ORLAN \DO, Fla. – Rolling Loud is underway in Orlando, with 65,000 people set to enjoy hip-hop music at Camping World Stadium. It’s the first time the festival has taken on the Orlando Stadium.
the Orlando Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office have set up a special event zone. Concertgoers say the energy inside is “electric,” but some also say the heat, traffic, and large crowds have been hard to handle.
Rolling Loud—described by organizers as the world’s largest hip-hop festival—is bringing tens of thousands of to Central Florida. A concertgoer described the experience inside as “electric,” adding, “You’re gonna feel lit.” Another attendee said, “Yeah, I love it, and the energy—it was just amazing. It was amazing today.”
Nevaeh Seleem said she came ready for a good time, but not for the intense heat. “It was so hot. We were about to pass out trying to watch somebody’s set,” Seleem said. She said she and her friends had to change their plans—and even their outfits—to try to stay cool. “We decided to come later today because we knew it was going to be cloudier, so we wouldn’t have to deal with any dehydration or heat exhaustion issues,” she said.
Rolling Loud organizers said water stations have been set up across the venue, with medical staff on site throughout the festival.
Emily Ockenden, senior production director for Rolling Loud, urged people to get help if needed: “If you see someone who is in trouble, flag down security, medical staff, or someone with a radio. We will always help,” Ockenden said.
Outside the venue, some concertgoers said traffic and speeding have also been a major concern. “Orlando is known for a lot of shootings and stuff happening. I think it’s great the cops doubled up. There’s a lot of speeding and a lot of people walking in the road, stopping traffic,” Cami, an attendee, said.
The special event zones stretches along Orange Blossom Trail from State Road 408 all the way to Pine Hills along Colonial Drive, with doubled fines in that zone.
Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith said the increased presence is meant to set expectations for the festival’s first year at the stadium. “Being that it is the first time, we want to see how this event goes. We will have a large presence. We will not tolerate people breaking the law. Period. If it comes down to that, we will make an arrest,” Smith said.
The last day of the event is Sunday, and the special event zone will remain in effect through Monday morning.