After strong rumors circulated that Electric Forest would be expanding to two weekends in 2017, the festival has confirmed the rumors with the announcement of “An Intimate Expansion of Community.” Their open letter to fans everywhere addresses some of the questions on everyone’s mind, specifically that each weekend will be “distinct,” and also “at a lower capacity.” As E Forest has sold out immediately in years past, the new double weekend approach will allow for an overall increase in the supply of tickets for fans everywhere.

The festival has also confirmed the dates for the two weekends: June 22-25 and June 29-July 2. Ultimately, by doubling up the weekends, the festival hopes to incorporate a larger community. Capacity for each weekend will be decreased by roughly 10%, allowing for a large overall increase in attendees between the two weekends. Forest fans can purchase tickets to both weekends, but the festival grounds will not be open between each weekend.

The full announcement also reveals that each of the eight scheduled festival days will be unique, but that some artists will overlap between each weekend. Despite this, the festival assures that no artist will be playing the same set twice, making each day a unique Electric Forest experience. Furthermore, the festival will reveal initial lineups in advance, allowing fans to select whichever weekend more closely fits their tastes.

“Immediately after each year of Electric Forest I dream of what it can become in the future,” says Electric Forest Founder/Director and President of Madison House Presents Jeremy Stein in a statement. “There is not a formula.  We do not try to match the past.  Instead, we challenge ourselves to raise the bar while writing a new chapter.  Our collective goal is to propel creative experimentation and cultural exploration.  By combining the past, present, and ideas for the future, Electric Forest can take a new and exciting form each year.”

To read the full statement, head here.