One of Toronto's popular street festivals has come under fire this year, not for its lineup but for how crowded it became. DuWest Fest, a free event, drew a wave of complaints from attendees who said the crush of people made it unsafe. Some described being unable to move through the festival at all, raising questions about how the event was managed.
Attendees painted a vivid picture of the conditions. People compared the crowd to a can of sardines, saying there were parts where they were literally shoulder to shoulder with everyone and could not really walk after a certain point. Some pointed to what they called dangerous zones where the crowd simply could not move.
Beyond the crowding, the festival also saw a string of thefts. Toronto police said they received 41 calls for service for theft throughout the festival, 36 of which were for pickpocketing of cell phones. The concentration of thefts targeting phones reflected how the dense crowds created opportunities for would-be thieves.
Police action at the event went beyond responding to thefts. Officers made seven arrests during the festival, including five for assault, though it was not made clear whether those were directly linked to the broader disorder. The arrests added to the picture of an event that strained safety and policing.
Organizers said they had tried to prepare for the crowds but were left short on policing. The event's managing director told CBC that they asked for nearly twice as many paid-duty officers as the previous year, but the request was not fulfilled because other events had stretched Toronto police resources thin. In response, organizers said they did increase private security.
The sheer size of the turnout appears to have overwhelmed the setup. Toronto police said Saturday's crowd, which organizers estimated may have exceeded one million visitors over the entire event, was larger than in previous years and posed a number of challenges, including hundreds of illegally parked cars. The pressure led police to start shutting down the event early, at 10 p.m. on Saturday.
Despite the problems, many attendees said they still enjoyed themselves, describing a great festival that was simply too crowded at times. That has raised the question of whether the event has become a victim of its own success. The organizer said they are discussing adjustments for 2027, and according to a city spokesperson the festival has already applied for increased funding.