Presale tickets for popular music festival Electric Zoo go on sale Tuesday, despite organizers not yet being granted a permit by the New York Department of Parks and Recreation.
The presale comes in the wake of the deaths of two festival-goers on Labour Day weekend in 2013.
The three-day music festival is held each year at Randall’s Island in New York City. Last year, the final day of the event was cancelled after the deaths of Jeffrey Russ, 23, of Rochester, N.Y. and Olivia Rotondo, 20, of Providence, R.I.
Both took fatal doses of the street drug known as “molly.”
This year, organizers plan to crack down on illegal drug use by enforcing a number of new anti-drug measures.
Drug-sniffing dogs will now be present at each entrance, coupled with thorough pat-downs by security. Organizers will run background checks on all vendors and employees. Off-duty and former NYPD officers with a background in narcotics investigations will be in attendance.
In response to recommendations made by an expert medical board, organizers have shortened the length of each day and will provide concert-goers with free or cheap electrolytes, along with access to free water.
In addition, wristband holders will be required to watch an anti-drug PSA, featuring some of the biggest names in the electronic dance music industry, in order to activate the wristbands that get them in to the event.
“The opportunity to again host Electric Zoo on Randall’s Island is a responsibility we take seriously, and we look forward to expanding our safety and security measures in order to further improve the concert experience for our fans.” said Mike Bindra and Laura De Palma, co- creators of Electric Zoo.
The music line-up for the festival has not yet been released.
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