Earthdance ’09 skips Sydney
It began in 1997 as a synchronised dance event across 22 cities in 18 countries, and has since grown to include over 300 locations in 60 countries. But in 2009, Sydney won’t be one of them. The local outpost of Earthdance, a worldwide music festival promoting peace, has been cancelled for this year – the result, say organisers, of financial losses incurred after last year’s event.
A statement issued by the organisers attributed the losses during the 2008 event to authorities and organisers together taking the decision to shut the venue, Prince Alfred Park, three hours early, to maintain a “comfortable and safe environment”. Marco Mazzucco, co-founder of the Sydney event, said the decision to take a year out was in part driven by the need to have a larger and more organised team. “Last year had less people than the year before, and more incidents – it lost the family vibe,” he said. “As it [the festival] has got bigger and bigger, we’ve tried to fence it off, and people were literally climbing over cops.”
Although Earthdance relies entirely on the help of volunteers, margins are traditionally tight, and profits are donated to charity. “Income (donations) grows exponentially during the last few hours,” Mr Mazzucco said. “We lost those last few hours.”
Mr Mazzucco confirmed that a number of options were on the table for next year, and that input from supporters was being actively encouraged. “There’s a couple of options we’re looking into [for 2010],” he said. “We’re trying to get federal funding, and we’re proposing to have it in the Botanic Gardens or the Domain – [maybe to] have a giant stage running for seven days.”
Despite the cancellation of the Sydney event, organisers said they encouraged supporters to “carry on the Earthdance spirit” and celebrate in their own way at 9am on Sunday, September 27.
