Concert-goers ‘disappointed’ with execution of Neon Skies music festival evacuation during Saturday storm

People who were forced to leave the Neon Skies Festival on Saturday because of a thunderstorm say there were limited options available for shelter.

Some in attendance at the Neon Lights music festival over the weekend say they feared for their safety and felt emergency plans were absent when a severe thunderstorm approached its outdoor downtown site on Saturday.

Concert-goers reported the skies over the Fan Park at Ice District were darkening Saturday night but rain had yet started falling when a large sign was posted telling them to evacuate the venue because of the approaching severe thunderstorm. They said security guards there abruptly started telling them to leave the downtown venue before Kesha’s scheduled performance, directing them to a single exit.

“They told us all to evacuate, and after they told us all to evacuate, everybody was very upset,” Leila Farhat told CTV News Edmonton on Monday, adding the crowd wasn’t able to access the emergency exits. “Some of us still stayed behind because it wasn’t raining. There was no thunderstorm; like it was still cloudy, but the clouds weren’t as dark.”

Julia Allan, who attended Neon Skies both Friday and Saturday, said the notice to evacuate the grounds came suddenly and that both attendees and staff at the Fan Park there seemed befuddled by it.

“I could sense a lot of confusion, a lot of shock, a lot of stress and a lot of fear,” she told CTV News Edmonton on Tuesday, adding that she sought shelter inside the Rogers Place complex until the event was officially cancelled later that night.

That’s when she saw people being waved out into the rain.

“I’m disappointed I didn’t get to see Kesha, but I’m mostly just really angry with how they handled the whole evacuation,” Allan said.

In a statement Tuesday to CTV News Edmonton, OEG Sports and Entertainment said all emergency exits identified for the festival were used except for one on the north end of the site north of 104 Avenue and west of 101 Street as it led to a backstage area.

“We recognize fans were disappointed to miss the final performance of the festival, and that evacuations due to severe weather can be frightening; however, the safety of our guests, artists and staff members is always the top priority at all Ice District events,” said Kevin Rapanos, the director of corporate communications for OEG Sports and Entertainment.

“At no point was there any undue congestion at the exits, and all fans were evacuated in a timely manner.”

Saturday’s performance was headlined by Kesha and also featured Heidi Montag and Slayyyter, who performed just before Kesha was to begin her set.

Farhat said she would like a partial refund or a rescheduled show to see Kesha.

“I think her having to come back and make up make up for what she didn’t get to perform would give everybody a chance to relive that moment and to sing some of her songs with her, or even a partial refund for those people who have paid so much money just to be here and just to see Kesha, because a lot of people have paid hotel, gas, other accommodations,” she said, referencing the offer by comedian Matt Rife to make up for his own Great Outdoors Comedy Festival performance that was cancelled at the same time.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Miriam Valdes-Carletti and Evan Kenny