Perth Voice Interactive

FLASH floods, hail and wild winds in January, a freak storm in April and a tornado smashing into Bunbury in May; it’s no surprise Sandgropers are wondering how WA Day organisers will cope with predictions of a bucketing for the first day of festivities.

After the Bureau of Meteorology posted a possibility of up to 45mm of rain tomorrow (Sunday June 2) followers started raising their unease on the event’s Facebook page. 

“With the current forecast of 10 to 45mm for this Sunday, thunderstorm included, continuing ahead is completely irresponsible which can have a lot of risk for the people,” one punter posted.

“Bring a snorkel and flippers,” another joked.

The Bureau later revised its prediction to a still-swampy 35mm, but Kristina West attended the 2023 festival as a member of the WA Music Board and said the weather was “absolute carnage”.

“The mud and water were deeper than shoes and people were slipping and falling trying to move around,” Ms West told the Voice.

“Crowds thinned and by the time the last four acts came on stage, there would have been less than 100 people remaining,” she said.

Other acts and a drone show were delayed, but Ms West says organisers should have cancelled the event once they realised how stormy it would become. 

In response to the Facebook comments, festival administrators said: “A decision will be made closer to the time and once the weather forecast is known. If it is safe to do so, we want the show to go on.”

The WA Day Festival kicks off in the parklands around Optus Stadium tomorrow at 10am (Sunday June 2) with loads of activities and a concert headlined by Guy Sebastian, and finishes on Monday with local musos Pond headlining.

by CINDY CARTOJANO