Insomniac founder and CEO Pasquale Rotella has confirmed that EDC Las Vegas will move forward with its planned May 2021 dates.
Sharing a number of cryptic countdown videos that were tantamount to torture for EDC fans, Rotella eventually announced the news in a triumphant Instagram post.
“Electric Daisy Carnival is finally on the horizon. There were times during the pandemic when many of us lost hope,” Rotella wrote. “We were challenged to learn & listen to our hearts & trust that the storm would eventually pass, making way for a bright & sunny future for those in our community & around the world.”
“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,” he continued. “Book your flights, hotels & shuttles — EDC Las Vegas is on for May 21+22+23!”
The news arrives after a tumultuous 24 hours for the festival, which the promoter expects to attract 200,000 people over the course of its three days, May 21-23.
After Live Nation posted a slew of EDC Las Vegas-specific job listings including the phrase, “Travel required in May,” many fans believed they had the smoking gun they needed to start planning for spring. Those plans were then marred by the news that the Nevada Department of Business and Industry went on to reject Insomniac’s robust safety plan.
However, it now seems the company was able to submit a revised proposal and secure the approval of state officials. “We are moving forward as planned & will be working closely with local & state officials to make the show as safe as possible,” Rotella’s statement continued, also noting that fans “can expect the full EDC experience with no details spared.”
The scope of the festival’s COVID-19 plan is not yet publicly known, but Rotella’s post says that more details on safety protocols and the lineup “will be shared soon.”
Insomniac’s initial proposal noted that the 2021 edition of EDC Las Vegas “will not rely on social distancing as its method for health safety.” In lieu of social distancing, attendees and staff members would either have to be vaccinated or able to produce a negative COVID-19 test onsite.
The preliminary proposal also revealed that organizers are also considering the deployment of COVID-19 scent detection canines, pending the results of ongoing studies of their effectiveness. If deemed effective, Insomniac is planning to place the dogs at all of the entrances of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway to search attendees. However, it’s important to note that the revised proposal may look vastly different.
Festive Owl, who claims to have spoken with “verified sources,” reports that if the festival’s capacity is reduced to 50% to adhere to Nevada’s COVID-19 ordinance, EDC Las Vegas “will be split over two weekends.” However, at the time of this article’s publication, we are unable to confirm either the capacity limit or the additional weekend.
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