DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Thursday marked the official start of the four-day music festival at Daytona International Speedway known as Welcome to Rockville.

The event, which organizers say is the biggest rock festival in North America, will feature more than 150 artists performing on five stages. It began Thursday at noon with Until I Wake, and the last act scheduled to take the stage is Slipknot at 10:15 p.m. Sunday.

What You Need To Know

  • Welcome to Rockville began Thursday at Daytona International Speedway and continues through Sunday

  • More than 150 artists are scheduled to perform during the festival

  • Thousands of festivalgoers are expected to come to town for the weekend

Among the best-known bands on the announced lineups are Foo Fighters, Greta Van Fleet, Judas Priest, Disturbed, Motley Crue, Anthrax, The Offspring, Living Colour, Jelly Roll, Limp Bizkit, The Struts, Stone Temple Pilots, Primus, Queens of the Stone Age, Of Mice and Men, Theory of a Deadman, Breaking Benjamin, Evanescence, Sum 41 and Slipknot.

Welcome to Rockville is an outdoor festival, and it will continue rain or shine. Safety reasons could force pauses, evacuations or cancellations because of severe thunderstorms, lightning near the festival radius, excessive wind, hail, flooding or because local emergency personnel ordered the disruptions.

Two years ago, severe storms forced the cancellation of two headliner performances, and a temporary evacuation took place last year.

According to News 13 meteorologist Chris Gilson, there is a chance for some showers on Friday. However, sunny skies return for both Saturday and Sunday, with temperatures cooling into the lower 80s.

Limited passes remain available to people of all ages. Check the Rockville website for information on passes and hotel packages or to buy tickets.

Alcohol will be available for purchase for people who are at least 21 years old.

Thousands of people will make their way to the event in a variety of ways. Authorities are urging festivalgoers and others in the area to allow significant extra time to get around.

Even those not going to the concert could be affected.

People arriving at Daytona Beach International Airport for departing flights or picking up passengers, especially after 9 p.m., should allow for extra time, airport officials said. Travelers should avoid International Speedway Boulevard and Williamson Boulevard and instead enter the airport off Clyde Morris Boulevard, they said.

Information about a variety of parking options is available on the festival’s website. Festivalgoers should avoid parking at nearby businesses that are not official parking spots, or they could have their vehicles towed.

With the hot weather expected, festivalgoers are urged to stay well-hydrated. For that reason, hydration packs (such as CamelBaks) will be allowed this year. They must be empty when fans arrive at the site, but free water refill stations will be set up throughout the festival grounds.