The Guidelines for Music Festival Event Organisers: Music Festival Harm Reduction have been released by the NSW Government, helping to support event organisers to deliver safer music festivals.
The guidelines combine existing event-planning guidance with harm-reduction strategies based on information from events where festival patrons have presented with serious drug-related illness that required immediate and intensive medical management before and during transfer to hospital.
The document explores everything from crowd management to sun safety to drug intoxication issues. It provides an insight into the efficacy of peer-based drug and alcohol harm-reduction services, recommending festival organisers and promoters engage in a peer-based program or engage a drug and alcohol peer-based harm reduction service.
Queensland should consider these guidelines as one component of a broader harm minimisation approach
For more information, including to provide feedback on the NSW Guidelines, email MOH-musicfestivals@health.nsw.gov.au.
