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Selfie sticks have exploded with popularity in 2014. If your arm isn’t long enough to capture a self-portrait with your phone, then you can buy a stick to help make up for your body’s shortcomings. Unless of course you’re going to Coachella or Lollapalooza, where the monopods (tripods minus two legs) have been banned.
Selfie sticks, if you’re one of those I-choose-not-to-use-social-media types, clamp onto your phone and extend from a pole as long as 4 feet. They come with a bluetooth compatible button to press with your other hand — ya know, since your phone is sticking 4 feet up in the air. There are several different kinds of selfie sticks and they cost as much as $99.99.
So why are $100 phone sticks being banned at festivals? Organizers told NME the sticks block other people’s views. A number of British festivals banned selfie sticks too, citing health and safety issues. They didn’t go into details, but it probably has something to do with thousands of intoxicated people wielding large sticks.
Billy Penn checked in with five upcoming Philly festivals to see if similar concerns have inspired local selfie stick bans.
Manayunk StrEAT Food Festival & Restaurant Week, April 12-24
“StrEAT will not be banning selfie sticks” – Shannon Geddes, Manayunk Development Corportation public relations & events coordinator
South Street Headhouse Spring Festival, May 2
South Street is not only permitting people to bring them, they are encouraging people to do so!
@Fleet32 plz do the more selfies the better!
— South Street (@officialsouthst) April 3, 2015
9th Street Italian Market Festival, May 16-17
“So far, we have not had any incidents with selfie sticks. For this reason, we will allow Festival-goers to attend with their selfie sticks. If the City of Philadelphia Police Department or the Managing Director’s Office instruct us differently, we will abide by their regulation. The S. 9th Street Italian Market Festival takes place in an open setting on six city blocks, therefore, the City does have the ultimate say when it comes to safety.” – Michele Gambino, S. 9th Street Business Association business manager
Firefly Music Festival in Delaware, June 18-21
“Yes, we are allowing selfie sticks at Firefly this year” – Andrea Chapa, Red Frog Events customer experience manager
Made in America, Labor Day Weekend
“We do not have a specific policy in place for selfie sticks right now, but our head of security says it is NOT likely they will be allowed at MIA” – Jodi Lynch, Susquehanna Bank Center administration office
Photo from Flickr Creative Commons
