Last Memorial Day Weekend, Elements Lakewood Camping Music & Arts Festival’s inaugural year went off with a bang. Curated to what seemed like perfection, there were so many elements to experience, explore, and dive into well beyond the music that played until the early hours of the morning. From playing human Foosball, to getting lost in the enchanted forest, to watching the sky light up with electrifying colors while cuddled up to friends, both old and new, by the bonfire, there were various activities and events that truly heightened the experience as a whole. While we of course want to dance the night away at the fire stage or on a pirate ship with our favorite players on the lineup, this festival provided attendees with so many more reasons to return to the mountains of northeast Pennsylvania come this May. Here are three things we loved and are looking forward to at Elements Lakewood 2018, beyond its lineup.
Elements Lakewood is quite literally an adult summer camp.
Although it was somewhat difficult to imagine how the theme of an adult summer camp would mesh with the type of parties Elements is notoriously known for, the masterminds at BangOn!NYC delivered a perfectly executed mashup. Sprawled across the evergreen camp was every game and activity you could think of including, human Foosball, mini golf, heated swimming pools, zip lines, canoeing, ropes courses, jungle gyms, volleyball courts, deep house yoga, a roller rink, a massage oasis and more. The lake provided a picturesque area for paddle boating and chilling on a float, while the nearby bonfires offered areas for attendees to hang out or jam out, encouraging “campers” to BYOI – bring your own instrument. Those that stayed in the cabin accommodations experienced the ultimate throwback feels to camp days of their youth, minus the annoying, overbearing counselors and curfew.
There’s an enchanted forest to get completely lost in.
Whether you’re looking for an alternative route to get from one stage to another, or are hoping to get lost and maybe never find your way back, Elements Lakewood creates an enchanted forest that will intrigue all of your senses and desires. Last year, some parts of the forest were made up of dark and alluring paths, lit with minimal lighting; all you were given were your heightened senses and distant sounds of the stages to find your way from point A to B. Then, there was the Fairy Walk into the Black Light Forest – an idyllic path, adorned with magic mirrors, glowing portals, light-up tunnels, a glowing tapestry sanctuary, a speakeasy, and other enchanting furnishings and art installations. At the end of the path, you were welcomed by bedazzled branches, a double-decker tree house, rope bridges, and painters going to town on their canvases. This wooden asylum set deep into the grounds of Elements Lakewood felt like somewhat of a fantasy, and this year should be no different.
There are workshops for communities to come together, talk, and create change.
Last year, BAE collective came out to the festival to host its first “Women in Music and Nightlife” panel. Here, a group of artists, DJs, producers, and others spoke about gender imbalances in the electronic music industry and what can be done to further support one another and continue the conversation in order to create change. As one of the panel speakers, DJ and producer AKKI said afterwards that, “it was perfect for an environment like Elements, where people were just constantly looking for new, unique experiences and opportunities to have interesting discussions that really pushed their thought process.” TBD on what kind of workshops will be at the 2018 edition, but if it was anything like last year’s BAE event, it’s going to be a worth-while experience.
You can still purchase tickets and camping accommodation to Elements Lakewood Camping Music & Arts Festival here.
Connect with Elements Lakewood Music & Art Festival:
https://www.facebook.com/ElementsFestNYC
https://www.twitter.com/ElementsFestNYC
https://www.instagram.com/ElementsFestNYC
Connect with BangOn!NYC:
https://www.facebook.com/ItsBangOnNYC
https://www.twitter.com/BangOnNYC
https://www.instagram.com/BangOnNYC
Photo Credit: Chris Lazzaro – FreedomFilmLLC.com
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