Everything you need to know about Download Festival 2019
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Everything you need to know about Download Festival 2019

Music & Maps

Plan your day with the official Download app which includes the set times, festival map, event information and more. 

Sydney’s event is running at Paramatta Park on Saturday the 9th of March, and Melbourne’s will be on the Labour Day public holiday on Monday the 11th of March. Gates will open at 11am both dates, with music starting at midday and finishing at 11pm in Sydney and 10pm in Melbourne.

How To Get There

Sydney patrons, if you’re heading to Download on public transport, which the event organisers recommend and encourage, Paramatta Park has multiple options. If arriving by train, Parramatta Park is a short walk from both Paramatta and Westmead train stations. If arriving at Parramatta station, your best Park entrance is via George & O’Connell St gate, or if arriving at Westmead station, your best Park entrance is via Macquarie St gate.

If arriving by bus, the Parramatta bus terminal is located next to the Parramatta train station in Darcy and Argyle Streets. The Parramatta Shuttle Bus is a free transport solution that operates on a continuous loop connecting landmarks of the city, running every ten minutes. For Download, get off at Stop 4 (O’Connell Street). Refer to Transport NSW to plan your trip.

Melbourne, additional train services will be running between Flinders Street Station and Flemington Racecourse for the event, which also stop at Southern Cross and North Melbourne Stations with a travel time of approximately 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can travel on the Cragieburn Line to Ascot Vale or Newmarket station and connect with a tram or bus.

If travelling on a tram, the number 57 runs from the corner of Elizabeth Street and Flinders Street to the Flemington Racecourse main gates on Epsom Road, approximately a 30 minute trip from the city centre.

By bus, route 404 and 472 travel close to the Epsom Road gate entrance of the racecourse, with services operating on a regular weekend timetable. Refer to Public Transport Victoria to plan your trip.

If you’re driving to Flemington Racecourse, there will be limited car parking available for $20 on a first come, first served basis.Taxi’s, Ubers and similar rideshare services should enter via the Epsom Road gate.

 

Entrances and Arrival

Sydney, park entry is via Pitt & Macquarie St gate entrances and George & O’Connell St gate entrances. Once inside the park, Festival Entry is located across from the Old Government House building. This also includes express entry to RIP lanes and disability access lanes.

Melbourne, there are two festival entrances at Download Melbourne. Both entrances include express entry RIP lanes in addition to disability access lanes.Festival Entry 1 is located near the Flemington Train Station and is your best point of entry if coming by train or parking your car. Festival Entry 2 is located off Epsom Road and is your best point of entry if coming by foot, tram or share ride.

Don’t forget your ID’s and tickets to receive your wristband and gain access to the festival! Tickets can be either printed, or displayed on your phone.
Bag searches and wanding will be taking place at the gates, and any bags larger than 30cm x 20cm will need to be stored in the onsite cloakroom at the gates. Cloakroom facilities are available at the Festival entrance for a fee of $5 per cloaked item. If you bring a banned item to the event, you can cloak this item – maybe not your pets though.

 

Weather

Be sure to keep checking the local weather on the day – we all know how quickly it can change, especially in Melbourne! Umbrellas are on the list of banned items, so make sure you bring raincoats or purchase a Download poncho available at the merch tents. Download Festival will proceed rain, hail or shine!

 

Allowed & Banned Items

It’s always required to ban some specific items at festivals to ensure safety and comfort of attendees, and Download is no different. Here is a list of what you can and can’t bring into the festival grounds.

ALLOWED:

  •     Small backpacks (maximum bag size permitted is 30cm x 20cm)
  •     Small cameras
  •     Medication
  •     Sunscreen will be available around the festival.
  •     Re-usable water bottles (no aluminium or glass)
  •     Studded fashion (ex. belts) is acceptable but again, common sense applies. If you can injure yourself with it, don’t wear it!

 

BANNED:

  •     Selfie sticks
  •     Milk crates
  •     Weapons of any kind
  •     Laser lights
  •     Water pistols
  •     Protest Paraphernalia incl. banners
  •     BYO alcohol from home
  •     Bags or backpacks larger than 30cm x 20cm
  •     No steel capped boots
  •     No studded belts
  •     No food. Exceptions will be made to people with allergies & medical conditions.
  •     Aerosol containers (including sunscreen and personal beauty products)
  •     Professional cameras or recording devices
  •     GoPro cameras
  •     Drones or any other remote flying device
  •     Totems, Flags, Banners
  •     Coolers of any kind (exceptions may be made for medical use)
  •     Glass and metal containers of any kind
  •     Fireworks, flares & sparklers (all strictly monitored)
  •     Illegal and Illicit substances of any kind
  •     Drugs or drug paraphernalia
  •     Umbrellas (use raincoat, poncho instead)
  •     Radios or walkie-talkies
  •     Pets. This does not include Service Animals or other animals that provide assistance to patrons with disabilities.
  •     Skateboards, scooters and bicycles inside the festival
  •     Tents, canopies, or shade structures of any kind
  •     Unauthorized/unlicensed vendors are not allowed. No unauthorized solicitation and materials including handbills, flyers, stickers, beach balls, give-aways, samples, etc.
  •     No chairs of any kind
  •     No inflatable furniture (rafts, chairs, etc.)

 

Safety & Medical

Stay hydrated with free drinking water available around the site! There will be first aid tents throughout the grounds if assistance is required, or alternatively you can speak to the nearest security guard who will make radio contact with a medical team. If you need to take a moment to relax, sit down and get some shade, Chill Out spaces will be located next to each medical tent. You can also call the Patron Safety Hotline on 1300 940 928. You will find signs showing this number and your nearest location around the site.

Disability Access

Sydney, if you have a disabled parking permit, you can apply for a parking spot via the customer service email address [email protected]. Parramatta Park is a green fields site and will most likely have areas of rough terrain.

Melbourne, limited disabled car parking is available at Flemington Racecourse. The car park is located on Leonard Crescent and is on a first come, first served basis
At both Melbourne and Sydney there will be a special access entry lane to gain access to the festival, and the special access viewing platform will be located at the Red and Black Stages Front of House area.

You and your companion will gain access to the viewing platform after registering at [email protected] prior to the event. Disabled toilets are located around the site and marked on the patron map.

 

18+ EVENT

Download Festival is strictly an 18+ event. No children under 18 are allowed, no exceptions. Valid photo ID required to enter the event, purchase and/or consume alcohol. Like any festival, there will be a police presence at Download Festival – so don’t be too silly, look out for the safety of your mates, and make sure to OPEN UP THAT PIT!

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