Elements Festival continued in the wake of turbulent Tropical Storm Debby and still managed to deliver a memorable experience for attendees.
As climate change worsens, more festivals face unpredictable weather, including sweltering heat and heavy rainfall. Elements Music & Arts Festival was one of the latest casualties this festival season, having been hit with unsavory weather during its return to the Pocono Raceway on August 9-11.
With a stacked lineup including Excision, Sara Landry, The Disco Biscuits, Slander, and Matroda, fans trekked to Elements Festival in hopes of catching the top-notch talent. What promised to be a weekend filled with immersive art displays and top-notch electronic music was hit with unexpected challenges as storms brought high winds and substantial rainfall to the Poconos.
This year’s Elements Festival started on a sour note as Tropical Storm Debbie rolled through the Poconos with unfavorable conditions.
For early arrivals, this meant long wait times to access the campgrounds and retrieve passes from Will Call. As the rain trickled down, attendees continued to descend upon the Elements Festival site in hopes that the rain would soon pass, allowing for a weekend beyond their wildest dreams.
Although the grounds were visibly muddy, Thursday’s pre-party went on without a hitch once inside. The Memory Palace Records takeover took place on Water Stage, where FLY delivered a monstrous, bass-fueled set that left the crowd craving more. Of The Trees closed the evening with a phenomenal performance filled with high-energy songs and mind-bending low-tempo tunes.
While campers slept, “Debby” wreaked havoc on the campgrounds, bringing torrential rain and high winds that destroyed canopies, tents, and the main festival grounds.
Sites flooded with water as rainfall accumulated, and the festival went under a tornado warning, keeping gates closed as attendees took shelter in their cars or dedicated shelters provided by the festival. After the news broke that Friday’s programming was forced to be rescheduled, Elements Festivals’ sound camps, known as Vibe Villages, sprung into action to assure fest goers still had an incredible night filled with music once the storm paused. Run by Elements’ attendees, the villages worked to secure artists and save the day for everyone already on site.
While “Debby” may have crushed the campsites, she could not crush the spirit of Elements. The community banded together to create a magical evening built from perseverance and the pure love of music, bringing headliners such as Tape B, Disco Lines, TVBOO, and Inzo to the festival grounds to perform at various renegade stages. The vibrancy was palpable, one of pure appreciation, as the crowds at each stage thrashed in puddles and mud to the music.
The skies cleared Saturday, bringing sunshine and good vibes. The festival grounds finally opened to welcome music lovers for the remainder of the weekend.
Attendees donned elaborate festival fashion accompanied by rain boats as they embraced the elements and entered the festival for the first time. Once inside, a world of wonder and enchantment awaited. The feeling of joy was overwhelming as you walked through the festival footprint, with each group greeting new friends with hugs and trinkets. Seeking to make every second count, Elements quickly filled up on Saturday as early sets such as DiCE MaN and X Eliot saw impressive turnout for early performances.
As day turned to night, Fly With Us (AC Slater B2B Chris Lorenzo) took to the new-and-improved Fire Stage, delivering an impeccable set with a fireworks spectacle that rivaled Disney World. Shuffle circles broke out in the crowd, and new festival friends were made as attendees danced to the beats pouring out of the speakers.
LSDREAM’s LIGHTCODE sound bath on Sunday morning revitalized festivalgoers and started the day with a newfound gratitude for the weekend.
With the final day only being the second within the festival gates, everyone was determined to bring the energy and make the most of the final hours within the wooded landscape. The Water Stage became the home base for many as drum and bass claimed the stage for most of the day. Blanke’s highly-anticipated ÆON MODE set was filled with totems and fest-goers fanning off the crowd as they danced. Dimension and Sub Focus drew rambunctious crowds ready to jump up and down at every power-packed drop.
As the festival ended, Chris Lake b2b Cloonee delivered a set for the ages. As we stood under a sky of fireworks, taking in the moment, groups discussed how incredible the weekend was despite the hardships faced. One could argue that the setbacks early in the weekend led to an even more loving and passionate community that was ecstatic beyond words to be able to experience the weekend.
This year’s edition of Elements Festival had its fair share of trials and tribulations.
While frustrations were at an all-time high at the beginning of the weekend, the festival powered through and delivered two days of spectacular performances, mind-blowing art, and unique offerings that unlocked everyone’s inner child. Those who embraced the chaos and lived in the moment had a transformative experience.
The storm illuminated the incredible resiliency of the Elements community and its ability to lean on one another when things get tough. From handing out ponchos to those in need to lending a helping hand picking up the remains of a stranger’s broken canopy, the true essence of PLUR was present throughout. While the journey may not have been what was expected, the radiant spirit of Elements was well alive, muddy grounds and all.
