During a free Montreal Jazz Festival concert on Saturday night, six individuals were transported to the hospital, but both event organizers and Urgences-santé confirmed that the event proceeded as planned. A significant number of festival attendees flocked to the venue to witness Quebec’s renowned masked band, Angine de Poitrine.
Emergency medical teams from Urgences-santé attended to ten individuals with various medical concerns, including falls and intoxication. Of the ten, six were taken to the hospital, while the remaining four declined transportation. Benjamin Dansereau, a spokesperson for Urgences-santé, mentioned that some of those hospitalized were in slightly worrying but non-life-threatening conditions. However, he stated that these numbers were within the norm for peak summer events, and preparations were made accordingly.
Dansereau commended the prompt response and excellent performance of the emergency crews. He advised festival attendees to stay hydrated, find shaded or air-conditioned areas if feeling overheated or dizzy, and be mindful of their surroundings in crowded settings.
One festivalgoer, Robert Mark, compared the turnout to Stevie Wonder’s 2009 show and described the experience as overwhelming. Despite the challenges of navigating through the crowd, Mark eventually found a view of the concert on a large screen behind the main stage. He appreciated the diverse audience, including families with children and fans dressed in homage to Angine de Poitrine’s signature attire.
Maurin Auxéméry, the Montreal Jazz Festival’s programming director, expressed pride in his team’s handling of the situation. He stated that security measures were increased in anticipation of the large crowd and commended the staff for their management throughout the event. Auxéméry noted the closure of access to Place des Festivals before the show and emphasized the remarkable turnout for a local band in downtown Montreal.