Electric Forest is Back This Week. So is Last Year’s Severe Weather

Early this morning, Electric Forest closed its entrances and urged those already on site to shelter in their vehicles.

Last year’s edition of Electric Forest was one of several festivals overshadowed by severe weather in 2025. And while this year’s return to Double JJ Ranch in Rothbury, Michigan isn’t quite underway, similar downpours have complicated things for some of its early arrivals.

Early today, June 18, Electric Forest urged those on site to seek shelter via X. “Due to severe weather, move your vehicle,” wrote the organizers. “If you do not have a vehicle, proceed to the nearest shelter bus. Watch here for updates and tune into 99.5 FM.”

Not long afterward, the Electric Forest team shared on X that “The North and South Tolls are temporarily closed due to the weather,” imploring attendees to “remain off site for the time being.” A spokesperson on behalf of Electric Forest did not immediately respond to EDM Identity’s request for comment on the communications.

Additional rainstorms are on the forecast for the rest of the day, coming with a risk of thunderstorms, hail, flash flooding, and localized damaging wind gusts. But it bears mentioning that, save for potential thunderstorms tomorrow, the official festival dates of Thursday, June 19 – Sunday, June 22 look to be clearer, with extreme heat posing more of a risk.

“If there is a severe storm that comes in, the festival has taken a lot of precautions as far as letting you know when that system is coming in,” Lt. Michelle Robinson of the Michigan State Police told WZZM13. “And we encourage the patrons, do not try to shelter in your tent. Go into your vehicle. You’re a lot safer inside your vehicle.”

If Electric Forest were to halt any of its programming due to inclement weather, it would not be the first organizer to do so this year. Ultra Music Festival in Miami had to temporarily shut down for the second year in a row, and Bonnaroo in Tennessee was forced to call off most of its 2025 edition.

This year’s edition of Electric Forest features headliners like Sara Landry, Liquid Stranger, FISHER, The String Cheese Incident, and Louis The Child. Find set times, maps, and more in our essential info guide.