Severe weather across Texas has repeatedly halted the start of Kid Rock's country music festival. Heavy downpours forced event organisers to push back gate times, leaving attendees stranded outside.
The two-day gathering at the Austin County Fairgrounds in Bellville was scheduled to welcome fans early on 1 May. Even though the event was advertised as rain-or-shine, the persistent rain quickly tested the patience of those who had made the trip.
The gates were originally supposed to open at 1:30 pm local time. Constant rain pushed that back to 3:00 pm, but most people accepted it as a normal precaution for bad weather.
A second delay until 5:00 pm ate into the stage time for the opening acts. Organisers eventually pushed everything back until 6:30 pm, frustrating fans who had travelled a considerable distance to attend.
The back-to-back delays left those in the crowd searching for cover. One ticket holder, Ashley, was direct about her dissatisfaction with the disorganisation.
'I'm not going to lie; I was cursing a lot. I was cursing a lot,' Ashley said. She later added: 'I want a refund.'
The severe weather created logistical difficulties throughout the host community. Attendees reported significant problems securing vehicle parking.
Ashley noted her group departed San Antonio at 8:00 am and arrived near the perimeter by 10:00 am, spending considerable time navigating congested local roads.
'We've been driving around in circles, trying to find parking, trying to find where parking is, and when we finally did find it, I saw that everybody was in ponchos,' Ashley explained.
After discovering that official ponchos had sold out, the group purchased umbrellas for $30 (£24), only to be told security policies prevented fans from bringing them inside.
Source: International Business Times UK
