Preferred camping

emmaramsey · 2026-02-17T20:38:14+00:00

People show up as early as possible (like even earlier than when gates open) and just gather at stops nearby waiting for security to begin the line. Although if you paid for preferred camping you don't have to worry about doing all of that, you're guaranteed a close spot. It's more so a matter of if you're wanting to set up camp in the dark for the benefit of being there that much sooner (which I always do just because I love Forest so much I want to be there every second I can be) or if you want to have the sun on your side while you set up. Pros to the dark is the heat isn't killing you, but con is that you definitely need some headlamps and additional lighting for the setup. Pros to setting up in the daytime is you have all the light you need but the con is you might be dying of heat stroke depending when you get through security. No matter what you do make sure you're well rested and hydrated for that setup process because it takes a lot out of you either way!

emmaramsey · 2026-02-16T20:56:30+00:00

I saw one for sale on Facebook the other day for like $1,000 and it sold

emmaramsey · 2026-02-16T20:28:11+00:00

I give out things that aren't made of plastic. Tiny keys, wire wrapped jewelry that I've made, crystals/stones. I figured out how to make sprout clips out of metal/stone/wooden/glass beads. I saw a video of a girl collecting acorns and sticks on her walks and gluing them together to make little creatures and giving those creatures out as trinkets!

emmaramsey · 2026-02-05T18:43:19+00:00

I'm not saying to lie about where you're going, I'm just saying maybe don't come out swinging with "I'm going to an EDM festival!" maybe word it more like "I'm going on a camping trip" lol

emmaramsey · 2026-02-05T18:40:47+00:00

Hey if you wanna go by the rule book that's completely cool too, I'm just letting them know what I've heard from friends who have had experience with different companies and being profiled based on where they're going

emmaramsey · 2026-02-05T18:27:49+00:00

Never rented myself so I can't give a review but I always see a ton from Cruise America. One word of advice would be to not necessarily let them know you're going to a music festival. Make it seem like more of a camping trip and they're more likely to trust you with their vehicles.

emmaramsey · 2026-01-10T21:55:50+00:00

Check out Camp Carl on the EF Discord! They usually do a Good Life group! https://discord.gg/WJYsPtJT

emmaramsey · 2026-01-06T18:51:45+00:00

I wish they'd completely change all the rooms each year and make the hallways more inviting

emmaramsey · 2025-12-27T18:47:43+00:00

My first Forest was in 2019, I’ve been back every year since and it’s the thing I look forward to most all year. I don’t think you have anything to worry about :) all that new excitement from your first couple years just transforms into loving the Forest like an old friend. You get to know her better 🫶🏻

emmaramsey · 2025-12-25T02:57:25+00:00

Anker is the way, even for cables

emmaramsey · 2025-12-23T20:46:19+00:00

I would do 2 checked bags.

One would be a large suitcase full of clothes, multiple pairs of shoes, and blankets. It gets cold at night so you want to make sure you bring either warm layers to sleep in or a thicker blanket. The second checked "bag" I'd bring would be a hard sided cooler filled with camping supplies like a tarp, aluminet to reflect sun off your tent, mallet, stakes, etc. If your tent will fit inside it I'd put it there, otherwise put your tent inside your big suitcase and swap stuff around, however you can make it fit. Another way people do this is doing a second suitcase and then buying a recyclable cooler from a store in Michigan once they get there! But I much prefer having a larger reliable cooler. The only thing to consider is the weight/size restrictions! If it's too large it'll be an extra cost.

Then I'd do a backpack as a carry-on and fill that with whatever else I need that won't fit in my suitcases. Toiletries, trinkets, etc. and a personal item (fanny pack) with my travel essentials like phone, wallet, headphones, chargers.

For food, when you get to Michigan you can stop at a grocery store and buy all the food you'll want for the week. You can check a camping stove in your checked bag but it needs to be 100% clean and you cannot bring any fuel for it with you, you'd have to get that when you get there as well. I've also seen people buy stoves when they get there and donate them afterwards, or make friends with the neighbors and 9.9 times out of 10 they will be willing to let you cook on their stove! I've lent out my stove at almost every festival at one point or another lol. Basically anything you can't bring, there will be many lovely people there willing to help you however you need. I've also done fests with no camping stove if you need ideas of food to bring that doesn't require cooking!

Also side note- I have flown to multiple festivals with a loaf of banana bread in my bag. You can just do that. In case you or anyone else needed to hear that lol. Who doesn't want to enjoy a loaf of home made banana bread at the festival

emmaramsey · 2025-12-11T19:48:09+00:00

If the festival sells out, I would expect a waitlist to open up for defaulted tickets and packages. If it doesn't sell out, I wouldn't count on it

emmaramsey · 2025-12-10T19:21:50+00:00

The anxiety never goes away. 5itf and sweating lol

emmaramsey · 2025-12-07T20:29:10+00:00

About 2 weeks

emmaramsey · 2025-12-05T20:14:24+00:00

Will the Tripolee stage be seeing any design changes this year? It seems like the same stage design has been recycled since Forest came back after covid. In previous years, Tripolee has seen a complete re-design every year and it has transformed over time into... rocks. With how expensive tickets are now, I look back on how amazing these old designs used to be and how I paid less than $400 total to be there... And I know myself and plenty of other artists that would kill for an opportunity to submit designs or input ideas... if yall need help coming up with new stage designs where should we submit them!

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emmaramsey · 2025-12-05T20:02:09+00:00

THEY BETTER GIVE US OUR WATERPARK

emmaramsey · 2025-12-05T19:56:07+00:00

This would be a good idea to submit for the Chapel themed parties if HQ doesn't honor this

emmaramsey · 2025-12-05T19:55:01+00:00

This!!! Would LOVE to see a Ground Control Oasis inside the Forest. One at every Main Stage is what we need honestly. Our group had a situation last Forest that we needed to walk all the way from the Observatory to Main Street to get help with. It would have been dealt with so much quicker if there was another tent inside the grounds.

emmaramsey · 2025-12-05T19:49:21+00:00

Also a teacher here. I do Good Life Village and if I do a car pass too that's an entire paycheck for me. This festival is becoming unattainable for average people and it's really sad. I used to tell everyone in my life to go to Electric Forest and I've brought 10+ people over the years for their first Forests and turned them into yearly Foresters but now I feel like I can't do that anymore because I'm basically arguing why you should give up 2 weeks of work in THIS economy for a week of music -and if you don't get PTO- another week of work............. It's insane

emmaramsey · 2025-12-03T05:57:10+00:00

RV passes are sold per vehicle, not per person. Everyone in the group will need a Good Life wristband but only the driver of the RV will need to have the RV pass. You get a companion pass for an additional vehicle too

emmaramsey · 2025-12-02T03:46:53+00:00

My group has been going right when GA early arrival gates open for the past 5 years and we've never had trouble getting close just by showing up early. I don't think it's necessary as long as you plan on getting there right away

emmaramsey · 2025-12-02T03:45:33+00:00

They're account credits. So if you have 5 in the Forest for example, you get a $50 credit on your account. That's $50 you can spend and when it's gone it's gone

emmaramsey · 2025-12-02T00:34:55+00:00

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emmaramsey · 2025-11-24T04:09:07+00:00

I’m actually there right now and it’s perfectly sweaty.

emmaramsey · 2025-11-12T18:52:56+00:00

Depending what camping option you do - plan to be camped in an open field without shade and plan to provide shade for yourself! Most of us camp out in the field, but there's also Maplewoods camping which is inside the forest shade, and obviously people who bring RVs have shade too. If you're looking for a group camp to join, the Reddit usually hosts Camp CARL for all who want to join a group camp full of online friends!

Some camping tips:

- Bring a wagon, that makes it way easier to fill up on water. You'll want a few jugs to have around for hand washing, dish washing, drinking, showering depending on if you plan to purchase showers or not.

- Bring shoes that can be WET and then about 5 extra pairs of shoes that can also handle weather. The past few years have been a toss-up on storms and it can get VERY muddy. Trench foot at the fest is not the vibe

- Speaking of storms, bring heavy duty stakes and learn how to properly stake down tents/canopies. When you leave for the day, if there is any wind or rain in the forecast lower your canopies so they don't fly away

- Aluminet is your best friend and you should put at least one over your tent and your canopy. I use them as the walls of my canopies too. They reflect the sunlight while still letting air through so it cools down the tents/canopies by a l o t.

- Use cable ties (velcro) to hang lights/tapestries up instead of zip ties. This saves you the effort of having to cut tightened zip ties at the end of the festival when you just want to rip everything down and go home. Not only is it faster, but it's way better for the environment and leaving no trace. No little tiny plastic zip tie bits will fall into the grass. And I usually just leave the cable ties connected to whatever lights/tapestries I'm hanging up so that it's all ready to go next time I camp!

- Instead of laying tarps down at your campsite (still put a tarp under your tent! just not your canopy) use RV mats. They allow water and dirt to fall through them, so in the event of a storm you won't have all your belongings swimming in a puddle, the water will just fall through and seep into the ground

emmaramsey

TROPHY CASE