LONG POND, Pa. — Fans at Pocono Raceway in Lond Pond are used to the sound of roaring racecar engines, but for this weekend only, the sounds of electronic dance music will fill the grounds instead.
The raceway is hosting Elements Music and Arts Festival.
"We want this to be a homegrown Pocono Festival. We have guests coming from 44 states this year. Yeah, it's an amazing site. It's super convenient, only 90 minutes from New York, 90 minutes from Philly, and if you live in NEPA, then it is down the road," Brett Herman, the festival's co-founder, said.
The three-day festival features major electronic dance music performers like Fisher, Kaskade, Zed's Dead, and dozens more.
Herman says the new venue will alleviate many of the logistical and weather challenges they faced at the old location in Wayne County.
"The infrastructure was one of the first things. I mean, NASCAR has had huge crowds here for the past 50 years. So there used to be lots of guests coming. The woodlands here are gorgeous," Herman said. "The parking areas are perfect. We even had a couple of thunderstorms here, and there was barely a puddle left on the ground afterward."
The festival isn't all about the music and the main stages. Herman says art and wellness play two very big roles.
"We have a huge neon forest area," Herman said. "A health and wellness area that's kind of more secluded for when you need a break from the music and tons of activities besides just stages."
Herman says the raceway's property offers them more space to build and grow in the future.
"We really want to be a 72-hour immersive experience, and so you can escape to a new magical world for just a bit and obviously listen to incredible music with world-class touring DJs," Herman said.
The festival officially kicks off Friday.
For Elements Music and Arts Festival tickets, click here.
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