Now with two of the largest annual events at The Gorge fast approaching this August, here’s what to know about safety.
Safety at August concerts at The Gorge
Country music festival Watershed from August 4 to 6 and EDM festival Bass Canyon from August 18 to 20.
Fire support specialist James M. Kelly, who was stationed at Joint Base Lewis McChord, is accused of the shooting on June 17, to which he pleaded not guilty. Fiancees Josilyn Ruiz and Brandy Escamilla, of Seattle, were killed in the shooting. The three injured were Andrew Cauldra, Lori Williams and Lily Luksich, identified as Kelly’s girlfriend.
How can attendees at these two massive events feel safe in the wake of such tragedy? What changes, if any, have been made?
According to attendees of recent events on social media, there has been an apparent increase in security measures.
General festival safety tips
Some safety tips are relevant for any emergency. Never go to a music festival alone or with people you don’t know. Use the buddy system if you leave your group. If you can, try to have everyone get there early and check out the layout of the festival. Where are the exits, water stations, bathrooms and medic tents? Make sure you all know where to find each.
The best way to feel safer is to be more in control of yourself, said Steven Adelman, Vice President of the Event Safety Alliance, told McClatchy in an interview. Whether this means staying sober, carrying a map of the venue, sticking with someone familiar, or all of the above, the greater self control you apply, the safer you’ll feel.
It’s natural to feel concerned after a tragedy such as the shooting in June, Adelman said, but there’s an inherent risk from just living in society. He advises preparing yourself and surrounding yourself with supportive friends when you’re concerned, instead of opting out of big events.
“Just remember how often things go perfectly,” Adelman said.
A map has been provided for Watershed 2023, and a camping map is available online. A site map for Bass Canyon 2023 has not yet been released, but the camping map is available online as well.
The 2023 map for Watershed, country music festival at the Gorge Amphitheatre near George, Wash. Attendees at any music festival should familiarize themselves with the layout, especially for key points like exits, bathrooms and first aid tents. Courtesy: Watershed
It’s also a good idea to designate a meet-up spot, where your group will go in case of emergency in order to stay together. If separated when an emergency occurs, your whole group would still be able to easily and quickly find each other, without using phones or drawing attention to yourselves.
Make sure everyone in your group eats full meals and drinks plenty of water during an outdoor festival. The risk of dehydration is extremely high, even more so when under the influence. If you start to feel too hot, find some shade and take time to cool down.
It’s extremely important to have a designated sober buddy. Regardless of the substance, if everyone in your group is under the influence, you’ll be at risk in case of emergency. Consider taking turns being the sober buddy for parts of the festival to share the load.
The Gorge Amphitheatre
The Grant County Sheriff’s Office shared a Facebook post of 12 safety tips “to help you maximize your enjoyment and avoid problems:”
Go in a group and employ the buddy system.
Stay hydrated. Drink a lot of water.
Watch out for the safety of others, even strangers.
Prepare an exit strategy with your group in case of emergency.
Let security know if you notice someone targeting vulnerable people.
Don’t take drinks or drugs from strangers.
Lock valuables in your trunk, where they cannot be seen.
If you or someone around you feels sick, find security or EMTs or get to the medical tent.
See something? Say something. Anything suspicious can be reported to the Sheriff’s Office next to the main entrance or to 911.
Don’t ride in the bed of a truck unless all front seat belts are being used.
If you do ride in a truck bed, you must be fully seated, no riding outside vehicles.
Make good choices and enjoy yourself.
Safety rules and regulations at The Gorge
▪ Amphitheater rules
The bag policy inside the venue allows only two kinds of bags:
Small clutches, wristlets, fanny packs smaller than 6-inches-by-9-inches
Clear bags no bigger than 12-inches-by-12-by-6.
Lawn chairs are allowed, as long as they aren’t more than nine inches off the ground.
The following items are not allowed in the amphitheater:
Glass containers
Cans
Large, hard-sided coolers
Laser pointers
Drones
Outside alcohol
Weapons of any kind
Marijuana, drugs
Strollers, wagons
Animals, except service animals
Professional cameras
Umbrellas
▪ Campground rules
Standard rules are in place at The Gorge Campgrounds as a baseline, and events can add additional rules as desired. Standard camping rules include:
Strictly-enforced quiet time from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m.
No illegal drugs or paraphernalia
Alcohol is not allowed in public spaces, those of legal age can drink in their campground
No firearms or weapons of any kind
No large parties, loud speakers, kegs or binge-drinking devices
No drones
No gases, like nitrous oxide or CO2 cartridges
No fireworks, campfires or open fires
No animals, aside from service animals
No medical or recreational marijuana
Additionally, campers can expect a full person and vehicle search upon arrival at the campgrounds.
“The Gorge did what they could,” Adelman said regarding safety protocols during the shooting. “There was nothing that could’ve seriously mitigated those events.”
Watershed safety rules and regulations
Watershed follows The Gorge Amphitheatre bag policy, but makes an exception for hydration packs like a Camelbak no larger than 1.5 liters. Medically necessary bags and diaper bags are also allowed in exception of the bag policy.
On top of the baseline amphitheatre rules, Watershed 2023 also prohibits the following items:
Coolers
Selfie sticks
Fireworks
Aerosol cans
Download the Watershed app, in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, for updates and reminders. In case of an emergency, alerts will be sent out through the app.
Shot of Bass Canyon, annual EDM festival held at The Gorge Amphitheatre near George, Wash. Courtesy: Bass Canyon
Bass Canyon safety rules and regulations
▪ Amphitheatre rules
Festival attendees must be at least 18. You can buy drinks inside the venue with a valid ID, but all drinks have to be finished before you leave the festival grounds, even if you’re going back to the campgrounds.
Bass Canyon follows The Gorge Amphitheatre bag policy, but makes an exception for hydration packs like a Camelbak. Medically necessary bags and diaper bags are also allowed in exception of the bag policy.
The following items are not allowed in the amphitheatre during the festival, along with the baseline rules from The Gorge:
Open containers
Tanks of compressed air, helium, nitrous, etc.
Aerosol products
Fireworks, explosives, open flames or grills
Tiki torches, ski lanterns
Binoculars
Large speakers
Spiked or chained accessories, large metal key chains
Stuffed animals, stickers, flyers, beach balls
Markers, pens, spray paint, paint markers
Skateboards, bicycles
▪ Campground rules
On top of the existing rules for camping at The Gorge, Bass Canyon has also specified that all guests and vehicles will be searched before entering the campgrounds. A maximum of six people are allowed in one campsite. Additionally, blow-up pools and kiddie pools are not allowed.
