Splendour Is The Grass is still going ahead: “Be patient, be kind, be safe.”

Pack your gumboots and ponchos, Splendour In The Grass says the festival is going ahead with Day 2 and 3 as scheduled.

Festival organisers are urging ticket-holders to show up today after the first day of the festival was effectively cancelled due to safety concerns.

The Strokes are scheduled to headline tonight, while other Saturday acts include Glass Animals, Jack Harlow, Ruby Fields, The Jungle Giants, The Chats, PUP, and Violent Soho (in their last festival show before going on hiatus).

Splendour organisers say that work is continuing to prepare the grounds for today, and to “expect delays.”

“Please work with us when entering the festival you’re going to have to allow for extra travel time. Have your ticket and ID ready when you arrive,” a statement reads. “Prepare for bus delays – rideshare or taxi are great options too!”

“The ground is soft – so please wear your gumboots and rug up for at night.”

“We’re all here for the love of music – please be kind to your fellow festival goers and our staff.”prepare for delays “Be patient, be kind and be safe.”

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The North Byron Parklands festival site has been lashed with the “worst weather” Splendour has experienced in its 21-year history, says co-founder Jessica Ducrou.

“We’ve had muddy events before, it’s not new to us, but I think the amount of rain that the Northern Rivers has received over the past six months has made it very difficult,” she told ABC News.

“Bring your Gumboots,” she added. Despite Friday’s cancellation, Ducrou is confident it is safe for punters, crew, and artists to proceed with the festival as planned.

“Everyone’s working as hard as they can to make this an experience they deserve, but it is very challenging conditions.”

“We wouldn’t still have people here if we didn’t think it was safe,” Ducrou added. “We’re just taking the opportunity to do any repairs that we can so that when we open the gates everyone can enjoy the next two days.”

She said ticket-holders would be refunded for missing Friday’s artists – including headliners Gorillaz – after cancelling performances across all the festival main stages: Amphitheatre, Mix Up, GW McLennan and Park(lands).

Splendour’s smaller music stages went ahead Friday night despite the muddy conditions(Russell Privett / triple j)

Heavy rains and wind were forecast overnight through to Saturday morning, Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Christie Johnson told ABC that showers were expected to become more isolated today and should mostly clear up by Sunday.

“There may be the odd burst of heavier rainfall depending on the exact movement of the low but, in general, rainfall totals are likely to be pretty moderate,” she said.

A punter wades through ankle-deep sludge at Splendour In The Grass(Lauren Connelly/triple j)

Campers arriving for Splendour on Friday faced excessive queues to get on site, with many forced to sleep in cars or find alternative accommodation.

One angry punter told triple j it took him and his friends over 12 hours to enter the Splendour grounds.

“We got here 3.15pm yesterday. We pitched a tent 3.30am,” he said. “It took 12hrs to travel a distance of two kilometres, and then for the whole day to be cancelled?! We found out from a security guard.”

“I’ve got mud up to my gooch. I have waded through trenches to try and find somebody to see. I’ve not seen anybody.”

Acts who saw their Splendour sets cancelled on the first day – including Baker Boy, Confidence Man, Wet Leg, and YUNGBLUD – organised last-minute make-up gigs in the surrounding Byron area last night.

Punters braved ankle-high mud and flooded Splendour grounds.(Russell Privett/triple j)

“Heartbroken not to be rocking it at Splendour In The Grass with you mob,” Baker Boy wrote in an Instagram Story yesterday. “Splendour organisers made the best choice for everyone’s safety and that’s always the most important thing.”

1300 were among those impacted by the cancellation. “We were ready to go,” the Korean-Australian rap collective told triple j backstage. They were set to open up the Mix-Up tent until they were told the show couldn’t go ahead.

“We were playing with the crowd, soundchecking – but got pulled back by the stage managers. ‘You can’t play, we’re waiting for authorities.”

“Sad. That’s the only emotion we feel right now, is sad.”

Posted 3h ago3 hours agoFri 22 Jul 2022 at 11:51pm, updated 3h ago3 hours agoSat 23 Jul 2022 at 12:05am