Many students are trying to sell their tickets for Rocking the Daisies because they will not be allowed to take their own alcohol to the festival this year.
“This is not the first big change to Rocking the Daisies 2018, many people have seen our changes, including the splitting of campsites – we were proactive in implementing new systems…”
This was the reaction of Rocking the Daisies festival director, George Avakian, in a statement to the backlash his festival has received after they changed their alcohol policy just less than a month till the start of the most anticipated music festival in the country.
This year’s event, presented by CAN DO, announced last week Friday that festival-goers will not be allowed to bring their own alcohol, or any liquids, into the grounds of the festival. Instead they will be required to buy alcohol on the premises.
Event organisers have promised festival goers that they will be selling alcohol at cost price and that they in fact will be making a loss. Photo: RTD Facebook
95% of tickets were already sold before last week Friday with CAN DO boasting that Rocking the Daisies will be the first festival in the world not to use plastic cups. Instead, they will be using aluminum, custom-made, reusable and 100% recyclable cans that “transform into cups”.
A student, who requested to stay anonymous for fear of being seen as promoting a “drinking culture”, told MatieMedia that he is selling his ticket because of this alcohol policy.
“The agreement with CAN DO seems to me like a marketing tool to be used at other festivals. It’s very good news for them as a business but not the consumer,” he said.
The festival’s statement further reads: “No more carrying heavy loads of liquor. No more decanting and contributing to our plastic problem.”
What the CAN DO cans look like which will be used at this year’s Rocking the Daisies. Photo: RTD Facebook
‘Money making scheme’
The student further stated that the timing of the announcement “put him off a bit”. As previously mentioned, this announcement was made less than one month before the festival.
“The reason we go is because we have budgeted accordingly for tickets and our own alcohol which we bring in, as in previous years,” he said. “The organisers, CAN DO, are turning this event into a money making scheme and I’m selling my ticket while others are now looking for refunds.”
Avakian further stated that he understood that the new change will affect people’s budgets and is working on ways to make the prices affordable.
Ethical considerations
“Environmental consciousness is great, but not at the expense of your consumers,” said Taryn Petersen (22), an Accounting Honours student. “This is not an attempt to control liquor consumption – a limitation on the amount of liquor people bring in would be.”
She also took offence at the unethical practice Rocking the Daisies took in this announcement. “How unethical of them to make this announcement once tickets have been bought,” she said.
Petersen said that she would not be selling her ticket, but rather wants a refund, because “selling does not have consequences for the company”.
If you are looking to sell your ticket, you can do so on ticketphony.co.za
“I have invested too much into Rocking the Daisies and will not be selling my ticket,” said Zviko Chitiyo (22), a BCom Information Systems & Financial Management final year student. He then added that he has not been impressed with the new changes, having attended the festival over the past two years.
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