The summer festival season is here and while outdoor events are a great way to connect and celebrate, they can also come with preventable health risks. With a little preparation and awareness, most risks can be reduced so people can focus on enjoying the experience.
"A safe festival is a shared effort. Organizers can support attendees by providing shade, water, first aid, drug checking services, and naloxone on site, and attendees can do their part by using these supports, pacing themselves, and watching out for those around them," said Medical Health Officer Dr. Melissa Wan.
If you choose to consume substances, stick to one at a time. Avoid mixing alcohol with other substances or high-caffeine energy drinks, which can mask intoxication and increase overdose risk.
If you plan to drink alcohol, small steps can make a big difference. Eating beforehand helps slow alcohol absorption, and staying hydrated, such as by alternating alcoholic drinks with water, can prevent dehydration. Have no more than two drinks in three hours.
For those who use cannabis, buying from legal sources ensures the product has been tested for contaminants and contains accurate doses of THC and CBD. Starting with a low dose and waiting to feel the effects before using more can help avoid unpleasant or harmful experiences.
With unregulated substances being more poisonous and more unpredictable in this ongoing public health toxic drug crisis, it’s critical that people use harm reduction practices to stay safer.
Drug checking is one such service that helps people make informed decisions before they use.
Other ways to stay safe:
- Stagger use with a buddy or download the free Lifeguard app
- Carry Naloxone and know how to use it
- Use less and pace yourself
- Access overdose prevention services and supervised consumption where available
- Recognize overdose signs: slow or no breathing, gurgling, blue lips/fingertips, difficult to wake
- If someone overdoses: call 911, give one breath every five seconds, and administer Naloxone.
Heat-related illness is another risk at outdoor festivals. Sun exposure, high humidity, warm clothing, dehydration, and physical activity all increase risk.
“Heat stress, when the body heats up faster than it can cool, can develop even when temperatures don’t seem extreme — especially with hours of dancing, direct sun, and substances like alcohol or MDMA that make it harder for the body to cool down,” said Wan.
Symptoms of heat‑related illness include confusion, agitation, slurred speech, nausea, flushed skin, rapid breathing, or a racing heart rate. Heat illness can be prevented by wearing loose, lightweight clothing, staying in the shade, drinking plenty of water, and taking breaks during the hottest parts of the day.
If you need medical attention while attending a festival, access the site’s first-aid services, and if it’s an emergency, call 911.
For more on staying safe this festival season, be aware of these services:
- Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence support
- Free emergency contraception
- Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) testing:
- STI Testing | SmartSex Resource
- In Greater Victoria or Duncan, and no symptoms: GetCheckedOnline.com
- Cowichan District Hospital On-demand STI testing
- Options Telehealth service
- For ages 12-24: Island Health Youth Clinics and Foundry Virtual BC