Final night of Escapade cancelled for severe weather
Organizers have cancelled the final night of the Escapade Music Festival at TD Place due to inclement weather.
"Due to unsafe site conditions from heavy rain and pending storm warnings for the rest of the evening, we have made the difficult decision to cancel day three of the festival," organizers said in a post to Instagram.
"After careful consideration and consultation with local authorities and meteorologists, we have determined that proceeding with the festival could pose significant safety risks."
Organizers had to delay opening the gates to the sold-out crowd until at least 3 p.m. to conduct safety inspections of the site after rain fell for most of the day. The three-day festival has been drawing about 20,000 people each day.
Attendees were briefly allowed to enter the stadium at around 3:15 p.m. until Environment Canada issued a severe thunderstorm warning shortly after.
The first performer was scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
"While we understand the disappointment and share in your frustration, the unpredictable nature of the weather leaves us with no choice but to prioritize safety above all else," organizers said.
"More information on refunds to follow."
A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for Ottawa on Sunday afternoon, with Environment Canada forecasting wind gusts of up to 90 km/h, torrential downpours, hail and a risk of tornadoes. A rainfall and severe thunderstorm warning ended late in the afternoon.
The Chainsmokers, Armin van Buuren, Lost Frequencies and about 20 other acts were scheduled to perform.
The festival started on Friday and was supposed to conclude on Sunday.
Ottawa Jazz Festival to go ahead
The third night of the Ottawa Jazz Festival at Marion Dewar Plaza will continue as planned, organizers say.
"All performances will continue as scheduled, rain or shine," said a post to Instagram.
"Stay tuned for updates. Small umbrellas are welcome in the park."
Tonight's performances are Miguel de Armas and The Ottawa Latin Jazz Orchestra, Flávia Nascimento, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Nation Beat.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Hezbollah confirms its leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike
Lebanon's Hezbollah group confirmed on Saturday that its leader and one of its founders, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut the previous day
Hurricane tracker: follow Helene's path on this interactive map
Here is an interactive hurricane map using live tracking data from the NOAA National Hurricane Center (NHC), following Hurricane Helene's observed and forecasted paths.
'I love you but I hate you.' What to do when you can't stand your long-term partner
It's often said there is a thin line between love and hate, but is it OK to sometimes hate your long-term partner? If you ask actress Jamie Lee Curtis, it's practically necessary.
They hit it off on vacation but then he went silent. So she decided to pick up the phone
When a few weeks passed and Nana Prempeh still hadn’t heard from the guy she met on vacation, she turned to her friends for advice.
'Imagine a world without their song': Toronto photographer wins international award for picture of 4,000 dead birds
Thousands of dead birds, from kingfishers to blue jays, encircle a wild turkey to illustrate in one snapshot a mere fragment of how many die from colliding into glass windows – a death that can be easily prevented, the Torontonian photographer says.
What is open and closed this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
This Monday, Sept. 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR), a federal statutory holiday and day of remembrance for the Indigenous children who never came home from Canadian residential schools, as well as those who survived them.
Dozens dead and millions without power after Helene's deadly march across southeastern US
Hurricane Helene caused dozens of deaths and billions of dollars of destruction across a wide swath of the southeastern U.S. as it raced through, and more than three million customers went into the weekend without any power and for some a continued threat of floods.
'I want to leave but I'm scared': Calgarian and her kids stuck in Lebanon as conflict rages on
Safaa went to Lebanon looking to meet with a specialist for her Crohn's disease. Now, she and her four children are caught in the conflict between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah.
2 people caught illegally crossing the International Railroad Bridge into the U.S.: border officials
Two Italian citizens have been apprehended after allegedly illegally crossing over the International Railroad Bridge to the United States.