How Ohio's burn ban, traffic will affect Lost Lands Music Festival in Thornville

The Lost Lands Music Festival is returning to Thornville this weekend with tens of thousands of people expected to attend the three-day celebration full of festivities .

This year's edition of the festival, which debuted in 2017, sold out in record time , according to Excision .

Since its debut, reception of the festival has been mixed, with some residents lauding the economic benefits it provides to the area while others sharing concerns about the noise. Here’s some more information to know about the festival before it kicks off Friday at Legend Valley.

Lost Lands: Open burning ban will impact festivalgoers

Last week, State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon extended a ban on open burning because of severe drought conditions. Licking County is one of nearly 30 counties where the ban is active.

The ban prohibits people from starting campfires, setting off fireworks, throwing down matches or cigarettes and using spark- and heat-producing devices, among other restrictions.

“We want everyone to think before you do something involving any kind of open flame,” Reardon said. “We are in severe drought conditions and ground conditions are very susceptible to ignition from a very simple source. We want people to be able to protect themselves, protect their property and protect their communities.”

Due to severe drought throughout Ohio, the State Fire Marshal has issued a ban on open burning. Please read through this...

Posted by Lost Lands Music Festival on Saturday, September 14, 2024

Lost Lands organizers posted on Facebook that Reardon’s order will affect festivalgoers. During the festival, attendees are prohibited from smoking, cooking with an open flame near grass or outside an RV and letting a car sit idle if parked in a camping spot. They also can’t extend shade canopies outside a designated campground space.

However, RVs with electric stoves inside the vehicle are permitted. Food vendors can operate at the festival because there are stationed water trucks nearby and they’ll be on gravel flooring with fire extinguishers if needed.

“We’re disappointed by the situation the drought has put us in and wish this weren’t the case,” Lost Lands said in the Facebook post. “While the environment is out of our control, we’re looking forward to putting on a fantastic festival for you.”

Expect increased traffic around festival

Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp said in a Facebook post that the agency expects around 50,000 people will attend the festival, which will likely cause traffic delays and congestion.

“Licking County Sheriff's deputies and other assisting law enforcement agencies will be on site and staffing traffic posts around the clock for the duration of the event,” Thorp said in the post. “They will be working diligently to provide a safe and secure venue for the concert attendees and to safely manage increased vehicle traffic in the area.”

Thorp said the traffic increase likely would begin Tuesday evening and continue through Monday. He said the festival’s traffic impacts will be most significant on Thursday and Friday.

Roads in which commuters will feel the impacts are Ohio 79, U.S. 40, Mill Dam Road, Cristland Hill Road and Somerset Road, among others. Licking Trails Road between Cristland Hill Road, U.S. 40 and Kindle Road will close during the festival.

Thorp advised commuters to expect traffic delays and congestion and use alternate routes if possible.

Sheriff’s office to monitor festival ‘around the clock’

In previous years, there have been around 15 to 30 deputies of officers working shifts at the festival. That included Central Ohio Drug Enforcement Task Force officers, some of whom arrested people for drug-related offenses .

In a separate Facebook post, the sheriff’s office said it plans to work the festival “around the clock to ensure everything runs smoothly.”

“If you're hitting the road, please drive safely,” the agency stated. “To everyone attending, have an amazing time at Lost Lands.”

Advocate reporter Josué Perez can be reached at jhperez@newarkadvocate.com .

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: How Ohio's burn ban, traffic will affect Lost Lands Music Festival in Thornville