Osheaga festival, day 1: Canadians from one ocean to the other sing the praise of Montreal

Canadian tourists were legion on the first day of the Osheaga festival on Friday, taking advantage of exceptional weather conditions to acclaim the 29 featured artists at the Jean-Drapeau Park.

“It has only been two hours since I am here and I already know that I will come back next year”: Sam Ettinger, 17, and his father Jim are at their first visit to Montreal. The natives of Niagara Falls, Ontario, had only praise for the Quebec metropolis and its most important music festival.

“I have come to an event like an event for 25 years,” launches the paternal, 46 years old. I am impressed. It’s clean and beautiful. “

“I have visited Toronto so many times and it has nothing to do,” adds her daughter. Montreal is 1000 times better! ”

“A community sense”

Each year, around 60% of festival -goers come from outside the province, and the 18th edition is no exception. If the Americans were rare on the immense site of the Sainte-Hélène Island-the author of these lines did not meet only one in addition to 25 interviews-, the Ontarians were everywhere.

“It’s so well organized,” says Ella Brown, 18, from Ottawa. It is better thought than festivals in Ontario and there is no more community sense here. ”

Bonus installations

We keep in memory of the 2024 edition of the memorable shows of Chappell Roan and Green Day, but especially the heat wave that raged during the festival. If Mother Nature became milder on this sending day, the organizers of Osheaga, they preferred to warn that healing.

“We were here last year and he was exceptionally hot,” recalls Janelle McPhee, 23, who made the trip of Saint John to New Brunswick. There are more stations to cool off this year and places to sit. I love the site anymore this year. ”

A huge misting area, many water points and several shaded areas have been added this year. The sun still made no district on the floor of the valley and forest scenes, made up of metal panels, and in front of the two main scenes, overflown by a thick cloud of dust.

Armed with their cocktails at $ 15, their SQDC box and their smoked glasses, the festival-goers were able to go back and forth between the six scenes of the festival safely.

A trip home

In the pond of Ontarians who swept on the site, irreducible Quebecers still answered the call, including Hélène Ferland, who attended the festival … for a 15^e times!

“I am happy that they still accept older people, jokes the 49 -year -old mother. Our children come without us now!

“For us, it’s like going to another country. It’s a moment of escape, but we go back on a metro and we sleep with us, in Rosemont! ”

All the tickets found takers for the day on Saturday, which will be punctuated by Tyler, The Creator and Gracie Abrams.