Spectators brought out on stretchers, entry without wristbands, an endless wait for the restrooms and supplies of water bottles: the critics swept after Imagine Dragons’ much-anticipated passage Friday night at the Festival d’été de Québec.
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When the organization of the FEQ announced the maximum capacity of the site shortly after 9:30 p.m., it was already much too late in the opinion of several festival visitors, because chaos had already begun on the plains.
“Everyone was completely overwhelmed by what was going on. Several security forces panicked, there were volunteers crying, it was horrific,” Stéphanie Pinard told the Journal.
The latter also left the site after four songs because of this “brothel,” she testifies.
Didier Debusschere / Le Journal de Quebec
Due to the stifling heat and crowds crammed with sardines, many spectators were taken out on stretchers.
A Journal representative who was on site near the emergency services numbered at least fifteen.
Despite the flood of comments on social media, FEQ organizers will be making “no significant changes” for tonight’s Foo Fighters show.
“We’re expecting a slightly smaller crowd than last night and I think we have what it takes to welcome our festival-goers and give them an enjoyable experience,” said FEQ President and General Manager Nicolas Racine.
Free entries
The previous day’s derelict, denounced by festival-goers, would have been due to a security breach that would have allowed hundreds of people to enter the site without even wearing wristbands, while the proprietors themselves refused entry.
“I’m still cursed for not getting in. I bought my pass a long time ago and was so excited to see this show. There were a lot of holes and otherwise people would be climbing over 12-foot fences,” says Brigitte Champeau, angry at having traveled for free from Montreal’s south coast.
When tested, The Journal was able to confirm that it was perfectly possible to enter the site without even being browsed or registered.
Also, several holes in the fences were discovered, allowing many offenders to watch the show without having to pay for it.
However, the director of the festival defends himself by saying that he was not aware of this situation and that there are currently no problems accessing the site.
lack of water
Festival-goers surveyed complained about the 30 to 45-minute wait for bottled water refills and the lack of bottled water for sale.
“It’s not normal to be able to continue selling beer but run out of bottles of water in the heat,” says Stéphanie Pinard, disappointed with her evening.
However, Nicolas Racine states that action has already been taken and reiterates that the number of wells has doubled since last year.
He also claims to have distributed more water bottles to outlets in two days than in all of FEQ 2022.
“I can understand that people have had some difficulties, but you have to put things in perspective. “When there’s such a large crowd, some festival-goers might have had trouble,” he said.
Mr Racine confirmed that there are no plans to allow people to enter the premises with their own bottle filled with water.
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