Editors Note: The first version of this article contained incorrect information regarding an artist involved with the festival. That information was not verified and has since been removed. We apologize for the error.
Elements Music Festival returned another year for the 3-day music, arts, and camping festival that, according to their website, “features a private lake, rolling hills, and a magical forest.” While these environmental amenities sound great on a regular, sunny day, the venue in Lakewood, PA was not spared by Hurricane Ida and received immense rainfall prior to this weekend’s event.
What Elements Music Festival is going through is what Bonnaroo avoided when they canceled this year’s festival last week. Hurricane Ida brought unsafe conditions to the campground and venue in Lakewood.
On the lineup for Elements, this year was a wide range of notable artists including GRiZ, Chris Lake, Ganja White Night, Bob Moses, and more. So far, no artists have addressed the issues guests are tweeting about on social media.
Check out some of the issues mentioned about this weekend’s festival below:
14+ hour waits to get into camping grounds
We paid $700 for a fest where we were onsite for only 18 hours and spent another 14 hours either waiting to get in the venue or waiting to be towed out leaving early because we feared our safety.
โ Hippydippycakes (@kimmycake) September 5, 2021
absolute shit show we waited over 10 hours and never got in pic.twitter.com/Vtvxwg5k6L
โ ๐๐๐๐๐ เฟ ห . โฆ (@ifakeitsoreal) September 5, 2021
Stood in line at Elements for 8 hours just to miss the main set I wanted to see, @Griz . Tears were shed, still so upset ๐ฅ
โ nah (@lllleeeah) September 4, 2021
And for those that experienced the terribly long waits, Elements Music Festival shared a response on social media towards the issue with an apology, but no follow-up.
Hi everyone ๐ we would like to take a moment to sincerely apologize for how difficult it was to get into the festival yesterday for some of our community. pic.twitter.com/IAOoqUUOrU
โ Elements Music & Arts Festival (@elementsfestnyc) September 4, 2021
Muddy Camping conditions
My car getting towed (with construction equipment) through the mud that they charged us $110 to park inโฆ pic.twitter.com/WWlVcYLfNo
โ claudibles (@richhomieclauds) September 5, 2021
No ADA accommodations
Oversold Tickets & Not letting in attendees w/ proof of ticket purchase
โ LASER_RANDY (@1900LAWYERS) September 5, 2021
so @elementsfestnyc sold passes, like people spent money, and are being turned away because THEY didnโt figure out their logistics? trash https://t.co/IY9Qx0ZGlN
โ Abx ๐ณ๏ธโ๐ (@abx09) September 4, 2021
way over max capacity bc QR codeโs weโre down so lines for anything weโre outrageous. day 1 showers were clogged and had to shower in ankle deep gross water, water was kicking, food running out, and the lake had what looks like a toxic algal bloom
โ Zan๐ต (@deepfriedgrapes) September 5, 2021
For those heading out tomorrow, the Lakewood area is expected to receive more rain tonight. Their team did share on social media that they have “made additional preparations to provide extra shuttles and box trucks” and that they will be “allowing guests to stay on-site until 8pm tomorrow.”
Stay safe to all of our fam out there!
Our team has made additional preparations to provide extra shuttles and box trucks, and we will also be allowing all guests to stay on site until 8pm tomorrow if they wish. We do expect a morning rush, so sleep in if you’d like and enjoy the last night! pic.twitter.com/gwry4rnX3L
โ Elements Music & Arts Festival (@elementsfestnyc) September 5, 2021