Heavy Montreal cancels 2017 concert with Parc Jean-Drapeau under construction
Osheaga still scheduled for next summer despite venue change
Heavy Montreal is taking a one-year hiatus while construction is underway in Parc Jean-Drapeau on Île Sainte-Hélène.
"Several factors, including the renovations at Parc Jean-Drapeau and the increase in cultural events during Montréal's 375th anniversary, contributed to our decision," Nick Farkas, vice-president for Evenko, which organizes the heavy metal festival, said in a statement.
The 2015 festival was held over three days and drew thousands of people. Farkas said Heavy Montreal will be back in 2018.
Un message pour tous nos fans de Heavy Montréal // A message to all our Heavy Montreal fans <a href="https://t.co/APz7PFPIYK">https://t.co/APz7PFPIYK</a>
—@heavymtlThe cancellation means some music-weary residents on Montreal's South Shore, where Saint-Lambert launched a legal battle over concert noise concerns, will get a bit of a reprieve.
Evenko earlier announced that two other music festivals, Osheaga and Île Soniq, will be relocated to neighbouring Île Notre-Dame in 2017 due to construction in the park, moving them even closer to Saint-Lambert.
Montreal is redeveloping the popular festival site to increase capacity from 45,000 to 65,000 people, as part of the city's 375th anniversary celebrations.
The $70-million project will include construction of a new amphitheatre facing Saint-Lambert across the river.