In the wake of the mass shooting at Beyond Wonderland on Saturday that left two dead and others injured, Electric Forest has announced “increased safety oversight and protocols” ahead of this weekend’s festival. The event is set to return to Double JJ Resort in Rothbury, MI from Thursday through Sunday and welcome upwards of 40,000 attendees.
In a statement posted to social media on Monday, Electric Forest organizers said that the presence of enhanced safety measures “will be visible to all attendees throughout the festival site and campgrounds.” One specific implementation is specialized Festival K9 units on site, “These highly trained dogs and their skilled handlers have undergone rigorous training in firearm detection amidst a large crowd and in challenging environmental conditions.”
“We want to reassure you that HQ works year-round with large-scale event security professionals including Michigan State Police, and local law enforcement agencies, and FBI, to provide a safe environment for our patrons, staff, and artists,” organizers wrote.
Ultimately, the announcement emphasized concertgoers’ role in the safety of the event, “We support the importance of the mantra ‘SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.'”
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This announcement comes as the live music community reels from the events at The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, WA on Saturday. At approximately 8:30 p.m., a gunman opened fire in the campground area, killing two and injuring three before he was apprehended by authorities. Per Billboard, the producer of Beyond Wonderland—L.A.-based Insomniac Events—is also a partner in Electric Forest.
Electric Forest kicks off on Thursday and will feature performances by ODESZA, Goose, Illenium, The String Cheese Incident, and more over the course of four days and nights. See the full safety update below. For more information on Electric Forest, head here.
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