REVEALED: Will ‘world's wettest party' be coming to Perth?

Perth Now

28-05-2025

A music event that claims to be the world's wettest party has hit a dry patch in WA.
Tang Events had sought support from the City of Perth to bring the S2O Songkran Music Festival to WA.
It plans to hold the festival at Langley Park in February and expects 22,500 people to attend at $165 a ticket.
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It sought $24,000 in cash and $46,000 in-kind from the city, but the council unanimously voted at Tuesday night's meeting that the city not come to the party.
Tang Events' application said S2O Australia was an electronic dance music festival that blended 'high-energy performances with immersive water-play innovations to create visually striking and euphoric experiences'.
It originated in Thailand and has held events in Bangkok, China, Tokyo, and, most recently, New York.
Tang Events said the Perth event would be the 'flagship show' and reinforce its position on the international festival circuit. Steve Aoki has been touted as one of the performing DJs. Credit: steveaoki Instagram
Features of the Perth show would include a line-up of 'globally renowned artists with water-play technology, high powered water cannons and synchronised water effects'.
Glenn Watson, speaking on behalf of Tang Events, told the city's briefing session on May 20 the event would have exclusive Asia-Pacific performances by DJs such as Steve Aoki.
'The exclusivity was designed to increase both interstate and international visitation to Perth for the event, in the same way that you might remember Coldplay coming to Perth last year; it was an exclusive nationwide event,' he said.
'The key point of difference for S2O is that it's a contemporary interpretation of Songkran, the Thai New Year's festival, also known as the Water Festival.
'In addition to the world-class DJs and performances that you'd expect at a music festival, patrons that choose to go into the wet zone are basically bombarded with water from jets and cannons. Crowds at the festival would be 'bombarded' with water. Credit: s2ofestival.com
'This type of event has not been done in Perth or in a developed Western capital city that has a lot more regulations and rules than you'd see in a Thailand-style music festival.'
However, the city's assessment panel — comprising three staff — gave the proposal a score of only 57.8 out of 100, saying the attendance estimate relied too heavily on interstate and international attendees, and the event would be held in an already busy period.
Its use of water was also considered problematic.
'The excessive use of water during the summer months could be viewed unfavourably by the community and contribute to brand alignment concerns and reputation risk for the city,' the assessment said.
'The panel acknowledged whilst the applicant has engaged a local water management company to facilitate the development and implementation of a water management and sustainability plan for the event, a robust plan is yet to be developed.'
Mr Watson said Tang Events was working with Perth-based water management organisation BD Water on management plans.
'We acknowledge the details about the water management and sustainability was not too granular. The purpose of that was to open up a conversation and a dialogue with the city to make sure that it could be done,' he said. The Perth S2O festival was expected to bring in 22,500 people. Credit: s2ofestival.com
He said water would be brought in in tanks, and a flooring system that included drainage was being developed to capture water after it was used.
'Approximately 30 per cent of the water would be captured and be able to be re-used or recycled,' Mr Watson said.
Eight other sponsorship applications were approved, including $54,000 for the Laneway Festival Perth 2026, $120,000 cash and $14,000 in-kind for the Channel 7 Christmas Pageant, and $85,000 for the Perth Chinese New Year Fair 2026.
A council report said events helped make Perth a 'vibrant and iconic destination'.
The city has $1 million set aside in its 2025-26 event sponsorship program.