Australia’s biggest music festival is overwhelmed by mud, leading to the cancellation of the first day's events

Australia’s largest music festival has become a muddy swamp, forcing organizers to call off the opening day as attendees reported deep mud and flooded tents.

Fans were eagerly anticipating the return of Splendour in the Grass, a three-day festival showcasing international stars like Liam Gallagher, Gorillaz, Tyler The Creator, and The Strokes, after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

However, continuous rain along the New South Wales coast all week has caused dangerous conditions at the festival site near Byron Bay, an upscale coastal town known for attracting Hollywood celebrities.

As they canceled the Friday lineup, organizers stated that the 'weather and staffing issues were far worse than anticipated.'

“A major weather system is currently positioned off the east coast and is expected to make landfall later today, bringing further rainfall,” organizers stated in an update on the event’s Facebook page.

“For the safety of our attendees and after consulting with relevant emergency services, we have chosen to err on the side of caution and cancel today’s performances on the main stages,” the statement read.

Images and videos shared on social media showed pools of muddy water and festival-goers clad in ponchos, enduring heavy rain. Many attendees criticized the event’s organization, sharing their “nightmarish experiences” of struggling with traffic jams and stuck vehicles as they attempted to enter and exit the festival grounds.

One attendee, who claimed to be stuck in his car for 8.5 hours, compared the event to Australia’s “Fyre Festival” – the ill-fated 2017 Bahamas event that promised a luxury experience but delivered little more than tents and subpar food.

“No staff, no communication, this is Australia’s version of the Fyre Festival. A nightmare at Splendour,” he commented.

Others urged for the festival to be canceled for the sake of public safety. “Honestly, if you prioritize the safety of both staff and attendees, the event should be called off,” one Facebook user said.

However, the organizers assured that the event would proceed on Saturday and Sunday. “Please rest assured, our team is working tirelessly to offer the best experience possible given the current conditions,” they stated in a message.

“We are looking forward to the Saturday and Sunday programs continuing as scheduled,” they added.

While much of the world has been enduring summer heatwaves, Australia has experienced an unusually wet winter, marked by severe flooding along its eastern coastline.

Experts attribute the increased frequency and intensity of the La Nina weather system to the climate crisis, which has led to above-average rainfall.

Devastating floods struck New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state, earlier this month, damaging homes still awaiting repairs from previous floods and forcing businesses to close their doors.