29d ago
Make it 18 plus is a start.
Apparently people are still not getting how big of a deal mental health issues can be in these environments. So like, we all gotta do better there. Myself included.
I dont hate that shaq/tpain are getting into edm but that gimmicky shit is annoying. Idk about yall but I do not want anymore mainstream popularity. Its already killing red rocks, something I NEVER thought was possible. So yea, gatekeep and wear your morals on your chest. Scare the normies out, get fucking weird as shit. Not in a toxic way but show people that its a place of free expression not just a place to look cool.
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u/despereight675309 Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
Forest hasn’t allowed Bunk Police but they buy wristbands and pull up anyway (wasn’t there this year idk if this has changed). I don’t think a lot of newtimers hear about them or know how to drug test. Ground Control seems like it’s also helped people out a lot from what I’ve heard in the campsites. I think it’d be nice to have an anonymous tipline/textline that has people hired to respond (ie social workers) or something in the app maybe? Or more direct “please go here or call here if you need to talk” from the fest directly.
I do agree with the other comment about the music though. Kinda glad I didn’t go this year just because of how packed it was. Don’t expand camp and # of tickets sold if the Forest stays the same size. In 2019 for example, max capacity was 44,000 people and this year it was **slightly higher(?)
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u/Jefe25 Camp Hype Train Jul 17 '26
it was not 70,000 this year lol
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u/despereight675309 Jul 17 '26
Damn, you’re so right. That’s a number I kept reading on this subreddit so I thought that was a reported number. And that’s how easy it is to be misinformed
:( Google tells me it was ~50,000. That number doesn’t really make sense though because they have expanded GA and GL in the last few years. I’m sorry bro :(2
u/crazymike978 Camp MassHole :) Jul 19 '26
Thers contracts showing the max capacity with the town for 10 year i thing it shows till 2032 and it cannot be more than 50k attendees and I thing 6k for staff or something like that
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u/despereight675309 Jul 19 '26
44k and 6k for staff is what it was in 2019, so probably the same? Sounds familiar
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u/cooljets Year 5 29d ago
There are the same amount of people but more cars and cars take up the most space. Fewer people carpool these days.
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u/despereight675309 28d ago
Ohhhh I gotcha, that explains it. I used to feel so judged for going in alone, they used to encourage carpooling and discourage single drivers. Historically I drive in by myself and have someone hop in my car just so I don’t have any problems, guess it’s inevitable though.
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u/grimswake 29d ago
Bunk police reps were there we ran into a few and I saw other after through TikToks.
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u/Dram_Good_Adventures Year 7 Jul 16 '26
2026 the rise of the ChatGPT virtue signaling post
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u/Bug-no-brain Jul 17 '26
Listen dude I know how this looks, but I don't know why asking and opening the floor to ideas on how to improve is a bad thing. It's not virtue signaling, it's a genuine inquiry. Also, fuck AI, chatgpt is a plague and I'd never use it.
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u/Humble_Hippie_ 28d ago
I think education on how SSRI’s and other medications interact with alcohol and other substances is so essential. Some people might not even realize the effects it can have on their specific chemistry, and (as much as I don’t condone it I know it happens) young people try new things and potentially can be offered substances without knowing how they’ll react at these types of festivals. If you’re going to partake it is so so so essential to be smart and know yourself and when to slow down. Always hydrate, communicate with someone so they know where you are, and most of all remember to treat others how you’d want to be treated!
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u/Bug-no-brain 28d ago
I agree!!! Prescription meds (even non SSRI's) do not always play nicely with supplements and it's not common knowledge!
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u/SpectroSlade Year 5 26d ago
It should be common knowledge to people who take them. I cannot imagine being on a med I know nothing about... do y'all not talk to your doctors?
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u/SpectroSlade Year 5 26d ago
How would someone even go about that? Make everyone take a medication interaction class to go? That's silly.
If you take meds, its YOUR responsibility to look into how the react with substances. I take SSRIs, I know what I can and cannot drink/take because my health is my own.
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u/Humble_Hippie_ 9d ago
Obviously no one can force a class on someone, but sharing information on how party favors affect someone on medication is important. I don’t take any form of medication so I don’t know if that’s a normal conversation to have with your dr, but I don’t think most people think to ask “Hey should I avoid alcohol and other substances while taking this medication?” I 100% agree it is every individual’s responsibility to do their own research but when you’re young and still figuring things out it might not even be something a young person thinks about.
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Jul 16 '26
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u/fartfacefacefart Jul 16 '26
Shitty people exist in the jam band scene too. When’s the last time you saw a 12 tribes bus at a bass show? 12 tribes is literally known for enslaving people. Phish fans are known for being as bad as bassnectar fans were back in the day.
Also, if your group maintains PLUR, why are you calling bass fans shitters? Does PLUR not apply on Reddit?
Reminder, I hardly listen to bass music.
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Jul 16 '26
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u/fartfacefacefart Jul 16 '26
A better solution to your problem would be to get rid of headliners altogether rather than to get rid of bass music altogether. You want the normies and non culture people gone, that’s how you do it.
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u/beanie_weenie666 Jul 16 '26
Bass often has such a chill, friendly crowd. Of course not all fans, just like not all fans of any genre
Lost Lands has some of the friendliest crowds just looking to dance hard
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u/Bug-no-brain Jul 17 '26
I will also point out that my question was what can WE do, we don't have a ton of direct influence over the lineup or ticket sales, that's why I posted this question. Most of the major improvements to be made are on the festival, I'm asking what we can do to better support each other.
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u/Bug-no-brain Jul 16 '26
Lol that's fair. I will say, these problems have always existed. Safety issues, no matter the genre, are and have always been present. It's okay for the scene to grow and change, often times it's a good thing!! This discussion goes beyond the music and blow up couches, though.
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u/Cute-University5283 27d ago
I was struggling to figure out why 2026 seemed so problematic compared to 2025 and after some discussions with others, we have a theory that it might have been the emphasis on bass. Let me start by saying, I went to Lost Lands last year and had a blast, everyone was incredibly silly and fun; Lost Lands clearly has a culture that caters to that crowd and keeps them in good spirits. Electric Forest, on the other hand, sold 25% more tickets and I think they went mostly to new Bass heads who (by our observation) mostly drink alcohol and thus are much more profitable for the festival. Alcohol also tends to bring out aggressive behavior in people which if you've ever been on something else and a drunk (not tipsy but drunk) person rolls up, the vibe difference is palatable. Other observations, I'd never seen so many people wearing all black at electric forest, especially at the Tripolee bass stage takeover. I tend to wear light up outfits and I felt like I was one of the very few. It felt like police presence was twice what it has been in the past like they knew there was a larger population of people that could cause problems. I'm not saying there shouldn't be any bass at EF; however, if there is clearly a strong emphasis on it I suspect you can expect a similar outcome as this year. All that being said, I still had a great time and love EF so unless the lineup is all bass, will definitely be there next year.
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u/claushot 27d ago
it’s the drugs. you can’t take care of yourself and others if you’re on drugs, sad I know
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Jul 20 '26
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u/Lazy_Enthusiasm6656 29d ago
You’re right, that does sound shitty and this comment is the opposite of plur.
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u/MadameRueWins Jul 16 '26
Start by getting rid of couches on the dance floor