Seriously This Time, Electric Daisy Carnival is Postponed

By Scott Roeben, on April 21 2021
2 min read 3 comments
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If you like a drama with lots of twists, this qualifies as that.

Despite recent announcements to the contrary, organizers of the EDC (Electric Daisy Carnival) music festival now say the event will, indeed, be postponed to Oct. 2021.

This is the part where we told you this would happen back in March.

Yeah, it’s complicated.

When we last reported on this saga, EDC had decided to proceed with its May 21-23 dates despite the fact officials rejected their safety plan. You know, the one with the COVID-sniffing dogs.

Apparently, further discussions between EDC and authorities didn’t go particularly well, so EDC won’t take place until October 22-24, 2021.

On social media, EDC founder Pasquale Rotella said, “As we expected and were assured prior to announcing the festival for May, Nevada state officials announced they would lift social distancing requirements as of May 1, creating a path for EDC to happen with strict safety guidelines in place.”

Rotella continued, “We just had a meeting in Las Vegas this past Friday with police, fire, medical and other agencies involved with EDC to plan out details surrounding the event. However, today, Clark County (home of EDC and the Las Vegas Motor Speedway) passed a reopening plan that requires 60% of their residents to be vaccinated before restrictions over large scale gatherings such as EDC can be lifted. It might happen in time, it might not. Either way, we can’t take that risk.”

Read the full statement on the Instagrams.

We are happy to translate: Pasquale Rotella is really pissed right now. Sorry, “heartbroken.”

The EDC change of course has led to a degree of chaos across Las Vegas, as this event moves the needle in many ways. Everything from room rates to pool cabana prices and staffing levels of myriad businesses are built around the massive influx of visitors for the event that can draw as many as 125,000 people a day.

EDC was going to be a symbol of the return of large scale live entertainment following a brutal year for the concert industry.

Now, not so much.

EDC isn’t EDC without a dance floor, so the “oontz” will just have to wait.