Innovation & Celebration: A COVID-safe Schoolies Festival™ for the Class of 2021

We are pleased to announce that SA Health has approved the COVID Management Plan to allow Encounter Youth to host Schoolies Festival™ 2021.

Encounter Youth is working under the direction of SA Health and alongside key State Government stakeholders to provide a COVID-safe management response to the 2021 school leaver celebrations in South Australia.

Encounter Youth CEO, Nigel Knowles, said that the Schoolies Festival is widely recognised as the safest schoolies management response in Australia.

“Encounter Youth’s proud 23-year history of managing school leavers’ celebrations in South Australia has shown that the Schoolies Festival™ is the most effective way to keep the graduating class safe as they commemorate this significant milestone.

“We are confident that our extensive planning, preparation and partnership with state and local governments, emergency services and local stakeholders, will help us to support young people to stay safe from COVID-19 and have a safe celebration with their mates,” Mr Knowles said.

Mr Knowles said that the Schoolies Festival™ had been adapted to ensure that it can be COVID-safe.

“Encounter Youth has increased the total festival site area by creating two designated festival sites on Warland Reserve and Soldier’s Memorial Gardens, and there will be live electronic monitoring of patron capacity at each site to support social distancing.”

The Schoolies Festival™ will have a patron capacity of 3,500 across the two sites at any given time. The sites may reach capacity at peak times. However, following the trends of recent Festivals, it is expected that ticket holders will access the sites at different times throughout the three days, so this capacity will not spoil ticket holders’ enjoyment of the Festival.

“All festival patrons will be required to QR Check-in to the Festival and the Free Schoolies Festival™ Bus Service, supported by THINK! Road Safety.

“Patrons will need to wear a facemask while in the Festival sites, despite being outside to help keep themselves and those around them safe.

“Dance pods will be set up to allow students to dance in groups of 25 directly in front of the live music stages,” Mr Knowles said.

“Vaccines will not be mandatory for festival patrons; however, Encounter Youth is working with SA Health to provide a pop-up vaccination clinic in Victor Harbor for school leavers.”

While the Schoolies Festival™ may look a little different this year, Encounter Youth remains committed to supporting Year 12s to celebrate safely with an innovative Festival design.

“As has been the case for the past 23 years, school leavers’ will be supported by over 300 Encounter Youth Green Team volunteers, who will have all completed COVID Marshal Training.”

“The Class of 2021 has probably had the most difficult final two years of high school for any cohort in recent history, with significant disruption, uncertainty and a changing social landscape.

“We are thrilled to be able to support them to safely enjoy a very well-earned celebration with their friends to mark this milestone.”