One of the very first questions that comes up when talking about this year’s fest is COVID – and for good reason. We had to cancel the fest last year due to the pandemic. With that in mind, I wanted to make a post to answer some of the frequent concerns, and solidify the stance of the fest regarding COVID safety.
First and foremost: guest safety is our #1 priority. The reason we waited so long to even announce this year’s fest was because we were carefully watching the progress of vaccination rates in the US. At the moment, vaccines are widely available to all adults, safe, effective, and free. In early April 2021, over 25% of the entire US adult population had at least one round of vaccination. In Dane County, where the fest takes place, over 50% of the entire adult population has had at least one shot. As availability and supply of vaccines continues to rise, we feel very strongly that, by the time of the fest in late August, all of our guests, bands, and staff should be fully vaccinated.
That being said, we are strongly suggesting that everyone attending the fest get vaccinated as soon as possible. At the moment, we are not requiring proof of vaccination, but we will assume that everyone who chooses to attend this year’s festival will be fully immune by the time they arrive.
Another safety-related change that we’re implementing this year: hand sanitizer. All guests will receive a free 2oz refillable bottle of hand sanitizer that can clip on to their belt/purse/etc. via a carabiner. We have upwards of 30 gallons of hand sanitizer refill stations scattered around the event so that guests can refill their bottles. We hope this will limit the spread of all communicable diseases, not just COVID.
We will be following the advice of the current science, as well as local, state, and federal regulations when it comes to keeping fest-goers safe. No matter what the regulations at the time say, Mad With Power Fest will be a mask-friendly fest. Mask-wearing can have a number of non-COVID related benefits, and it’s our belief that mask-wearing should be a more normalized thing going forward, much like in the majority of Asian countries.
Should we still be under an indoor occupancy limit (ex: “no more than 50% capacity”) by the time of the fest, we have a “Plan B” and “Plan C” venue that will more than meet the requirements of even a 25% capacity limit.
If we run into a “COVID Pt. 2” situation, where something beyond our control makes this festival unsafe and unable to move forward, ALL TICKETS WILL BE 100% REFUNDED.
Again, we fell very confident that we’ll be able to move forward safely with this year’s fest. If you have any additional questions or concerns, you can contact us directly at MadWithPowerFest@gmail.com