Inaugural YOWFest event cancelled after shots fired at Lansdowne Park Friday

Investigators are on the hunt for a suspect in the Friday afternoon shooting that led to the cancellation of YOWFest. CTV’s Kimberley Johnson reports.

Organizers of the YOWFest music event at Lansdowne Park say they had to cancel both days of the festival after someone fired a gun in the area Friday afternoon.

Gunshots were reported at Lansdowne at around 4:20 p.m. Friday, according to the Ottawa Police Service, which prompted a large police presence as officers looked for a suspect. No one was reported hurt.

Ottawa police later confirmed there was evidence of shots having been fired.

Artists were set to perform less than an hour later, according to the YOWFest lineup. Organizers initially said the start of the festival would be delayed but later said they could not move forward with the day one lineup.

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There were 22 acts set to perform Friday, including Xav Trudeau, the son of former prime minister Justin Trudeau.

Late Friday night, festival organizers said the remainder of the festival on Saturday, when 16 acts were set to perform, was also cancelled.

“We have been informed by the City of Ottawa and Lansdowne Park that, due to safety concerns, YOWFest 2025 must be cancelled following a incident that occurred near the event site earlier today,” a statement on Instagram said.

“We understand the disappointment this may cause for those who were looking forward to the festival. YOWFest is a celebration of community and togetherness, and this decision was made with deep care and consideration.”

Organizers thanked police and private security for efforts to bring the situation under control swiftly Friday night, and said staff are working with the City of Ottawa on dismantling the event stage.

In a statement to CTV News, the City of Ottawa said the festival organizer made the decision to call of the remainder of the event.

“The City was relieved to learn that no injuries were reported following the incident near YowFest on Friday afternoon. After consultation among the event organizer, their security providers, and City staff on site, the organizer made the decision to cancel the remainder of the event, including Saturday’s programming, in the interest of public safety,” said Ryan Perrault, General Manager of the Emergency and Protective Services Department.

“We recognize how disappointing this is for everyone who was looking forward to the event, and we appreciate the organizer’s thoughtful approach and commitment to community well-being in making this difficult decision.”

Festival organizers said all tickets purchased online would be automatically refunded, but those who bought tickets directly from an artist must contact the artist to arrange a refund.

Police said in a news release Saturday afternoon that no arrests have been made and the investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information, cell phone, CCTV, or dash cam footage, is asked to call the Ottawa police Guns and Gangs Unit at 613-236-1222, extension 5050.

YOWFest describes itself as a “multicultural music festival celebrating the diverse linguistic and artistic tapestry of Canada,” with peformances in English and French. This was to be the inaugural event of what aims to be an annual music festival in Ottawa.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Kimberley Johnson