Extra police for Adelaide Fringe, as organisers urge revellers to stick with QR code entry system
More than 120 Melbourne artists were given exemptions for Fringe, authorities have revealed, as they urge the public to stick with COVID measures.
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More than 120 performers and their support teams from greater Melbourne have been granted exemptions to attend the Adelaide Fringe that starts tomorrow.
SA Health has revealed the exemption figure as authorities encouraged festival-goers to use QR code check-ins at all 392 Fringe venues.
Chief Inspector Matt Nairn said officers would not be looking to issue fines to people for failing to check in. Instead, they hoped education was all that would be needed.
“SAPOL will have an increased police presence during the entire Fringe, part of which will be compliance officers,” Chf Insp Nairne said.
“We have been working very closely with SA Health to make sure this event goes ahead safely.”
This year’s Fringe is made up of close to 900 events and 21 individual performances across 31 days and nights.
Fringe director and chief executive Heather Croall said nearly 150,000 tickets had been sold, worth nearly $4m, for shows in the city, suburbs and regional areas.
“There’s never been a more important time to get behind the artists and creative entrepreneurs of Adelaide Fringe,” she said.
“With capacities limited due to COVID restrictions, we are imploring people to book early to avoid missing their favourite shows.
“It’s been so impressive to watch how artists and venues have adapted over this past year, coming up with new, innovative and inventive ways to present their performances safely within the rules of crowd density, social distancing and contact tracing.”
Ms Croall said Victoria’s lockdown last week had very little impact. However, late today Melbourne singer Ali McGregor cancelled her seasons of two shows at the Queens Theatre and a performance at the Spiegeltent.
“This uncertainty over border restrictions and potential financial fallout has become impossible to work around,” McGregor said.
SA Health confirmed exemptions had been granted to some artists, following 314 exemptions for tennis players and their coaches for a tournament at Memorial Drive next week.
Ms Croall said the artists who had received exemptions had entered quarantine, with some working in “bubbles” and isolating together.
Most venues will operate at 50 per cent capacity, while others at 75 per cent will require the audience to wear masks.
Those going to the Fringe should expect chequerboard- style seating, regardless if they are in general admission or allocated sections.
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