The festival’s emergency services keep a close eye on the weather forecast to keep track of how much precipitation to expect in the coming time, so they can initiate the necessary efforts on the festival site.
Roskilde Festival also has ongoing contact with Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI), where we can consult with DMI’s meterologists, just as the festival has its own meteorologist.
Here are DMI’s recommendations for festival participants
- Seek shelter BEFORE the thunderstorm is right above the festival site.
- The best shelter is in a car/bus. In the camping area, a small low tent is safer to be in than a tall tent with long metal poles.
- Do not seek shelter under trees, especially not a single tree and not in a tent under a tree either.
- Avoid touching larger, electrically conductive objects – e.g., fences, railings, faucets, or devices connected to the electricity and telephone networks.
- It is reasonably safe to talk on a mobile phone but remember that it is an electrically conductive object you have in your hand. Limit use to the most necessary.
- Avoid bathing in open water.
- DO NOT lean against the metal masts in the concert tents. If there is a lightning strike on the festival site, these high metal masts are at high risk of being hit.
- Put away any flags and umbrellas, so you don’t have a lightning rod in your hand.
- If the thunderstorm is right over you and you have not reached shelter, then squat with your head between your legs, if possible and without being a danger to yourself and others. Make yourself as low as possible with as small an area touching the ground as possible.
Roskilde Festival’s approach to rain and thunder
- Roskilde Festival follows DMI’s advice and guidelines during thunderstorms, including that one should not seek shelter under trees and masts. In the camping area, there are large safety distances to the masts and tents are not set up by the masts.
- During cloudbursts, Roskilde Festival follows its usual procedure and has extensive experience in determining where efforts should be focused. Some areas are lower than others, so those areas are addressed first.
- We do not avoid mud when tens of thousands of people move together in rainy weather. We concentrate our efforts on areas with large concentrations of people and on the primary thoroughfares, as these are often where the mud accumulates.
- We spread wood chips, straw, and gravel to alleviate sludge and mud. Additionally, we have machines that can suck up water where it is needed.
- The festival’s area managers are prepared for all weather conditions. For example, we have both primary and secondary warehouses near the festival site stocked with machines and supplies, so we are ready to respond as needed.
- The festival’s efforts in response to weather conditions occur in a prioritized manner. Our primary focus is to enure the safety of festival participants and maintaining the festival's operations, including managing toilets etc. Following this, we strive to enhance the festival experience despite the rain.