This is How Wisconsin’s “Herd Immunity Fest” Went This Past Weekend

Despite major backlash, a three-day rock festival occurred this past weekend in Ringle, Wisconsin. The festival, originally named “Herd Immunity Fest“, was later changed to “July Mini Fest“. In the weeks leading up to this event, safety concerns were stressed for such a large event. As you know, live events are put on hold, with many postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19. Now that it’s all over, here’s a look at one of the first rock music festivals to take place during the pandemic.

“If we we’re gonna do anything like this, it felt like the safest bet I’d seen so far. I went with an open mind — and a little apprehension.”

According to event organizers, ticket sales were limited to just 2,500 to best follow social distancing guidelines. After reviewing photos and videos of the event, it appears the turnout was much less. Bands included: Sponge, Flaw, and Saving Abel. The real question everyone’s asking is if people socially distanced from one another. To give some insight, The Oakland Press interviewed singer Vin Dombroski. Dombroski, a lead member of the group, Sponge, thought that overall, the festival was a safe environment.

Dombroski added that critics should give the organizers a chance as he thought fans were doing a good job social distancing. Unfortunately, he did mention that most attendees were not wearing masks. Nonetheless, photos did show most attendees keeping their space from one another. Most people looked relaxed on lawn chairs with friends and family. Having the event outside on a large field did allow attendees to spread out and have their space.

Even with precautions in place, many still argue that it was too early to safely hold a public event of this size. As coronavirus cases spike in many states across the country, public gatherings pose a risk for easy spreading. For this reason, many believe we need a vaccine before bringing back large-scale live events. Lastly, let us know your thoughts on the “July Mini Fest” and if you would feel safe attending an event like this.

July Mini Fest

just a couple of pictures to share. Things are going GREAT people are being very respectful. Bet all the BS media won't…

Posted by The Q & Z Expo Center on Saturday, 18 July 2020
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We are excited to return to the stage this weekend for what will be our first show since March. Obviously, over the last few months a lot has changed in the world, so it is of the utmost importance that we EACH do our part to make this as safe as possible for everyone. While your community leaders have deemed this to be a safe and acceptable gathering, we would still like to personally ask for each and every one of you to go the extra mile to help everyone remain safe… We are asking everyone to MASK UP & BACK UP. DISTANCING: The promoter has advised that the OUTDOOR site is huge. It can accommodate 10,000 people, but they have capped ticket sales at 2,000. This was a huge factor for us agreeing to play. This means that there is plenty of room for everyone to spread out and be safe. There are strictly enforcing a NO MOSHING rule and we are in full support of this for obvious reasons. We are asking that everyone please be respectful of everyone else’s personal space. We ask that you are conscious of this while watching the show, standing in lines for food, drinks and bathrooms, etc. WEAR A MASK! This is a simple request and it will help to ensure your safety, the safety of those around you, and also those at home. Wearing a mask demonstrates that you respect yourself, and it also demonstrates that you respect others. We will all be wearing masks and we ask that you all do the same. Please wash your hands, try not to touch your face and use hand sanitizer. We have been informed that hand sanitizing stations will be available throughout the site. We all want live shows to return and for things to get back to “NORMAL”. We want to reiterate that this upcoming show does not fall under the definition of what any of us would consider to be “NORMAL”. This is a baby step and in many ways this is also a test. We want you to remember that most places in America are not yet able to have this type of concert experience. Let’s all go above and beyond, in order to help ensure the health and safety of everyone involved, as well as everyone at home. #MASKUP & #BACKUP! Sincerely, Static-X #StaticX

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