OYSTER BED BRIDGE, P.E.I. — Some residents of the rural P.E.I. community of Oyster Bed Bridge are not happy about a planned concert at the race track, Aug. 23-24.
A petition is being circulated opposing the SunDaze Camping Music and Art Festival, which will see a number of artists perform on a stage set up in the race track’s oval while the adjacent Route 6 Ranch Campground, formerly the drag racing strip, caters to those who want to camp.
The campground also handles overflow from the Cavendish Beach Music Festival.
According to the event’s website, this is the first annual festival and will feature a main stage, pit stage, comedians, DJs, sampling sessions, food demonstrations, mural art battles, archery tag, water fights and inflatables. The event is restricted to those 19 years of age and older.
“On behalf of ourselves and hundreds of residents, (we) don’t want this concert to be held,’’ said Oyster Bed Bridge resident Edith Ling. “We’re really upset at the arrogance of the developers in going ahead with such a thing, selling tickets and booking bands without even having a permit yet from the provincial government.’’
Ling said she’s been in contact with the provincial government and has been told that the organizers don’t have a permit to hold the festival.
The Guardian reached out to the province’s Department of Planning but no one responded.
Ben Murphy, who co-owns the campground with Chris Daley, confirmed they don’t have permits yet for either the Cavendish or SunDaze events but standard procedure is that the permits are usually granted closer to the date of the event. Ben’s brother, Sam, is organizing the concert but didn’t immediately return The Guardian’s call.
“Why hasn’t this work been brought to a halt?’’ Ling asked in reference to the lack of a permit.
Ben Murphy said they will be holding a public meeting sometime in July for businesses and residents.
Norma Ford, another area resident, said she has collected more than 200 signatures so far on a petition opposing the show.
“I haven’t found anybody that I went to that wants this concert,’’ Ford said. “I was talking to one motel (owner) who said they are definitely not renting to anyone that is coming to the concert, they’re just too nervous about things getting out of hand.’’
Ben Murphy said the concert is being aimed at an audience of no more than 5,000 people, a typical crowd on a pro stock night, and is simply another event designed to drive tourism in the province. He said artists will include DJ Jazzy Jeff, of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince fame, as well as a lot of independent and local artists, such as Two Hours Traffic.
Kenny Snow, who manages the Oyster Bed Esso convenience store, said he sympathizes with people who live in the area, but he appreciates the business an event like this will drum up.
Snow also pointed out that the Route 6 Ranch Campground was home to the drag racing strip up until last year so the area is used to noise, disruption and lots of people.
Ling and Ford counter that the drag strip closed in the late afternoon while festival events will be going well into the night.
“How do you stop people from straying off into neighbourhood properties?’’ Ling said. “It’s just not an appropriate place to have such a concert.’’
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