Thousands attend major music festival in Wuhan

Wuhan, the Chinese city in which the global pandemic began, hosted a major music festival last Saturday (15 August) that was attended by thousands of people.

HOHA Water Electrical Musical Festival took place at Maya Water Park and was packed out with festival-goers watching performances from artists including Akini Jing, GAI, and Tizzy T from swimming pools.

According to a local media report, the water park was operating at 50 per cent but images show attendees shoulder-to-shoulder without face masks or social distancing.

The festival comes after Wuhan’s 76-day lockdown was lifted in April

The festival comes after Wuhan’s 76-day lockdown was lifted in April, leading to a slow reopening of businesses and attractions in June and July.

Authorities say there have been no domestically transmitted cases in Wuhan or Hubei province since mid-May.

In an effort to boost the economy, the Hubei government has been offering discounted entry to 400 tourist sites throughout the province. Wuhan Maya Beach Water Park is one venue that has encouraged visitors, as it offers half-price entry for female tourists.

Wuhan’s water park music festival is the latest pioneering format since indoor shows around the world were restricted due to coronavirus – from deck chair concerts in Germany to tuk-tuk drive-ins in Thailand to bike-in concerts in Italy and a float-in music festival in Latvia.

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