For the first time, on-site Winnipeg Folk Festival first aid crews will be carrying Naloxone kits.
The festival's protection and wellness coordinator Paul Laporte said this year the kits were brought in the off chance there was an opioid related emergency.
"It's in the news," Laporte said. "Every year we look at trends that are happening. So a few years back we noticed there were a lot of people attending the festival that were having exasperation of mental health crises, so we brought in mental health professionals."
"It's just one of those things that's on the radar and it was time to do."
Laporte said he believes the Winnipeg Folk Festival is one of the first Canadian music festivals to bring naloxone kits on site.
First aid crews on both the camping area and on the festival site have the kits.
The festival has a mixture of both the nasal spray naloxone and the injection version of the opioid overdose antidote.
Laporte said every person on site is subject to a bag and container search. Anything illegal that's found is surrendered and taken away by RCMP.
Laporte compared the kits to having a fire extinguisher in your home.
"Even if you never anticipate an issue you always make sure you have the equipment for it."
This is the 44th year for the Winnipeg Folk Festival. On average around 60 thousand people visit the site at Birds Hill Park during the course of the four day music festival.
