Download Festival was supposed to be fun as concertgoers gathered together in one venue to watch their favorite musical acts perform live on stage. However, disaster struck because of the bad weather and a reported food poisoning that hundreds of fans endured.
According to Consequence, the event took place from June 13 to 15, 2024, at Donington Park. Some of the massive performers included Fall Out Boy, Avenged Sevenfold, Queens of the Stone Age, and many more.
However, Food Poisoning News reported that there were over 500 people who suffered from symptoms of diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps, and fevers. The sickness was so bad that other festivalgoers opted to use buckets as toilets.
Fans weren't the only ones who suffered from food poisoning. Sean Smith of the Raiders took to social media to share that he had been feeling sick, too.
"Got food poisoning. Been sick ALL night," he wrote, adding that he needed to be hospitalized and put on an IV to recover.
Leicester Mercury reported that two vendors at the event were closed due to health violations, but it wasn't clear which food item caused the food poisoning.
BBC confirmed that an investigation is now underway.
"We worked with the event organizer to investigate two food vendors, both of which were closed by the event organizer over the course of the weekend," health officer Paul Sanders said in a statement, adding that his team received reports of people not feeling good.
He added that they "will continue to investigate. Anyone continuing to feel unwell following the Download Festival should contact their GP in the first instance."
A spokesperson for Live Nation issued a statement regarding the matter and confirmed that two food vendors were indeed shut down and removed from the premises because they failed to meet the local authority's standards.
They added, "Download Festival operates a robust 24-hour welfare operation, including staff and welfare tents to support unwell customers throughout the site."
In addition to food poisoning, countless fans also endured bad weather. It rained the majority of the festival, resulting in a muddy venue.
As of this writing, it's unclear if the police will be involved or if there are any legal repercussions for the parties involved.
In other updates, Download Festival just announced that it will have a 2025 edition, and early bird tickets are now available on its official website.
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