The approach of the two-day HFStival at Merriweather Post Pavilion has some Columbia Association officials wondering if the board should take a more active role.
“It scares me to think people might be able to swarm all around Merriweather Post Pavilion,” said association director Barbara Russel, who said she hears radio commercials advertising the event as occurring “all around Merriweather.”
There are 27,000 tickets for sale each day of the event, which is about 8,000 more than the venue?s normal capacity.
In response, the pavilion is more than doubling the land available to ticket-holders, from about 10 acres to about 25 acres.
Cynthia Coyle, vice chairwoman of the Harper?s Choice Village Board, was concerned that not enough information about the magnitude of the event had been communicated to the residents.
“It?s a mega-event. It will affect the whole community,” said Coyle, who is running for a seat on the association board.
Association President Maggie Brown has met with Jean Parker, manager of Merriweather Post Pavilion, to ensure the venue is liable for any damage to association property ? and to allow the festival use of a 2.5 acre portion of Symphony Woods, which is owned by the Columbia Association.
Brown said anything beyond that is not the association?s jurisdiction.
“We are not in the concert business,” she said.
More than 90 police officers will be deployed to Columbia, for traffic and other issues, Brown said. However, Sherry Llewellyn, public information officer for the Howard County Police Department, could not confirm the number.
Llewellyn did say the police will control traffic and enforce underage drinking laws.
Parker said Merriweather is also doubling the number of private security officers it normally would use for a festival, from 100 to 200.
About HFStival
The HFStival is the largest event at Merriweather Post Pavilion in the past 10 years. The annual rock concert will be held May 27 and 28 and features 60 performers, including Kanye West, Cypress Hill, Counting Crows, Dashboard Confessional and The Strokes. There will be three stage areas, and two will be on the pavilion?s parking area.
