Dancing, ‘vertical’ food and beverage consumption allowed at WOMADelaide, but Wine Machine forced to postpone McLaren Vale event

WOMADelaide’s Covid management plan has finally got the tick of approval – and that puts a lot more fun back on the menu.

Dancing will be allowed at WOMADelaide this year, after the festival’s final Covid Management Plan was given the tick of approval.

Beginning next week, festival patrons will be allowed to dance, as well as consume food and drinks while standing.

Proof of a full Covid-19 vaccination for patrons over 12-years-old is required to enter the event.

While dancing is allowed, the festival will operate at a 28 per cent reduced capacity compared to previous years, and maskwearing is encouraged if physical distancing cannot be maintained.

A WOMADelaide statement welcomed the news.

“We are delighted to confirm that the Covid Management Plan for WOMADelaide 2022 has been given final approval by SA Health,” it read.

“Yes, you can dance! Yes, you can “vertically consume” food and drinks (we can’t believe we’re writing that TBH).”

Dancing is allowed at WOMADelaide. Picture: File

It comes as South Australia’s “draconian” Covid restrictions forced a music festival expected to attract thousands to McLaren Vale to be postponed for the second time.

Wine Machine McLaren Vale was originally set to take place on December 10 last year, but Covid restrictions forced it to be postponed until March 13.

The event’s organisers took to social media on Monday evening announcing the event was again being pushed back a further nine months, to December 2022.

“We are heartbroken to announce that Wine Machine McLaren Vale is being postponed again, due to incomprehensible draconian restrictions handed down to us promoters from SA Health,” the post read.

“We’ve worked around the clock trying to make this event happen and have succeeded in doing so in every other state except South Australia.

“We were hoping that Friday’s release of the new public health orders would be a reasonable relaxation of the current restrictions but of course they were not.”

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens significantly eased restrictions on Friday, allowing stand up drinking indoors, and permitting dancing to return at private functions with a maximum of 150 people.

Wine Machine has cancelled it's McLaren Vale event for the second time due to "draconian" SA Covid restrictions. Picture: Wine Machine

Covid management plans would still be required at events of more than 1000 people, and SA Health declined to comment on the specific Wine Machine Covid Management Plan.

The festival’s social media post said it had received directions from SA Health on how the event could take place, and ticketholders would not be allowed to stand up and drink or dance.

“We refuse to hold an event where you can only stand up if there is no alcohol or only drink if you’re seated,” the post wrote.

“We, like you, are absolutely sick to death of nonsensical politically driven self-serving decisions affecting our freedoms and ability to run a business.”

Wine Machine is an annual festival with a live DJ, which was set to take place at Serafino Wines.

Event organisers urged South Australians to hold on to their tickets until December 10.

“Every time we have to postpone an event it cripples us and the hundreds of staff, crew, artists and stakeholder businesses that were relying on the event.”

A statement from SA Health said Covid Management Plans address how high risk activity will be managed through Covid safe requirements to reduce the risk of widespread transmission should an infected person attend an event.

“We work closely with organisers of events who submit CMPs to ensure their approved plans include individual risk mitigation strategies linked to their specific event and venue,” an SA Health statement said.

South Australian reported another 1618 Covid cases on Tuesday, bring the total number of active cases to 15,870.
SA Health said a man in his 80s and a man in his 90s who had tested positive for Covid have died.