As Elements Music & Arts Festival prepares to return to Long Pond, Pennsylvania, from August 7-9, the independent event continues to grow while staying true to its community-first roots. What began as a Brooklyn warehouse party has since evolved into one of the country’s premier camping festivals. Ahead of this year’s edition, Dancing Astronaut caught up with Elements co-founder Brett Herman and general manager Dan Slutsky to discuss the festival’s evolution, this year’s newest additions, and the vision driving Elements into the future.
Liana Stern: Elements has grown tremendously over the years while maintaining the spirit that inspired the festival. What sets Elements apart from other camping festivals?
Brett Herman: Elements is very much a music and arts festival. It even started more as a party specifically than a festival, so we’ve always tried to keep the experience and the non-music things at the forefront. Personally, I’ve been going to Burning Man for 20 years, so that culture and those values were a massive inspiration.
We wanted to create something that’s a lot more participatory. You go to Elements, and you feel like you’re a part of the culture and the fabric of the event versus just looking at a stage and being a guest. The whole design of the experience really puts you in the driver’s seat. We love festivals and we’re inspired by many of them, but we’re really trying to create something that you can’t find anywhere else in the world.
Daniel Slutsky: A big part of that is our Vibe Village culture, which is essentially our version of group camping. We encourage participation, and it’s often been described as a festival within the festival. People bring full stages, art installations, or create these wacky interactive experiences. It’s very Burning Man in that way, while still being a music festival with major production. We’re focused on creating our own identity and building that sense of community as we continue to grow.”
LS: What’s new for attendees this year?
DS: We’re upgrading two of our main stages with entirely new Fire and Earth stage designs that we’ve been working on all year, and we’re really excited to debut them. Beyond production, we’re constantly looking at every aspect of the guest experience. We actually created a brand-new Guest Relations department that’s focused entirely on making sure every interaction—from the website and social media to entering the campgrounds and leaving the festival—is as seamless as possible. We’re also introducing new art experiences in the woods, new activities, and even a retro-inspired candy shop experience that should be a lot of fun.
LS: How involved are you in building the lineup, and how do you balance so many different genres?
DS: Our entire team is very collaborative, and that extends to talent buying. We’re constantly listening to new music and looking at artists who are redefining genres. Rather than focusing on one particular sound, we really try to create a full spectrum of electronic music. This year we’ve leaned into everything from UK garage and house to dubstep and harder techno. We also make it a point to highlight regional artists because supporting talent early in their careers has always been part of our culture.
BH: There’s such an explosion of talent right now that it’s impossible to book everyone we’d like to. One of our greatest joys is booking artists who are just at the beginning of what becomes a major career. We’ve had that opportunity with artists like The Chainsmokers and Louis the Child, and we want people to come not just for the headliners, but to discover someone new.
LS: What are some of the biggest challenges people don’t realize come with producing a camping festival?
BH: Planning really never stops. We’re already working on next year’s festival, and booking starts 14 or 15 months out. Behind the scenes, it’s a tremendous amount of work. We want guests to feel like everything is effortless, but you’re dealing with weather, vendors, supply chains, rising costs. It’s almost like running a temporary city. Our goal is always to deliver the biggest experience possible while keeping the festival accessible, and sometimes that means making difficult decisions about where to invest.
DS: Festivals are a lot harder to produce than most people think. You’re building infrastructure for tens of thousands of people over just a few weeks. It’s definitely not as glamorous as it looks. I know way more about porta-potties than I ever thought I would, but it’s incredibly rewarding because we get to create these unforgettable experiences for people.
LS: Looking ahead, what’s your long-term vision for Elements?
BH: From the very beginning, every party and every festival has had to outdo the last one. Growth is great, but it’s not just about attendance. We want every guest to walk away feeling like this year’s experience was even better than the last through bigger productions, better art, more immersive experiences, and all the weird side quests that make Elements unique.
DS: I always think about places like Disneyland. No matter what your opinion is, you can’t deny how immersive those experiences are and how every detail is considered. That’s the mindset we take every year. We just want to keep building on what we’ve created, bringing more creative ideas to life, and making the experience more spectacular with each edition.
LS: Finally, looking back over the years, is there one favorite Elements memory or moment that really stands out?
BH: Every year, we’ve always tried to create some sort of ‘WTF’ factor. Going all the way back to our earliest events, we’ve had BMX riders jumping over fire breathers, the world’s longest wakeboard jump into the Gowanus Canal, skydivers parachuting into VIP, and helicopter experiences. Those larger-than-life moments are always memorable.
But honestly, I think what stays with people are the smaller moments. It’s those unexpected interactions, whether it’s meeting someone new or having a spontaneous experience with a performer. Those personal moments are just as powerful, and that’s really what we try to create for everyone who comes to Elements.
DS: I actually agree with Brett. As a festival attendee myself, it’s usually not the big headlining set that sticks with you years later. It’s connecting with someone new or stumbling into some weird, unexpected experience in the middle of the woods. Those are the memories I still have from festivals before I ever worked in the industry, and that’s a huge emphasis for us when we’re designing Elements.
That said, one of my favorite moments was last year when we convinced Pretty Lights to fly in two days early and do a surprise pop-up set on a renegade bus in the campground. It was completely unannounced, and people just wandered into this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Those are the kinds of moments that make Elements so special.
With redesigned stages, expanded immersive programming, and a continued commitment to community, Elements Music & Arts Festival is once again focused on elevating the attendee experience without losing the independent spirit that has fueled its growth. As Herman and Slutsky continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible, the festival remains committed to creating an experience that goes beyond the music. This year’s edition promises to build on that vision, proving that Elements’ biggest draw isn’t just its lineup, but the countless memories made between the sets.
Photo Credit: Jamal Eid
English (US) · 