During a free Montreal Jazz Festival concert on Saturday night, six individuals were transported to the hospital, as confirmed by event organizers and Urgences-santé. The festival saw massive crowds of attendees flocking to catch a glimpse of Quebec’s renowned masked band, Angine de Poitrine. Emergency medical teams provided care to ten individuals with various medical concerns, including falls and intoxication. Of the ten, six were taken to the hospital, while four declined transport.
Urgences-santé’s spokesperson, Benjamin Dansereau, mentioned that some of the hospitalized individuals were in a more serious but stable condition, emphasizing that this level of incidents was not uncommon during peak summer events. Dansereau praised the quick response and effective work of the emergency crews, advising festival attendees to stay hydrated, find cool areas if feeling overheated, and be cautious in crowded settings.
One festivalgoer, Robert Mark, described the event as overwhelming, noting the challenges faced by attendees navigating through the dense crowd towards the stage. Despite the crowd size, Mark appreciated seeing families, young children, and fans in polka dot attire paying homage to the band’s distinctive costumes. Meanwhile, festival organizers expressed satisfaction with the event’s execution, with Maurin Auxéméry, the director of programming, commending the team’s control and preparation for the high turnout.
Auxéméry highlighted the meticulous planning and increased security measures in place, underscoring the success of managing the massive crowd. He mentioned the closure of access to Place des Festivals before the show and lauded the concert’s success, noting that such a significant turnout had not been witnessed since Stevie Wonder’s performance in 2009. Auxéméry expressed pride in hosting a local band that could draw such a large audience to downtown Montreal.