“Montreal Jazz Festival Sees Hospitalizations After Huge Turnout”

Despite six individuals being transported to the hospital following a free Montreal Jazz Festival performance on Saturday night, event organizers and Urgences-santé affirmed that the management of the situation unfolded as intended.

Huge crowds of festival attendees flocked to the venue to witness—or simply to hear—Quebec’s renowned masked band, Angine de Poitrine.

Benjamin Dansereau, a spokesperson for Urgences-santé, revealed that medical response teams attended to ten individuals for various medical concerns.

“Some experienced falls, and there were also cases of intoxication,” Dansereau mentioned.

<p"Out of the ten individuals, six were taken to the hospital, while four declined transportation with our team."

Dansereau noted that some of the hospitalized individuals were in a more critical but non-life-threatening condition.

Nevertheless, Dansereau emphasized that these figures were not unusual.

“During peak summer times, we often handle more cases than this. Hence, it’s not out of the ordinary, and we were prepared for it,” he clarified.

Dansereau commended the swift response of the emergency crews and lauded their exceptional performance.

He advised festival attendees to stay hydrated, find shade or air-conditioned areas if feeling overheated or dizzy, and to be vigilant in crowded settings.

Attendance Matches Stevie Wonder’s 2009 Concert

Robert Mark, a festivalgoer accustomed to large concerts, expressed that Saturday’s event was overwhelming for him.

“There was a massive crowd moving towards the stage, with some individuals trying to move in the opposite direction,” Mark observed.

“It was evident that people were attempting to exit but were encountering challenges… A few smaller individuals, particularly girls, were trying to leave and seemed quite anxious to get out.”

After trying to approach the stage, Mark and his friends eventually relocated and viewed the concert from a spot behind the main stage, where a large screen projected the performance.

Despite the crowded conditions, Mark appreciated the sight of families with young kids and fans donning polka dots in homage to the band’s distinctive attire.

• Who is Angine de Poitrine? The masked Quebec band is taking the internet by storm

The festival organizers affirmed that the event proceeded as scheduled.

Maurin Auxéméry, the programming director for the Montreal Jazz Festival, stated that his team maintained full control throughout.

“I am extremely proud of how our team managed the situation,” he expressed.

Auxéméry disclosed that they had anticipated the large turnout, bolstered security measures, and adhered to their plan throughout the evening. Given the crowd size, Auxéméry believed his team performed admirably.

He mentioned that access to Place des Festivals was restricted around 30 to 45 minutes before the show.

Auxéméry described the concert as extraordinary, highlighting that the festival had not witnessed such massive crowds since Stevie Wonder’s performance in 2009.

“It’s truly special to see a local band draw such a large audience here in downtown Montreal,” he remarked.