Written by Ashley Nickell, Daily Mail Australia
06:08 March 10, 2024, updated 06:09 March 10, 2024
A controversial music festival in western Victoria has been canceled after a 20-year-old man was airlifted in a critical condition.
In a statement Sunday afternoon, organizers of the Pitch Music & Arts 2024 festival announced that the remaining events in Moyston, about 15 kilometers west of Ararat, have been canceled.
“No one is in immediate danger. I urge everyone on the scene to stay calm, pack up and leave this evening or early tomorrow morning.”
“Please remember to stay hydrated, be patient with our staff and each other, and remain calm.”
The festival, which started Friday and was scheduled to run through Tuesday, left three people hospitalized.
At around 4am on Sunday, a man in his 20s was airlifted from the event venue to Alfred Hospital in serious condition due to suspected drug use.
The other participants, a man in his 20s and a man in his 30s, were also taken to the hospital by ambulance.
They were suspected of drug use at Pitch Music & Arts on Saturday and were taken to East Grampians Health Service in a stable condition.
The heat wave, which was upgraded from severe to extreme on Sunday, continues to affect the region, with authorities warning that the situation could worsen the negative effects of drugs, including MDMA.
The toll of the heat on partygoers was also seen at Melbourne's Hard Mission festival earlier this year, where eight hard-drinking attendees were hospitalized with overdoses.
Pitch Music & Arts organizers encouraged attendees driving to the festival to “ensure they are not drinking and driving and are well-rested.”
“For those who came by other means of transport, an additional bus to Ararat has been arranged today and will depart again from 6am tomorrow,” they said.
“Our staff will be happy to assist you with any inquiries and departure arrangements.”
Festival organizers are facing dozens of charges for endangering attendees by going ahead with the event despite extreme heat.
On Friday night, thousands of ticket holders, many of whom could not be reached by phone, were left in disarray after being told to leave due to “extreme fire risk.”
However, this message was followed on Saturday afternoon by an announcement that the event would go ahead despite warnings from the country's fire authorities.
“As of this writing, there are no active fires in the area. Those on scene should rest assured that they have plenty of shade, misting fans for cooling, food and water.” I think so,” the latest information states.
Ticket prices for the event ranged from $449 for a two-day pass to $499 for a four-day pass. There was an additional charge for camping passes and car passes.
Organizers said in a statement Sunday that they would not confirm whether participants would receive refunds, but “we appreciate your patience as we resolve this issue.”
Ticket holders will receive updates as more information becomes available.
“Our top priority at this time is to get everyone on scene home safely.”
The online cancellation announcement was met with severe backlash from confused participants.
“There is no reception to contact family and friends,” one person wrote.
“Why don't the participants know about this? 'It would be a good idea to tell the participants what's going on,'” said another.
Another wrote: “I just spoke to my son who was there and there was no mention of cancellation at the event.”
