Some of the biggest music stars in the world are coming to our region to perform at a new music festival in Oro-Medonte.
Republic Live announced on Wednesday Sam Smith, Kendrick Lamar, Alt-J, Modest Mouse and Hozier will be headlining the WayHome Music and Arts Festival at Burl’s Creek.
The three-day festival will take place from July 24 to 26 and will include four different stages with more than 90 different performers.
Tickets go on sale on Monday, Feb. 16 at 12 p.m. and start at $209 for the entire weekend. Organizers say they are expecting a crowd of over 40,000.
Republic Live has teamed up with the promoters behind Bonaroo to produce the festival. Bonaroo is a similar festival held in the U.S. that draws the biggest names in music and tens of thousands of people.
This is the second music festival Republic Live has announced for Burl’s Creek for the summer of 2015; the first was Boots and Hearts.
While music fans are excited about the festivals, people who live nearby are worried about the impact the events will have on their community.
Ann Honeywood lives across from Burl’s Creek and is with a residents group called ‘Save Oro.’ The group has been mailing flyers to residents highlighting their concerns about how the large scale music events will ruin their rural community.
“We are concerned about noise, resident safety and the other concern we have is that we can’t accept this large volume of crowds and we don’t have the infrastructure both going on the 400 and highway 11,” says Honeywood.
Republic Live says they will make sure to follow the Township’s noise bylaws and will have the crowds coming and going from the event managed by a team that has been responsible for crowd control at major sporting and music events in the U.S.
Concerned residents are planning a meeting for February 19 to further talk about their concerns.
