Packed crowds at Rolling Loud in Hard Rock Stadium as tens of thousands descended on South Florida for the state’s first music festival of this size since the pandemic began.
“It’s a lot of people. People are going crazy. You’re literally drowning in people if you’re up close that’s for sure,” Taylor Frankhauser who came from Buffalo, New York said.
The sold out event is taking place after a few hiccups including a partial stage collapse on Thursday and two performers arrested on warrants including Mieyoshi Edwards, known as ‘Lit Yoshi’, who according to a Baton Rouge newspaper is wanted for not one, but seven counts of attempted murder.
It also comes after over a year of lockdowns and as Covid fatigue sets in, especially for young people.
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But a new Covid wave has taken hold with Florida topping the nation in new infections. The state logged just over 67,000 new cases this past week alone.
“I’ve had it twice already. I’m good. I have antibiotics,” Frankhauser said.
“I had it once it wasn’t that bad," her friend, Maggie Baineridge added.
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Officials are concerned that as the virus spreads mainly among the young and unvaccinated, a cavalier attitude could make things even worse.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava tweeted to those attending Rolling Loud:
“Please help us slow the spread by practicing safe behavior…”
Adding that the county will have a pop up vaccination site at the event.
“I am vaccinated,” Elisa Rosales from Austin, TX sad. “I think everyone is just here to have fun. Everyone has been cooped up for so long I think we’re excited for it.”
