Oppressive heat, peaking at 35 degrees on Saturday, did not stop 20,000 punters transforming Wickham Park into a dance floor for the weekend.
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Newcastle and Maitland hosted three festivals on Saturday and Sunday. The largest was indie pop, hip hop and electronic music festival This That, bringing 15,000 people to Wickham Park on Saturday.
Police, who warned they would be out in force at the event, caught 22 people with drugs. Another seven people were charged with drug supply offences.
A spokesperson for NSW Ambulance said no one was taken to hospital from the event, despite the baking heat. Paramedics treated 155 people, most of whom were suffering from intoxication.
A spokesperson for the festival said outlandish outfits did not translate into people’s behaviour.
“It was so good,” she said.
“They took the message to stay safe and keep hydrated on board.”
She said the most popular acts throughout the day were RL Grime, Amy Shark and LUUDE.
“RL Grime was pretty spectacular, he had a crazy pyrotechnic display, fireworks, fire and that kind of stuff,” she said.
The temperature dropped on Sunday for the second day of the Bitter and Twisted boutique beer festival in Maitland and for Scene and Heard, a rock music festival also held in Wickham Park.
With over 4000 people through the gates, Bitter and Twisted organisers said the festival, held in Maitland Gaol, had bottled up another successful year.
Maitland City Council events coordinator Adam Franks said the organisation was thrilled with the success of the event.
“Obviously it was quite a warm day [on Saturday] but people still embraced it, and were quite sensible. We were sold out on Saturday, and it was just a really great atmosphere,” he said.
“The Sunday is always a more relaxed program with families preferring to come that day, but it’s certainly been great.”
The annual beer festival had its own collection of big names pumping out the tunes.
Cloud Control and Last Dinosaurs headlined the weekend, joined by Bob Evans and the Hot Potato Band.
Mr Franks said the festival would be back next year.
“We want to keep it fresh by bringing new brews and entertainment,” he said.
Scene and Heard festival had its first ever run on Sunday, taking punters back to the ‘90s and early 2000s with rock acts including The Living End, Spiderbait and Killing Heidi.
Organisers expected 5000 people to come through the gates from noon. The festival ended at 9pm.
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