Thousands of followers of country, folk, and rock began arriving this Friday to the coast of Fort Lauderdale, in South Florida, to attend the popular Tortuga Music Festival, which this year will be held under strict security measures waiting for some 30,000 spectators, according to the organization.
The authorities do not want a repeat in Florida of what happened a week ago at the Astroworld festival in Houston, where at least 8 people died and several were injured in a possible avalanche.
The Florida country, rock, and folk music festival, suspended last year due to the pandemic, features performances by famous country singers Luke Bryan and Miranda Lambert and Latin urban music vocalist Pitbull.
The event’s website, which ends on Sunday, also highlights the presence on stage of Tim McGraw, the well-known American country actor, and singer, among dozens of artists who attract thousands of fans.
Television stations such as NBC6 in the south of the state show this day the strong security measures that both the police and the firefighters have taken in the tourist city located 61 miles (98 kilometers) north of Miami.
According to local media, Fort Lauderdale police and firefighters have been preparing for months to coordinate security measures in the face of the arrival of thousands of people to this musical event next to the beach.
The Houston fire services explained that the incident at the Astroworld festival occurred when the crowd attending the concert began to “compress towards the front of the stage. ” This situation caused scenes of panic among the assistants and fights, which caused the first injuries.
The incident took place during the performance of the American rapper Travis Scott, one of the many concerts scheduled within that festival.
Fort Lauderdale police said they will take into account the lessons learned from that tragedy to make sure nothing similar happens this weekend, so security cameras have been installed that will keep a close eye on the crowd.
The city’s fire battalion chief Stephen Gollan said there will be more than 38 paramedics ready, as well as an emergency clinic and lifeguard teams, according to Local 10 television.
According to the festival’s website, the Tortuga Music Festival “works hand in hand with the Rock The Ocean Foundation to increase public awareness of the problems affecting the world’s oceans and to support scientific research, education, and conservation initiatives in the oceans. “
The website offers the memories of the event from 2013 to 2019, with videos posted on the event’s YouTube channel, featuring American music stars and an audience dancing and having fun in the arena.