With just four days left until it’s scheduled to kick off for 2013, the fate of Rainbow Serpent still hangs precariously in the balance, with the future of the international arts and music festival to be decided in a roundtable meeting late this afternoon.
Following a reappraisal from the local Pyrenees Shire Council following its initial refusal to grant a Places of Public Entertainment (POPE) permit, stating that they were originally unsatisfied with the changes to the festival’s emergency services by organisers Green Ant Productions, the council had a change of heart.
Mainly due to the support of festival-goers, the local community, and a direct appeal from Ms Adriana Buccianti – the mother of the 34-year-old Daniel Buccianti who died at last year’s festival of a drug-related overdose – who was scheduled to give an opening speech to the 8,000 strong festival goers about the importance of staying safe and avoiding a repetition of her son’s own tragedy.
It was Buccianti’s death that led to the change in Fire, Medical, and emergency services for the festival’s 2013 iteration, but after the providers dropped out at the 11th hour, it put the festival at risk of being cancelled after local council were unsatisfied with the changes.“We are very hopeful that come Monday afternoon the right decision will be made…” – Green Ant Productions, Rainbow Serpent Organisers
Green Ant Productions took to the festival’s Facebook page to ‘clarify’ for punters the ongoing status of the festival – which is already seeing more than 40 acts headed to the festival, which brings millions of dollars in tourism and business each year. Organisers note that “we are all working cooperatively to bring about a positive outcome to this situation, however a final decision will not be known until a meeting scheduled for Monday afternoon.”
Green Ant Productions called it a “positive meeting” that “managed to achieve renewed support by [council] to see the event go ahead based largely on the reintroduction of medical and fire safety provider “Flashpoint” who have been highly regarded in their previous delivery of this service.”
UPDATE: A statement from the Facebook page for Rainbow Serpent now confirms that having completed their meeting with Pyrenees Shire Council, the festival will go ahead for 2013 after being granted all necessary permits.
We are very excited to announce Rainbow Serpent Festival 2013 will go ahead after the Pyrenees Shire Council today granted all necessary permits.
We are very thankful to council and emergency services and thoroughly appreciate the extra time required of them to reconsider our permit application.
It’s been a tough week and our entire team are now working harder than ever to produce the most spectacular Rainbow Serpent in 16 years as a thank you to our army of fans who gave nothing but support and encouragement when we needed it most.
We saw over 9,000 signatures gathered on an online petition in 24 hours and we would like to thank you with the last minute addition of one of the world’s most eminent DJ’s who has been pivotal in the worldwide electronic music industry for more than 25 years.
Will spill the beans on that tomorrow or maybe even later tonight!Without doubt this addition will cement Rainbow 2013 as an exceptional year and we expect everyone to be in an extra celebratory mood making this one festival experience not to be missed!
Thanks again, and see you in 4 days!
Meanwhile, organisers have also cautioned punters on the veracity of tickets that have been circulating online.
A statement warning prospective ticket-buyers says to be careful of scammers. “We have been notified that some people are selling multiple e-tickets on Gumtree and other similar websites,” write organisers, noting that their ticketing agency, Greentix, has only just activated the online service.
They urge punters that “the safest thing to do is NOT buy second hand e-tickets!” With further details available from the festival’s website.
