Row over Full Moon Party in Adelaide

A row has broken out in Adelaide about plans to stage a local edited version of Thailand’s Full Moon Party in October.

The Full Moon Party is to be held in Rymill Park as part of the annual Asiafest, and is about to announce a bill of international and Australian DJs and EDM acts. This year Asiafest expands from three days to ten, with cultural and culinary showcases from Thailand, Vietnam, China, Japan and Korea to an expected 50,000.

The world famous Full Moon Party is a monthly all-night beach EDM rave which began in 1985 on Thailand’s Ko Pha Ngan. It can draw up to 30,000 of mostly tourists who party until sunrise, attracted by its  “anything goes” atmosphere. It is heavily monitored by authorities, although it has come under greater scrutiny following a number of deaths.

Adelaide Council gave the event the green light this week but has come under criticism from the Late Night Venue Association (LNVA) over lack of community consultation, and residents who say Rymill Park is no place for music festivals.

The LNVA told the Adelaide Advertiser its member pubs and clubs are demanding the Full Moon Party be subject to “all liquor licensing laws applying to bricks and mortar late night venues, including the General Code of Practice.”

Festival Director Greg Evangelou emphasised that the Australian festival would adopt the theme and “all the cultural elements” of the Asian event “but with the security and safety of South Australian laws.

In a statement he stressed, “Safety is our number one priority and with help from SAPOL, Liquor Licensing, the Adelaide City Council and our security team, we can ensure all security measures will be taken to allow this event to be safe and fun for everyone involved.

“Plenty of effort has gone in to making this night possible, and we are so excited that it will soon be a reality and a first for Adelaide. Patrons should prepare to be blown away and get ready for a night of dancing, colour and fun.”

The Adelaide Full Moon Party will not be an all-nighter, and will end at 1.30 am. The music’s volume will be lowered at 11 pm, as per Council policy, and alcohol service stopped at 1 am.