Thousands of fans pitch tents at Frequency festival

Thousands of music fans arrived at the FM4 Frequency festival grounds in St. Pölten on Wednesday despite rain, damaged camping wagons and wet sleeping quarters, ORF reported.

Campers have been arriving since Tuesday, carrying camping equipment in wheelbarrows and backpacks. Finding a place for tents has not always been easy. David from Upper Austria said his handcart broke down, causing a delay. Lisa and Sophia from Tyrol said they walked around for an hour and a half before finding space for their large group tent.

The cooler, rainy weather has made camping more difficult. Mona from Tyrol said her wet belongings were still making the inside of her tent damp. Mathias from St. Pölten said one of his tents was wet and contained a puddle, although the other was suitable for sleeping.

The festival atmosphere has helped offset the initial problems. David said his plans included the warm-up party, swimming in the Traisen river and a silent disco. Jakob from Tyrol described the first day as fun, while David said he had never experienced a bad moment at Frequency.

The Traisen is covered in algae this year and some visitors camping near the water complained of a fish smell. Many fans nevertheless continued the festival tradition of bathing in the river, with some even sitting in camping chairs in the water while holding cold drinks.

Some drivers have also planned ahead for the journey home. Lisa said her car’s distinctive colour would make it easy to find. Mathias parked at a friend’s grandmother’s house away from the festival grounds, while Thomas from Vienna arranged to be picked up.