Music fans in Ottawa may be in for a slightly different experience as the city's largest music festival makes its annual return.
While Bryan Adams plays classic rock on Bluesfest's main stage Thursday, metal may be on the mind of concertgoers who walk through a redesigned entrance with more metal detectors.
The gate at Booth and Vimy is larger. In 2017, there were reports of long wait times.
There were also reports of fights and smoking, and footage surfaced of people crashing a security fence.
Executive Director Mark Monahan hopes the changes will put more focus back on the music.
"We put a lot more resources at securing the sites," Monahan told CTV News on Wednesday.
Bluesfest has also added a designated smoking area on the south side of the festival grounds where tobacco and medicinal marijuana will be allowed.
"With people smoking in different areas, (security is) a bit like chasing your tale," says Monahan.
Bluesfest runs until July 15 at LeBreton Flats with artists like the Foo Fighters, the Dave Matthews Band and Shawn Mendes headlining.
Construction crews had to adapt to a sped-up schedule of building the main stage after a family of protected Kildeer birds chose the site as a nesting area.
The nest was moved about 30 metres away last week.
Four eggs hatched.
