Firefly’s back Thursday with Lizzo, Billie Eilish, vaccine/testing mandate

 

After taking a year off due to the pandemic, Firefly Music Festival is returning to the Woodlands at Dover, bringing a star-studded lineup headlined by Billie Eilish, The Killers, Tame Impala and Lizzo. 

The event will begin Thursday, Sept. 23 and run through Sunday, Sept. 26.

Organizers say the event will happen rain or shine. Forecasts are calling for rain and thunderstorms on Thursday and Friday and clear skies on Saturday and Sunday. Temperatures will be mild, with a four-day low of 52 degrees and a high of 75 degrees.

All attendees will be required to show proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result for entry to the festival and festival campgrounds. 

Photos and digital copies of vaccine cards or recent negative COVID-19 tests will be accepted. Home tests will not be suitable for entry. Photos of both the front and back of vaccine cards must be provided. 

Negative COVID-19 tests must be taken no earlier than 72 hours (3 days) prior to first entry into the festival grounds.

Attendees must also bring a valid government ID that matches the details of the vaccine card or COVID-19 test. 

Organizers are warning attendees that by coming to Firefly, they are accepting any and all health risks. 

“All attendees should evaluate their risk in determining whether to attend the festival,” organizers say on the Firefly website. “By entering the festival, attendees voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and confirm that they will adhere to local quarantine mandates and the CDC quarantine requirements.”

Other notable acts in the 100+ artist lineup include Glass Animals, Blackbear, Khruangbin, Taking Back Sunday, Megan Thee Stallion, Mt. Joy, Wiz Khalifa and Nelly. 

For music-lovers who can’t make it to the festival in person, organizers have announced that for the first time, some acts will be livestreamed online for free. 

In cooperation with digital fan engagement platform Mandolin, artists including Billie Eilish, Diplo, Marc Rebillet, Roddy Ricch, Portugal. The Man, Oliver Tree, Taking Back Sunday and many others will be casted online. 

In addition to the musical acts, the event will feature pop-up bars, restaurants and clubs, food and arts vendors, a pride parade, hammock hangout, bazaar, yoga sessions, and brewery. 

Dogfish Head has even crafted a limited-release exclusive brew just for the event, the 2021 Firefly Ale. 

Attendees looking to give back to the community can visit The Good Hub, where they’ll be able to connect with seven different non-profit organizations that are working to raise awareness and educate attendees about their individual causes.

Organizations include Camp Rehoboth, Code Purple, Harmonium, Headcount, Kulturecity, Mental Edge and the YWCA Delaware Sexual Assault Response Center.

After the festival, usable leftover items such as sleeping bags, tents, bed rolls, reusable water bottles, lanterns, clothing, flashlights, clothing and non-perishable foods will be donated to Code Purple. 

Code Purple provides supplies to the homeless population in Kent County. The organization opens shelters when temperatures drop below 32 degrees. Campers will be given purple tags and zip ties to mark their donations, which will be assessed and collected by staff during the clean-up process.

DelDOT announced in a press release Thursday that motorists traveling on Route 1 and U.S. 13 should expect traffic delays near Dover during the four-day event. 

Dover’s Capital School District has announced it will hold classes virtually on Thursday and Friday, citing time and safety concerns relating to traffic. 

Tickets and campsites are still available for purchase. To buy your tickets or reserve a campsite, click here. 

Delaware LIVE News will be covering Firefly in-person. Stay tuned for updates.