Bluesfest hoping for safe, but relaxed, atmosphere

Ottawa's biggest music festival gets underway Thursday afternoon, and organizers say they are mindful of heightened safety concerns even as they try to put on a show.

Ottawa Bluesfest, which runs until July 16 at LeBreton Flats, doesn't present the obvious security risk of the Parliament Hill Canada Day celebrations, nor do its concert-goers have the reputation for drug use that has dogged the Escapade electronic music festival.

If someone gets into distress for whatever reason, we are here to help them get through that and get through it safely.- Bluesfest spokesman Joe Reilly

But with tens of thousands of music fans expected to take in acts like 50 Cent, Pink, LCD Soundsystem and Tom Petty, festival organizers say they're mindful of safety concerns relating to the opioid crisis as well as fears over security threats such as the recent attack at an Ariana Grande concert in England.

And while he isn't willing to get into specifics, spokesperson Joe Reilly said the festival tweaks its safety and security protocols each year.

"We sit down with the local police, local paramedics, fire, all those people and say, 'OK, what do we need to do?'" he said.

"We obviously discourage people from coming down and taking drugs and things like this on site. And we make that clear right from the get-go," said Reilly. "But if someone gets into distress for whatever reason, we are here to help them get through that and get through it safely."

Ottawa Public Health said in a statement they have worked with Bluesfest first aid responders and security staff on overdose awareness training and said Canadian Ski Patrol first responders have received naloxone administration training.

Reilly said he's looking for the public's help too.

"You're in a big setting with lots of people around and if you're there and you're noticing 'Hey, this guy's having some difficulty' and you notice he doesn't have any friends with him, point that out to either our Ski Patrol folks, our security folks or somebody on site," said Reilly.

In addition to overdose awareness, Reilly said the festival works with Ottawa police and other city agencies to balance the need for public safety measures while maintaining a fun and relaxed atmosphere.

Ottawa police Insp. Murray Knowles said Bluesfest has a long history of presenting a focused security plan to the city's special event advisory team, which includes representatives from emergency responders like police, firefighters and paramedics.

"As an event organizer, when you're asking people to come to your event, you want to make sure it's a safe and orderly event," said Knowles.

"It's very much a consultative process. We make certain suggestions and they put those solutions in place," he said.