Public urged to behave responsibly at Crop Over climax

Members of the public are being urged to conduct themselves responsibly as the 2025 Crop Over Festival reaches its climax next Monday, August 4, with Grand Kadooment.

Authorities are reminding revellers that under the Public Order Act (1999 to 2017), anyone found guilty of disorderly conduct may be liable on summary conviction to a fine of $5 000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both.

In particular, the public is reminded that it is an offence to enter a Kadooment band without permission under the Public Order Act.

According to the Act, a person, who in respect of a public festival is not a member of a band, or is not authorised to do so, should not enter the band without permission while it is in an assembly area, or on a prescribed or designated route.

Any person who enters a band after being forbidden to do so, who uses threatening or abusive words or engages in disorderly behaviour likely to constitute harassment, or cause alarm or distress to any member of the band for the purpose of securing entry into the band, either for themselves or another person, or who fails to leave the band after being directed to do so by an authorised person, is guilty of an offence.