Music festivals have become a huge part of the Australian and international music scene.  Splendour in the Grass, Soundwave, Rainbow Serpent, Falls Festival and Pyramid Rock topping the list of festivals Australia has to offer.  Yet the stakes are high when there are permits, safety precautions and thousands of festival-goers involved.

The River Rock Music Festival set to take place in November this year was recently shut down after the local council were not satisfied that safety precautions were up to scratch by the festival organisers.  This festival, held in Toogoolawah, rural Queensland had an expected 5, 000 people attending to watch a 24-act line-up.    Reports state that concerns for safety arose due to the logistics of the Festival, mainly that its location did not provide for adequate entry and exit points for the anticipated level of traffic that the event was likely to create.

Often music festivals run into trouble with local councils and permits.  At the start of this year, it was reported that Victoria’s own Rainbow Serpent Festival was almost cancelled when the Pyrenees Shire Council refused to issue the festival a permit.  Once again, concerns for safety concerns were said to be the reason that the local council was holding back on permits.  Fortunately, in a last minute plea to the council, festival organisers were successful in persuading the council and emergency service providers that there would be adequate medical and fire plans in place.

It is important when planning a music festival to consider any and all possible scenarios that may occur and ensure you have proper professional advice from the start particularly in respect of permits.

Thanks to our intern Sam for this interesting article.