Locals dismayed by Sunday-only Electric Forest neighbor wristbands

By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor

ROTHBURY — A recent change to the Electric Forest neighbor wristband program is causing a stir among local residents, and a petition launched this week is aimed at convincing festival organizers to reverse their decision.

The massive music festival attracts tens of thousands of people from all over the US and beyond to the small village of Rothbury with a population of less than 500. This year’s festival is set for June 20-23 at the Double JJ Resort.

A letter from EF was recently sent to locals who receive free neighbor wristbands, stating that the passes can no longer be used for all four days of the festival but will only be good for the last day of the festival, which is Sunday.

“Under the new EF Neighbor Wristband Program guidelines, we are pleased to offer up to four complimentary general admission wristbands for Sunday, June 23, 2024,” states the letter. “Neighbors have the opportunity to upgrade Sunday-only wristbands to full general admission weekend wristbands at a 25 percent discount from the public wristband price, while supplies last.”

A petition on change.org started by Patricia Day Wednesday, March 20, gained 251 signatures of its goal of 500 by noon Friday, March 22.

“As residents of Rothbury, Michigan, we have always welcomed the Electric Forest festival into our community,” states the petition. “Each year, we bear witness to the influx of visitors and endure weeks of increased activity and noise. In return for our hospitality, we were given neighbor wristbands as a token of appreciation from the festival organizers — a gracious gift that allowed us access to enjoy the full event.

“However, recent changes to this program have left us feeling unheard and marginalized. The newly revised Electric Forest Neighbor Wristband Program now limits our wristbands to only one day of access. This decision has negatively impacted our community spirit and sense of involvement in an event that takes place on our doorstep.

We believe this change is unfair and unjust. We are not simply bystanders; we are integral parts of this annual celebration that brings economic benefits to Rothbury. Our voices should be heard in decisions affecting such a significant part of our lives.

“Therefore, we call upon the organizers of Electric Forest Festival to revise their new policy on neighbor wristbands. We ask for reinstatement of full-event access for all Rothbury residents as a signifier not just thanks but also respect for hosting this event in our town year after year.

“Please stand with us in requesting fairness and consideration from those who benefit from our hospitality by signing this petition today!”

“The festival has no further comment outside of the information provided in the letter to neighbors within the EF neighbor program,” stated EF representative Alexandra Dunne in an email, citing the following portion of the letter: “These program updates are the result of the high volume of neighbor wristband requests, particularly last-minute requests, significantly outpacing the overall capacity of the program. Additionally, there has been a year-over-year increase in neighbor wristbands being re-sold outside of the official Electric Forest ticketing platform, which presents numerous issues for the festival including public safety concerns.”

The Rothbury Village Council recently approved extending the mass gathering permit for 12 years through 2035. The permit now allows for up to 70,000 attendees — up from the previous 50,000. 

EF began in 2011. Its long run in Rothbury was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic when it was canceled in 2020 and 2021, but returned in 2022 and 2023, drawing massive crowds like it did before the pandemic. Prior to EF, the ROTHBURY music festival attracted huge crowds to the Double JJ in 2008 and 2009.

Wristbands for the 2024 festival went on sale, Dec. 8, and sold out in less than 24 hours. General admission wristbands are $520 plus fees.

Several people attended a regular Rothbury Village Council meeting Tuesday, March 19, presumably in reaction to the recent wristband controversy. However, only two residents addressed the council about it during the “public comment” portion of the meeting.

Local resident Fred Inglis told the council the recent change is “discouraging and problematic.” 

“Was there any language in the contract for the Electric Forest neighbors?” Inglis asked the council. “If not, can you put one in? Madison House (festival production company) is dictating the tempo, and they call it a gift. We look at it as compensation. It’s like a 75 percent pay cut. Is there a plan to compensate for this change? We don’t look at it as a gift. Somehow hush money is what we come up with.”

Inglis said other residents did not attend the meeting because many of them are still in Florida for the winter. 

“We’re disappointed. We’re hoping you guys will be our ally. We’re hoping that you let us not take the pay cut.”

OCP spoke with two locals after the meeting, Brandon Goerbig and Ben Degraw, both of whom said they enjoy attending the festival each year but they’re disappointed with the recent decision to limit neighbor access.

“I love a lot of the artists,” said Goerbig. “We enjoy going every single day. But, Sundays were the worst day to go.”

“It’s a slap in the face,” said Degraw.

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