Electric Zoo announced via Facebook yesterday that it will ban CamelBaks from this year’s event. The announcement follows up a series of efforts trying, in theory, to enforce safety measures in the wake of last year’s tragedies. It reads:
Can someone please explain to us how this makes sense? CamelBaks, the cheapest and most convenient way to stay hydrated, have been banned from a festival as a safety precaution?! Other recent precautions the festival organizers have taken, whether they will make a difference or not, can be justified: heightened security and the anti-Molly PSA, as ridiculous as it was, were likely necessary for the show to go on in the wake of last year’s issues. Large-scale festival organizers, particularly in major cities, have an image to uphold and as long as that isn’t coming at the festival-goer’s expense, extra measures will understandably be enforced.
However, this is just absurd. Many ravers and concert-goers genuinely rely on their CamelBaks to stay hydrated throughout those hot days. Anyone who has been to an event at Randall’s Island (Governors Ball, Phish, past E Zoos etc.) knows how hectic it is guaranteed to get in the relatively small space. Free water refill lines will be so long that they will cause patrons who are being safe to miss much of the event. Your other options: waiting on a slightly shorter line to spend $5+ on purchasing water bottles, or waiting it out until it’s an emergency situation. If Electric Zoo festival organizers cared even a bit about their patrons, they would not be putting them in this compromising position. Taking advantage of festival-goers: not very “PLUR.”