Petition wants Chasing Summer festival to return to 18-plus age policy

A Calgary man wants the Chasing Summer Festival to bring back its policy of only allowing entrance to those aged 18 and over.

The popular electronic music festival is allowing all ages this year as liquor regulations have changed to allow minors into areas where adults are drinking.

Ben McMaster who counts himself a fan of electronic music and says he has attended the festival for the last couple of years has started an online petition asking organizers to bring back the 18-plus age restriction.

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"There's a lot of drug use and definitely a lot of alcohol consumption," he said.

"My concern with making it an all ages event is somebody is going to get really hurt or there will be a bunch of minors who will consume alcohol or overdose and basically just cause a lot of, not only legal actions, but a lot of poor and negative choices that can be avoided."

As of Tuesday evening, more than 600 had signed the online petition.

Officials with Chasing Summer were not available for comment.

The event has had a history of problems with drugs and alcohol.

Last year, 15 people were sent to hospital after suffering a drug or alcohol overdose.

In 2015, at least 17 people required emergency treatment.

Originally held at Fort Calgary, the outdoor event was moved to the Max Bell Centre festival grounds two years ago. The two-day eventruns Aug. 4 and 5.