We went into Elements Festival with a notebook, a press pass, and a plan to cover the sets. We came out with a compass traded from a wizard on Friday, a shoe situation I do not want to discuss, and no usable notes from Saturday at all. Eight years ago, I wrote that Elements was the best festival I had ever attended. I was at the first one in Brooklyn and the last one at Lakewood. Now, four locations deep into a journey that started as a warehouse party and currently features a ferris wheel, I still hold that sentiment. Elements Festival is still climbing to the top, and this is the story of what happened.
The Art of the Trade
I traveled to the festival with a group, and one of my friends carried a broken watch they had worn for six years because it was stopped at the lucky time of 11:11. At the Fun Factory, we discovered a trading post and decided this was the perfect item to offer. Upon closer inspection, we realized the watch was actually stopped at 11:10—one minute short of the wish, one minute short of being truly lucky. The wizard at the post was intrigued and agreed to a trade.
He shuffled through his collection and returned with a working compass. We traded a watch that was a minute shy of luck for an instrument that helped us navigate the grounds all weekend. It was a magical moment that can only happen at a place like Elements.
Unforgettable Moments and New Discoveries
The festival is built on serendipity. I found Rafiki at the Fun Factory by accident; I was headed elsewhere, but his set was so compelling that I stayed for the duration. These moments are the heartbeat of the event—you go somewhere on purpose, but the best parts happen on the way.
Nikita the Wicked at the water stage delivered the best set of my weekend, and I am thrilled to have found a new favorite DJ. I also spent time at the candy shop by the ferris wheel, enjoying a mysterious blue soda while CloZee performed across the field. It was one of the best twenty minutes of my year. The Mad Hatter brunch was equally nourishing, and the updated stage designs—particularly the deer at the Earth stage—were impressive. Fire stage, meanwhile, provided the main character energy we all craved.
Connecting Through Community
Throughout the weekend, I handed out trinkets—either a ship steering wheel or an anchor—to fellow attendees. A wheel symbolized the need to move on, while an anchor meant to stay. Every person I encountered lit up, including an engaged couple who both pulled anchors, finding the moment deeply meaningful. It was also a pleasure to see Rawb Lane at the Fun Factory, consistently adding cheer and good vibes to the forest.
The High Water Mark
Having attended since the inaugural Brooklyn event nearly a decade ago, I have watched this festival move, lose a home, find another, and grow into a powerhouse that rivals events with twice the legacy and four times the budget. I have not seen it crest yet; Elements is still climbing.
It rained on the way in, as it always does. We spent hours getting from the car to the gate, arriving looking like we had been pulled from a lake. Yet, nobody’s spirits wavered. Dealing with the elements has been the running joke here for years, and the reality is that we always come back. That is the deal you make with a festival named after the elements. Thank you for reading, and I will see you all next year.
