Electric Daisy Carnival, one of the largest annual entertainment events in Las Vegas, has not shifted plans again, despite the fact that the Nevada State Department of Business & Industry has denied an event plan submitted for full festival capacity.
The founder of the dance music mega-festival Pasquale Rotella announced today on social media that EDC will indeed be held May 21-23 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“With the world being shutdown for over a year, I’m happy to announce we’re on our way to being able to celebrate in person. … We are moving forward as planned and will be working closely with local and state officials to make the show as safe as possible,” Rotella posted. “You can expect the full EDC experience with no details spared, from the festival grounds to the music, stages, art, performers, artists and fireworks!”
He also wrote that more details on safety protocols and the lineup of artists and DJs will be shared soon, but did not specifically address what the capacity will be at the Speedway. A spokesperson with the Department of Business & Industry confirmed no alternative event plan has been submitted or approved.
Rotella’s company Insomniac had submitted a plan to the state for approval to hold the festival at full capacity next month, estimating daily attendance at 200,000 and detailing safety protocols built around the creation of a regulated “clean zone” where every guest, staff member and performer would be verified by a health pass mobile application to be fully vaccinated or confirmed to have tested negative for COVID-19.
But the plan was denied because it did not comply with capacity and social distancing requirements.
The current statewide limits for gatherings and events are 250 people or 50% of venue capacity, whichever is less, but bigger venues with fixed seating or outdoor events can submit a plan that, if approved, allows for larger audiences. Restrictions could change again on May 1, when local officials are set to assume control from the state government.
The Speedway’s seating capacity is 80,000, but EDC typically reports attendance of more than 150,000 per day across the sprawling site.
One of the largest music festivals in the world, Insomniac’s flagship version of EDC has been held in Las Vegas since 2011. The 2020 edition was postponed from spring to fall and then pushed again to May 2021.
While it was denied, the EDC event plan paints a picture of how the festival could work next month. The health pass mobile application would serve multiple functions: identity verification, vaccine or test confirmation and a prompt for every user to complete a COVID-19 symptom questionnaire. Once an attendee completes those tasks, they would receive a “green token” and be granted access, provided they have a ticket or credential.
“Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world, and Insomniac, the world’s preeminent festival producer and leader in live event health and safety management, are uniquely positioned to set the standard for the return of large-scale non-seated live events nationwide with EDC,” the plan states. “The positive effects that will result from the safe and successful production of such a large event cannot be understated. The economic and mental health benefits, in conjunction with the encouragement of young adults to get vaccinated, will make Nevada the clear leader in the responsible effort of getting back to business.”
EDC Las Vegas tickets remain sold out. Rotella posted that those unable to attend next month can transfer tickets to 2022 by visiting lasvegas.electricdaisycarnival.com.
