Explore the history of Elements Music & Arts Festival from its early days to becoming the Northeast’s headline-worthy electronic music experience.
Since its inception, Elements Music & Arts Festival has been known for providing a transformative experience packed with notable performances while still keeping a close-knit community. Sited in Pennsylvania‘s Pocono Mountains, this festival stepped in and filled the void of a mainstream multi-day camping festival in the Northeast, bringing life back to the once-thriving festival scene.
Over the years, Elements Festival has seen tremendous growth, and 2024 is slated to be its largest year yet. As we approach this year’s edition, which will take place August 9-11, take a walk down memory lane and revisit Elements’ beginning years, which enabled them to become a major player in today’s event landscape.
Founded in 2013, the Elements Music & Arts Festival was originally located in New York.
As the years passed, the festival began to grow. What started as a waterfront festival in New York City by the BangOn!NYC team (who no longer produces the festival) morphed into a three-day camping experience that changed locations in 2017. Elements would host its first year in Northeast Pennsylvania on Memorial Day Weekend. The inaugural year featured prominent musical acts, including Tipper, Liquid Stranger, and Baauer, along with local talent spread across seven stages.
By Memorial Day Weekend, 4,000 attendees flocked to the serene lakeside location for a new and improved Elements experience. Proving to be a success, the team continued to expand and refine the festival. Over the years, the four main stages – Fire, Earth, Air, and Water – saw massive upgrades, lineups became more impressive as they drew in some of the largest acts in electronic music, and a dedicated group of faithful attendees began to attend.
After a hiatus in 2020 due to the pandemic, Elements Festival returned to Northeast Pennsylvania in 2021 with a stacked lineup featuring GRiZ, Chris Lake, CloZee, and Bob Moses.
The festival saw exponential growth in its return, and roughly 7,000 music lovers descended upon the festival for its third year in Lakewood. What was poised to be a magical event turned to disaster as the remnants of Hurricane Ida left the grounds less than desirable, and logistical issues plagued the festival.
Upon issuing a statement taking accountability for attendees’ challenges during the weekend, the Elements camp took their fans’ feedback to heart and set out to right their wrongs while bringing an upgraded experience to life. In March of 2022, the festival announced its relocation to Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, PA.
The relocation provided a new magical retreat with greater infrastructure and increased accessibility from major cities. Along with a new location, the festival moved its dates from May to August. Elements promised major improvements and a thoughtfully curated experience akin to what past attendees had come to know and love from the previous iterations.
Over 100 artists spanning various electronic music genres provided an immersive escape for festival attendees. Resoundingly positive feedback flooded in from festival goers, proving Elements was up for the task of becoming one of the premier electronic festivals on the East Coast. This continued in 2023 for its most recent edition, which brought forth even more improvements.
With 2024’s festival on the horizon, Elements Music & Art Festival promises massive upgrades throughout its expanded grounds.
While the weekend promises a slew of top DJs like Kaskade and Excision, the arts and experiential offerings have expanded, adding much more to explore. This year’s enhancements include the newly reimagined Water Stage and an expanded festival footprint. Visionary artist Android Jones will bring his mind-bending artwork to life during a surprise DJ set and host an exhibit within the grounds. Art cars will roam the campgrounds, and community-run Vibe Villages will offer additional activities, such as daily yoga, hair braiding services, and renegade DJ sets.
Despite some hiccups, Elements Music & Arts Festival has solidified itself as the Northeast’s major electronic festival. Between top-notch production, massive lineups, and a close-knit community demonstrating the meaning of PLUR, the festival is well on its way to becoming a festival season staple for artists and attendees alike.
Don’t miss out on the magic Elements Music & Arts Festival has in store this year. An immersive experience within the forest awaits those who feel called to attend. Head over to Tixr to grab a pass before they sell out!
