The finishing touches are being applied at Burl’s Creek in Oro-Medonte, as they prepare to host tens of thousands of people for the WayHome Music and Arts Festival.
About 1,200 staff were busy working on Tuesday, literally setting the stage for this weekend’s massive music concert.
There are a number of new attractions this year. Visitors who take the "Artwalk" on Thursday night will see all new creations and get up close and personal with the artist who made them.
“It's an opportunity to come into the grounds, get familiar with the space and actually meet all the artists,” says Laura Kennedy, senior director of PR at Republic Live.
This year’s medical tent has changed too. Trained medical staff will be on-sight 24 hours a day and their air condition capacity has increased. About 80 to 100 staff will be available depending on the time of day.
“We have 30,000 visitors that come through the facility and a lot of it is just common ailments. Obviously we're going to pay special attention to the heat,” says Kevin Jones of the event’s medical team.
Temperatures are forecast to be in the low 40s with the humidity this weekend. Organizers say there will be more free water stations to help people stay hydrated.
The Killers, Arcade Fire and LCD Soundsystem are among the more than 70 musical performers who will take the stage.
Once the equipment is put in place, the volunteers will move in. Over the next 36 hours, more than 400 are expected to arrive and go through training.
The concert kicks off on Friday night.
