ATLANTA — Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward has brought thousands of music fans to Central Park for three days of live performances.
However, there are some changes in place this year. The festival has banned weapons of any kind, and anyone who attends the festival must enter through the Atlanta Civic Center – before heading to Central Park.
Security measures include bag checks and wristband scanners, and fans like Manuel Trevino feel safer with these restrictions in place.
"It does make me feel a little safer. I mean, you know, there's smart people out there that are probably going to maybe do their research," he said.
Meanwhile, Christina Howell believes the way they have the entrances set up is efficient, and lines are moving fast. Howell attended the festival in 2019. She said she was initially unaware that there would not be multiple entrancers like there were in years past, but she was content with the security measures that were in place.
However, it remains unclear how Shaky Knees can prohibit weapons of any kind, including guns, as Central Park is public land – owned by the City of Atlanta. State law permits legal gun owners to carry guns on government-owned park land. In 2022, Music Midtown canceled its festival when someone challenged whether they could prohibit guns.
Anna Zabolodskaya said she appreciates the festival’s security restrictions, especially in today’s climate, which has heightened the need for safety measures.
Organizers have not responded to questions regarding their safety policies and how they plan to enforce the weapons ban.