Safety Advisory for Rhythm and Vines Festival Attendees Due to Cyclone-Affected Roads

The popular music festival, Rhythm and Vines, is set to welcome attendees for its 21st anniversary celebrations, taking place in Gisborne starting this Friday. Central Cee, a notable performer, is among the top-billed acts. As visitors begin to arrive, the festival atmosphere is building excitement in the area, with businesses and the local community gearing up to host up to 30,000 people over the next three days.

Heed Warning on Roads

Despite the festive spirit, festival-goers have been cautioned to navigate the East Coast roads with care, as they are still in a precarious state post Cyclone Gabrielle. These roads have sustained considerable damage and are undergoing repair.

Gisborne Prepares for Guests

The Mayor of Gisborne, Rehette Stoltz, has expressed a warm welcome and is looking forward to having visitors in town, despite facing a difficult past year. The mayor has also indicated that while there might be some rain early on, the weather is expected to improve.

Mark Owen from NZ Transport Agency advises those driving longer distances to factor in additional travel time, especially along State Highway 2 from Napier to Gisborne. This route has been significantly affected by the recent cyclone and other weather events, so expectations of one-lane stretches, speed restrictions, and temporary traffic management should be set.

Health and Safety Notes

Alongside travel warnings, there are also notices about the circulation of potentially dangerous drugs at other music festivals, putting festival attendees on alert to stay safe in more ways than one.

Safety, Festival, Cyclone