Groovin The Moo will be staying put in Canberra, despite media reports that its future there could be in jeopardy.
Fears erupted yesterday that the fest could end up chopping the Nat Cap off its annual trot after SMH reported that Canberra Uni would no longer be hosting the event.
The paper reckoned a “mutual decision had been reached” to end the contract between GTM promoters Cattleyard and the Uni, which has been hosting the ACT leg of the regional romp for getting onto a decade.
“The university felt with the growth in the campus … the place was no longer fit for purpose so we approached the organisers,” vice-chancellor Deep Saini explained. “This year was the last year…It may happen elsewhere but it will not be on [our] campus.”
But the folks at Cattleyard are now quelling the panic, confirming to the folks at Junkee that the fest will 100% be staying put in Canberra and pledging to reveal the full dates & venue deets of next year’s event next week.
However, the shift in venue could have a very real impact on Groovin Canberra’s ability to host pill-testing into the future, following the potentially life-saving success of this year’s landmark trial.
Because Canberra Uni land is owned by the ACT Government, it was possible to set up drug-testing facilities there without seeking official permission from the Commonwealth. However, if the festivals relocates to a site that is federally controlled, future pill-testing trials could be cock-blocked (which is something we’ve literally just seen happen with Spilt Milk).
We’ll bring you more info as it develops.
