75,000 attendances prove WOMADelaide is still the hottest ticket in town!
A record heat-wave didn’t stop attendance figures reaching 75,000 for this year’s WOMADelaide, which was held last weekend from 7-9 March.In one of the most beautiful outdoor festival sites in Australia, tens of thousands of people again celebrated a magical three nights and two days of spectacular music, arts and dance from more than 400 artists from 20 countries.
The event’s increasing popularity saw WOMADelaide’s 3-day festival passes and Saturday passes sell out several days before gates opened for the first time although overall attendances were slightly down due to fewer 'walk-ups' to the gate on Friday and Sunday. Exit surveys revealed a staggering 50% of attendees travel to Adelaide from overseas, interstate or regional destinations to enjoy the sounds of the planet in Botanic Park.
Ian Scobie, Director of Arts Projects Australia, said, “With temperatures over 39 degrees on Friday and Saturday, and over 40 degrees on Sunday, conditions were challenging for everyone involved and, despite a twice daily 'watering down’ of the Park from 2-9 March, the current drought and the still conditions, together with the volume of people, inevitably made it a very dusty event which was difficult for patrons, crew and artists alike. The reticulated sprinkler system within the Botanic Gardens cannot be used once the stages, sound, lighting and electrics are in place, and the watering truck can only circulate after festival hours when the public is not in the park.”
“Nevertheless, framed by the gigantic Angus Watt flags and extraordinary flame sculptures of France’s La Compagnie Carabosse, the WOMADelaide artists delivered a mix of memorable crowd-shaking performances and intimate recitals.” he said WOMADelaide is considered a special event not only by the fans, but by the participating artists. The Terem Quartet, on their third visit to WOMADelaide since 1993, said “If the world was like here at WOMAD... just like a big version of WOMAD, it would be a better place.”
WOMADelaide 2009 will be held from 6 - 8 March. The full line-up is expected to be released by the end of November.