By: Preston Lilly
Electric Forest is a newer festival, that started in 2011. Morgantown students have been there the entire way. This festival encompasses a very wide variety of music. It has al sorts of EDM music as well as Jam bands and even Bluegrass music. This festival caters to everyones musical tastes no matter what you are in to.
Even with this festival being nine hours away there are many people from Morgantown that have made the trip for the past four years. Only ever missing one year, which was the first year it was ever an event. Ever since then however it has grown exponentially, until now and it has been sold out the past two year. Last year it took about three weeks to sell out, this year went by even faster and sold out the day they went on sale. It is crazy how it can get so big so quick, but Morgantown people have been there from the start.
The first year John Nistendirk and his friends went there were only five of them that made the trip. The following year after spreading the word to all of their friends, he convoyed with forty-five other students. They started in Morgantown, and made their way to Michigan in a ten car convoy. The group has only grown each year as well. It is now up to around 60 people who convoy and attend this festival, that’s not to mention all of the people who don’t convoy up.
The group that went together says that convoying makes the trip around an hour longer, because you have to wait for everyone and make more stops. That however does not take away from the fun. The convoy of this trip makes even the drive a blast. There are always group texts going on between all he cars, just cracking jokes or keeping each other up to date with whats going on in each car. It also makes the gas station stops loads of fun, everyone jumps out to fill up their gas tanks as well as throw some frisbee or just hangout with the other cars.
That’s only the beginning of the adventure as well, the real fun doesn’t start until you arrive. Being with ten other cars all from your area makes the trip even better. You know everybody around you, and there is always someone trying to go and do what you want to do. You always have friends to go wonder around with, and check out different types of music.
The energy that that WVU students brings to Electric Forest is incredible as well. The entire festival is some of the nicest and most welcoming people that there are, and the Morgantown students fit right in. The atmosphere Electric Forest Creates is very unique, and it is great how so many people can come together and just have a great time with strangers. You go in knowing only the people you came with, and leave with so many new friends you can’t even remember half of their names.
Another great part about being with the Morgantown group is you can never really get lost. The venue is very large and it is fairly easy to get separated from friend while trying to walk through the crowd. One good way to avoid this is to have a totem (a big stick with a sign on it). With the Morgantown squad you can always find at least one of the totems. There is always a flying WV somewhere, and several other ones. So even if you get lost just go to a show, and find one of the totems.
If you are from the area, and want to join in with the fun all you have to do is check out the Facebook wall. It has been running since 2013, and just keeps people updated as to whats going on. For instance this year the group has gotten so large they cannot just pull up and say we are together. Now they have to sign up for group camping, and the signup list was posted on the wall. It has all sorts of other things like people selling tickets, and all the information you would need about carpooling or caravanning.
All photo’s pulled from Electric Forest official website photo gallery.