Leduc music festival organizers to keep going, despite stop order

A Leduc County peace officer vehicle is parked near the location where the Mad Hatter Music Festival on Thursday, August 23 was to be held near Leduc, Alberta.

As the Mad Hatter Music Festival kicked off in Leduc on Thursday, Leduc County took measures to stop the festival, over safety concerns.

On Thursday just before noon, a Leduc County Peace Officer arrived on the scene of the festival – and issued a stop order to organizers.

A Leduc County peace officer hand-delivered the order Thursday morning, as the festival was set to start.

“This stop order is effective immediately, and it means the festival cannot proceed,” Leduc County spokesperson Leila Daoud said Thursday.

The order comes one day after county officials went public with concerns over safety of the festival, as organizers had not met requirements.

“We have yet to receive those plans,” Daoud said. “That was one of the reasons why permission was denied.

“We hadn’t received an emergency plan and health permits, or the provision of extra security or extra first responders.”

Daoud said the county’s planning department had been working closely with festival organizers to make sure requirements were met – however, officials said festival organizers would not change the dates to make sure plans were in place.

On Wednesday, festival organizers said they were going ahead with their plans despite the county’s warning.

Organizers are expecting 200 performers, on four stages – and hundreds are expected to attend.

The festival is being held on private property, and organizers said they’ve been given permission to hold the festival on the property.

Sarah Dantzer said Thursday they’re ready to handle emergencies.

“We’ve got more than enough security, first aid personnel and porta-potties,” Dantzer said. “They were also concerned about fire, so we’re just not going to have any fires anymore.”

County officials said organizers could be left with a number of fines and penalties under the Municipal Government Act, along with county bylaws.

“I certainly am worried, it’s something that I am fully responsible for and I am prepared to deal with the consequences if they happen,” Dantzer said.

With files from Veronica Jubinville