A stage at Manchester’s Parklife Festival was shut down on Sunday (June 15th) evening due to safety concerns related to overcrowding, leading to the cancellation of sets by DJs Josh Baker and Chris Stussy.
Acting on advice from the event’s safety team, festival organizers announced the closure of the Matinee stage, a new addition to the festival, to mitigate potential risks. The official Parklife app then notified festival-goers of the shutdown.
Both Josh Baker, a Manchester native, and Dutch DJ Chris Stussy were scheduled to perform on the stage. They took to social media to express their disappointment but stressed that safety was the top priority. Baker described being unable to perform as something he couldn’t “put into words what today was going to mean to me.” Stussy, who had flown in from Barcelona for a three-hour set, also shared his regret but agreed with the decision, stating “safety comes first.”
Parklife festival released a statement confirming the closure was a precautionary measure. The festival said that it was impossible to move the performances of Baker and Stussy to a different stage and that the safety of attendees was their primary concern. Eyewitnesses reported that the area was heavily congested, with some attendees having to climb over barriers to exit the crowded space. The stage did not reopen for the remainder of the festival.
Praline celebrated its 15th anniversary over the weekend, hosting over 80,000 visitors over the weekend with sets from Charli XCX, Peggy Gou, Pawsa, Jorja Smith, Bicep, and many more.
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