Drifless Music Gardens seeks county follow-up on bridge limits, traffic coordination ahead of June festival

Cricket Lochner, organizer of Drifless Music Gardens, told the Richland County Public Safety Committee that the festival’s 2026 safety plan is ready but needs county follow-up on two operational fronts: whether area bridges can handle 18‑ton and 30‑ton artist vehicles, and how Richland County communicates event traffic information to neighboring Vernon County.

Lochner said Drifless Music Gardens is entering its 11th season and that the first event is scheduled for June 11–13. “We have artists that arrive in 18 ton buses or 30 ton semi and I just want to make sure that the routes to get to Yuba … those bridges can handle those weight loads,” Lochner said, asking the committee to confirm any bridge restrictions. She also described a communication problem after last year’s event: “Vernon County … had received an email from their sergeant saying that there was 10,000 people,” a figure Lochner said overstated the actual turnout and triggered concern about permit and safety requirements.

The sheriff told Lochner the county would follow up, including asking the highway commissioner to check bridge weight limits and clarifying whether a formal request for mutual aid or additional patrols had been made. The sheriff also offered to assist with planning and pointed to changes made since a September incident in which on‑site security and a mental‑health response did not follow protocol; Lochner said the event’s organizers have strengthened evacuation procedures and behavioral‑health screening after that call.

Lochner described the festival as largely self‑contained — with on‑site camping, food vendors and multi‑day stays — and said local lodging and campgrounds typically fill when the lineup is announced. Committee members thanked Lochner for the detailed packet and for improving emergency plans. The committee did not take a formal vote but agreed staff would follow up with the highway commissioner and law‑enforcement channels to confirm bridge restrictions and inter‑county notification practices ahead of the June dates.

Next steps: county staff will check bridge weight restrictions on the identified routes, clarify how traffic estimates are communicated to neighboring jurisdictions, and report back to the committee prior to the event.