Festivals normally are subject to all sorts of outside pressures like potential low ticket sales, trouble with the law or bad weather, but Michigan-based EDM festival, Electric Forest, is fighting a different battle with Mother Nature. Taking place on the Double JJ Resort in Rothbury, Michigan, the festival grounds are situated in a large wooded area, known as Sherwood Forest. According to a reddit poster (via YourEDM), the forest is under attack by the Red Pine Beetle and organizers had contacted local foresters in attempt to quell the infestation, but Electric Forest wants fans to know their favorite forest is healthy for now.
In a statement released on Facebook, Forest organizers acknowledged that the beetle infestation was a problem that discovered and it "has since been mitigated." The trees were removed to help stop the insect's spread and a new stage, The Observatory, was built in their place. The beetles are still in the area, but they are moving north. Organizers insist they are constantly surveying the forest for new threats and none have been discovered at this time.
This is not the first time beetles have been a hot topic at Electric Forest. In 2013, the festival was forced to relocate a stage and this led to the creation of the Observatory Stage after trees were cut down to stop the infestation.
Fans and artists alike hope this issue does not rear its head again later this summer with a lineup that boasts names like Skrillex, Kaskade, E Forest regular Bassnectar, Flume, Big Gigantic, tech house king Carl Cox, Claude VonStroke and many others.
The festival will take place on June 25-28 and unfortunately the event is now sold out.
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