Bubonic Plague Threatens Phish Concertgoers
Fans planning to attend a three-day Phish event have been left scrambling due to bubonic plague-infected prairie dogs.
The jam-band’s annual tradition is to play a series of concerts over Labor Day weekend at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, a soccer stadium located just outside of Denver. This summer’s installment, the ninth year they’ve put on such shows, has been scheduled for months. However, a recent outbreak has made logistics for the event far more complicated than its predecessors.
Colorado wildlife officials have discovered that black-tailed prairie dogs in the area are infested with plague-carrying fleas. Officials are spraying insecticide to deal with the problem, shutting down local park land as a precaution.
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park is remaining open, with the Phish concerts still scheduled to take place. Unfortunately, the outlook is not as rosy for the band's fans who traditionally camp nearby during the three-day festival.
A post to the official Phish website confirmed that camping will not be allowed for the event due to the bubonic plague threat. The message also notes that refunds will be given to those fans who purchased permits in advance.
“We recognize the tremendous inconvenience this may cause for those who had planned on camping,” the statement from Phish says in part. “Our friends at CID have created a special portal with listings of nearby hotels including some with discounted weekend rates for Phish fans.”
The message went on to note that parking at the event will also be extremely limited due to the shutdown of park areas. Free off-site parking and shuttles will be provided to fans planning to attend the concerts.