Goa, India has become one of the most internationally recognised hotspots for trance music fans around the world, and electronic dance music fans in India over many years of throwing huge festivals that see it’s beautiful beaches turn into pulsing raves. However, the 2016 holiday season looks to be significantly different for punters keen to let their hair down on the beach with all festivals banned from December 15, 2016 through to January 15, 2017.
Best known for the Sunburn and Supersonic festivals, responsible for bringing over acts like David Guetta, Kygo and more international heavyweights, the dates booked in for this current period will still be going ahead, but from here on out it doesn’t look too good. As both festivals happen at the same time over the New Year’s Eve period, the Indian government has issued a statement saying the festivals are not allowed to clash.
According to the India Times, the Indian government is “concerned about heavy traffic and security issues in the state during the peak season, when tourist footfalls rise significantly.”
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar stated that he had made contact with Percept and Viacom 18, promoters for Sunburn and Supersonic respectively, and informed them that “they should be conducted before Dec. 15 or after Jan. 15 from the next year.”
160,000 people attended Sunburn in 2014, and with the festival’s 9th anniversary happening this time around, they are predicting traffic to double at least. Both festivals are apparently refusing to shifts their dates, so now it seems both are missing out.
It’s an unfortunate turn of events for something so iconic.