MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Mempho Music Festival organizers have released a statement regarding safety and security in light of the mass shooting at a Las Vegas music festival Sunday night.
“In light of the events in Las Vegas, we’re reviewing our plans to make sure we’ve taken every step to ensure visitor safety,” they said in a joint statement released by Mempho and Shelby Farms Park.
They said they did not want to disclose all of their plans for security reasons, but they urged attendees to plan for searches upon entry of the festival.
Shelby County Sheriff’s officials compared the checkpoints to those at the Beale Street Music Festival, where employees look through bags of entrants.
Farm Road will be closed for much of the weekend for the inaugural music festival. Organizers said only those attending the festival will be allowed on the roadway between 6 p.m. Friday and 2 a.m. Saturday and then again from 9 a.m. Saturday until 2 a.m. Sunday.
Anna-Kathryn Dacus was excited to see live music right in her backyard in Memphis this weekend.
“I want go because Anderson Paak and Cage the Elephant are going to be there. I’m hoping to go both days and there’s camping there,” Dacus said.
Organizers said they expected 10,000 people.
Cindy Craig was visiting Shelby Farms from Columbia, Tennessee, Monday when she started hearing about the new festival.
“It makes me a little nervous some lunatic would try to do that in a big concert area. But I’m hoping it’s going to be a safe concert here without any problems,” Craig said.
Dacus said she was looking forward to the outdoor setting.
“Shelby Farms is huge. If they can do it every year, would be awesome,” she said.
WREG also asked law enforcement officials whether they’d have barricades to prevent a car from entering the crowd. They said they planned to meet with festival organizers Tuesday afternoon and would have answers regarding those plans after the meeting.
