Locals at Skógar in South Iceland, where one of Iceland's best known waterfalls Skógafoss is located, have rejected an application for a permit to organize a music festival by the waterfall the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RÚV reports. Locals fear the area is unable to handle the large influx of people and that the concert will damage the experience of visitors to the waterfall.
Local Police authorities criticized that the organizers are are already advertising the festival, despite not having the necessary permits in hand. Tickets for the festival are scheduled to go on sale today. The festival has yet to secure any of the necessary permits to hold a music festival. The chairman of the local municipal authority said that the local authorities had just recent learned of the planned festival.
An environmentally friendly event
The festival, which is called Night + Day, is headlined and held by the UK band The XX. It is scheduled to take place on July 14-16. The XX has held concerts at places where concerts have not been held previously, one of the organizers of the festival told the local newspaper Morgunblaðið, adding that the organizers want the event to be environmentally friendly, and that a part of the proceeds of the sale of tickets would be donated to fund investment in improved facilities at Skógafoss waterfall.
Local municipal authorities rejected an application from the festival organizers, arguing the plans did not fit with the atmosphere at Skógar, and that the festival would place an excessive strain on the infrastructure and environment around the waterfall. The chairman of the municipal authority told Morgunblaðið
You must remember we are talking about Skógafoss waterfall, which is visited by five to seven thousand people every day. This is massive traffic, and it's no easy task to hold a music festival here adding campgrounds for six to eight thousand people, and ensure that everything goes according to plan.
The municipal authority is also concerned that the festival will have a negative impact on the experience of visitors and travellers.
Festival organizers hope to secure necessary permits
The organizers are confident the festival will go forward, and say it is perfectly normal not to have all permits at this stage. One of the organizers told the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service that the festival will be held on private property, the land of Drangshlíðardalur.
The organizers say they will work with local authorities to resolve any questions and ensure that the festival will not disturb visitors, adding that if festival goers will be unable to use the campground at Skógar they will simply find another solution. Drangshlíðardalur has no campground.
According to the local news site Vísir the local municipal authority is currently reviewing new documentation and plans from the festival organizers to asses whether it should overturn its previous decision.
Locals at Skógar in South Iceland, where one of Iceland's best known waterfalls Skógafoss is located, have rejected an application for a permit to organize a music festival by the waterfall the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RÚV reports. Locals fear the area is unable to handle the large influx of people and that the concert will damage the experience of visitors to the waterfall.
Local Police authorities criticized that the organizers are are already advertising the festival, despite not having the necessary permits in hand. Tickets for the festival are scheduled to go on sale today. The festival has yet to secure any of the necessary permits to hold a music festival. The chairman of the local municipal authority said that the local authorities had just recent learned of the planned festival.
An environmentally friendly event
The festival, which is called Night + Day, is headlined and held by the UK band The XX. It is scheduled to take place on July 14-16. The XX has held concerts at places where concerts have not been held previously, one of the organizers of the festival told the local newspaper Morgunblaðið, adding that the organizers want the event to be environmentally friendly, and that a part of the proceeds of the sale of tickets would be donated to fund investment in improved facilities at Skógafoss waterfall.
Local municipal authorities rejected an application from the festival organizers, arguing the plans did not fit with the atmosphere at Skógar, and that the festival would place an excessive strain on the infrastructure and environment around the waterfall. The chairman of the municipal authority told Morgunblaðið
You must remember we are talking about Skógafoss waterfall, which is visited by five to seven thousand people every day. This is massive traffic, and it's no easy task to hold a music festival here adding campgrounds for six to eight thousand people, and ensure that everything goes according to plan.
The municipal authority is also concerned that the festival will have a negative impact on the experience of visitors and travellers.
Festival organizers hope to secure necessary permits
The organizers are confident the festival will go forward, and say it is perfectly normal not to have all permits at this stage. One of the organizers told the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service that the festival will be held on private property, the land of Drangshlíðardalur.
The organizers say they will work with local authorities to resolve any questions and ensure that the festival will not disturb visitors, adding that if festival goers will be unable to use the campground at Skógar they will simply find another solution. Drangshlíðardalur has no campground.
According to the local news site Vísir the local municipal authority is currently reviewing new documentation and plans from the festival organizers to asses whether it should overturn its previous decision.
