Cavendish gets ready to host thousands ahead of music festival kickoff

The final countdown to the Cavendish Beach Music Festivalweekend has begun, andfestival staff and event crews arebusy getting ready to host thousands of people.

Thefestival is returning this summer after being cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19.

"It's pretty amazing," said festival CEO Ben Murphy. "Just to see a lot of the same people around from different vendors and contract workers, to be working with them again."

Murphy said workers have been preparing the site for the last two weeks and are now setting up the final details. Food and drink vendors have started to arriveand crews are setting up production equipment on the main stage.

Murphy said the festival sawrecord-breaking ticket saleswith weekend passes selling out in days. He said the event, which runs July7-9, will host about25,000 people each day.

"I think it goes to show that there's a little pent-up demand over the last three years and so we can't wait to welcome back people," he said.

Therewill be 45 acts performing throughout the festival, said Murphy, andheadlinersincludingLuke Combsand Darius Ruckerhave alsofuelleddemand for tickets.

Businesses ready for big crowds

Next to the festival grounds in Avonlea Village, businesses are stocking extra product on shelves and adding staff to handle the influx of visitors.

"There's lots to do and we've certainly been working with the music festival to make sure that things progress smoothly,"said Peter Fullerton, property manager at Avonlea Village.

He said fencing has been set up to createpathways directing people to and from the festival.

Some festival artists will perform free concerts on the boardwalk in Avonlea Village between 4and 6 p.m. throughout the weekend, he said.

At La Rose Bistro, head chef and owner Greg Arsenaultsaid he's looking forward to welcoming lots of diners. He and hisstaff have been coming in early this week to prepare for the weekend.

"We're just trying to stay on top of things because eventually it will be an absolute zoo around here," Arsenault said.

Further down the boardwalk at COWSAvonlea, manager MyaWeltonsaid the store has brought in an extra shipment of ice cream and staff have spent the last week making cones ahead of the weekend.

"We definitely have more staff on," Welton said. "I'm very overwhelmed with the amount of people coming for sure, but we're definitely prepared, we're ready. I've been preparing for weeks."

Extra police coming from N.B.

RCMP will be patrolling within the festival grounds and throughout the Cavendish area all weekend. Sgt. Jillian Boutiliersaid an additional 30 police officers will be coming to the Island from New Brunswick.

"With any large crowd we always have concerns so we've been preparing for the last few months to make sure we have adequate resources," Boutilier said.

She said drivers can expect to see increased traffic within the area throughout the weekend and police will be giving out tickets and towingvehiclesparked in no-parking zones.

"We want everyone to have fun but we want them to be responsible and we want them to think ahead of time about a safe drive to the festival and a ride home," Boutilier said.