Elements, an independent dance festival, is opening its 2026 edition at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania after growing from a one-day Brooklyn event in 2013 into a three-day woodland festival. Co-founder Brett Herman says its survival and expansion demonstrate the value of independent thinking and experimentation in a costly, highly competitive live-events market.

Organisers expect up to 40,000 attendees, compared with 33,000 in 2025, for a line-up including Charlotte de Witte, Chris Lake, Subtronics and Above & Beyond. The festival is adding Fire and Earth stages, upgrading its Air and Water areas, and expanding art experiences, while continuing a Burning Man-influenced emphasis on attendee-built camps and immersive installations. Elements has also faced pandemic disruption and severe-weather problems, including flooding and long entry queues in 2021 and a rescheduled Friday programme during Hurricane Debby in 2024.