The triple j event was hailed as a big success. Photo: ArtFarm/Facebook.
Nine people were detected with drugs at Griffith’s massive One Night Stand music festival on Saturday (5 September) — but police say the event otherwise went off without incident and locals celebrated its success.
About 12,000 people packed into the Griffith Showground for the sold-out triple j event, which brought some of Australia’s biggest music acts to the Riverina.
Police had 16 officers rostered specifically for the event, with a drug-detection dog also deployed as part of the operation.
Nine drug detections were made throughout the afternoon and evening, while three people were ejected from the festival because of their behaviour.
Despite those incidents, police said the event had otherwise been trouble-free.
The festival was the biggest music event Griffith has hosted in years, with thousands travelling to the Riverina for performances by DMA’S, Genesis Owusu, MAY-A, Beddy Rays and Ninajirachi, as well as local triple J Unearthed winner Yung Brother.
The all-ages event kicked off at the Griffith Showground late in the afternoon and ran until around 10 pm.
triple j said more than $160,000 was raised for local charities on the night and the event saw five million views recorded across YouTube and social media platforms during the campaign. It had promoted the festival as a major regional music event, with Griffith selected as the destination for the 2026 One Night Stand after previous shows in Warrnambool and Busselton.
The national broadcaster also held free music industry sessions in Griffith earlier in the day, while pre-party events were held on Friday night.
Shuttle buses were organised from Wagga Wagga and Narrandera, helping bring people from across the wider Riverina to the event.
Griffith City Council had also encouraged local businesses to take advantage of the visitor influx, with thousands of people expected to spend the weekend in the city.
The festival was also promoted as an alcohol- and drug-free event, with security and bag checks in place at entry points.
