Insomniac Events is joining forces with DPA’s Safer Partying campaign as well as Healthy Nightlife, which is a company run by former DanceSafe executive director Missi Wooldridge, to form “Project #OpenTalk.” The launch of Project #OpenTalk will happen this Halloween weekend at the Escape Psycho Circus festival in San Bernardino, California. Project #OpenTalk is an onsite service at the festival that gives attendees unbiased information about drugs, sex, and mental health issues. Project #OpenTalk takes a compassionate and realistic approach on drug education, harm reduction, and other challenges that music festival attendees face.
Project #OpenTalk was formed due to the numerous drug related deaths and hospitalizations at festivals in the electronic dance music community in Southern California. Insomniac still has a zero tolerance drug policy and conducts entry searches, but they are acknowledging the major drug issue at their events by taking action with Project #OpenTalk. Insomniac realizes that more needs to be done to keep their attendees safe and informed. The service allows their attendees to approach the onsite booth at the event and ask the trained peer educators any questions regarding mental health, sex, or drugs. Organizers of Project #OpenTalk are hoping that the debut of the service will be successful so that other festivals will follow in offering similar services.
