Last week, footage of Post Malone\u2019s headlining concert in Edmonton went viral on social media, and not because of the performance.<\/p>\n
Just minutes into the American artist\u2019s show on Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium \u2014 the outdoor home of the CFL\u2019s Edmonton Elks \u2014 a torrential downpour sent thousands of concertgoers rushing to the concourses in search of relief from heavy precipitation. <\/p>\n
There was none to be found as the rain and wind formed a dangerous combination. People got drenched and the show was cancelled after three songs.<\/p>\n
Eric Fortin-Lambert, senior director of production and operations at Evenko, watched the videos from Edmonton like the rest of us.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I saw about 10 different videos,\u201d Fortin-Lambert said from Jean-Drapeau Park the eve of Osheaga.<\/p>\n
As of Thursday morning, about 95 per cent of the fest\u2019s installations were up, a job that started in May with the two Luke Combs concerts on the island.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn a way I was jealous because (Edmonton) at least had a stadium with shelter that people could go under, because our site is not like that.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe wind was crazy, it was going like this,\u201d he added, sweeping his arm sideways.<\/p>\n
With only temporary awnings available, organizers and attendees of the four major coming festivals on the island \u2014 Osheaga, \u00celeSoniq, Lasso and the returning Warped Tour \u2014 have to brace themselves for any type of weather.<\/p>\n
And with about 45,000 to 50,000 people expected each day at Osheaga this weekend, there\u2019s nowhere for people to go in case of a weather emergency.<\/p>\n
![\"Man](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0731-arts-osheaga-site-3963_304533053.jpg\")
Eric Fortin-Lambert, senior director of production and operations at Evenko, points out the increase in tents, both near the main stages and the side ones, on the Osheaga site. With rising temperatures, \u201cwe just analyze what we can do to have a better experience for our clients. Shade was one of them,\u201d he says. Evan Buhler \/ Montreal Gazette<\/p>\n
Now in his 13th festival, Fortin-Lambert has dealt with everything from lightning cutting Gracie Abrams\u2019s set to blistering heat making the island feel like the Sahara. But with weather conditions becoming more extreme, from hotter heat waves to intense bursts of rain, Osheaga and other festivals around the world are contending with the increased unpredictability of the weather.<\/p>\n
On a tour of the festival site, Fortin-Lambert pointed out the increase in tents, both near the main stages and the side ones.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve noticed, like everyone, that the temperatures are rising every year. There was a heat wave at one point last year and the year before that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we just analyze what we can do to have a better experience for our clients. Shade was one of them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Montreal’s a microclimate, and this island is a microclimate, so do not trust the weather reports.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNick Farkas
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEvenko VP<\/p>\n
Adding more access to water was another. Festivalgoers are encouraged to bring an empty container with them, which they can fill for free at one of 626 faucets on the site. It\u2019s a mix of permanent water stations on the island and temporary ones built for the festival.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe try to have a ratio of 340 people per water faucet. But if we see higher temperatures in the forecast, we\u2019ll add more.\u201d<\/p>\n
The ratio was lower before, but Fortin-Lambert said the festival \u201chad to adapt.\u201d<\/p>\n
Climate change is a topic of conversation industry-wide, and every market in North America has its own challenges to prepare for.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor us, we\u2019ll talk about heat, but in other regions they\u2019ll talk about forest fires, like in B.C. There\u2019s a discussion all across Canada about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fortin-Lambert observed it\u2019s fortunate Osheaga wasn\u2019t two weeks ago, when forest fire smoke from northern Ontario turned Montreal skies a murky orange and yellow<\/a>. In Toronto, outdoor World Cup watch parties where cancelled<\/a> because of poor air quality from the wildfires.<\/p>\n Osheaga co-founder Nick Farkas, who had yet to watch any Post Malone Edmonton clips, is knocking on wood and trying to avoid staring at the weather apps. He and Fortin-Lambert agreed while planning is essential, there\u2019s only so much they can do to protect against Mother Nature.<\/p>\n Fortin-Lambert and the festival meteorologist decide when it\u2019s time to pull the plug on a potentially dangerous situation like a lightning storm, and he said they\u2019ll never discuss it until the day-of because it\u2019s simply too unpredictable.<\/p>\n Farkas also said what makes Jean-Drapeau Park such a unique site for a festival in the North American market \u2014 a self-contained island accessible by public transport minutes from the city \u2014 also makes it even more volatile when it comes to forecasting.<\/p>\n \u201cMontreal\u2019s a microclimate, and this island is a microclimate, so do not trust the weather reports,\u201d Farkas said.<\/p>\n A good example was Combs concert at the same venue in May.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are black clouds hanging over Nuns\u2019 Island and my wife is getting rained on downtown. She messages me \u2018so sorry,\u2019 and there\u2019s zero rain happening here.\u201d<\/p>\n Abrams\u2019s set a year ago was the opposite, when the meteorologist on-site<\/a> predicted rain clouds coming from the Laurentians would just miss the island. In the end, lightning forced the singer-songwriter to run offstage. After fans got pelted with rain, the skies cleared and Tyler, the Creator was able to perform his headlining set.<\/p>\n Osheaga has been pretty fortunate, with few moments in its history when they had to completely shut down. But in June, the Governors\u2019 Ball in New York had to cut early because of severe rain<\/a>. In France, some festivals are playing later in the evening<\/a> to avoid the sweltering afternoon heat.<\/p>\n It can happen, when a mammoth festival that requires planning more than year in advance gets washed out in a flash. Organizers of outdoor events have had to contend with the weather since time immemorial. But moving forward, the challenges will only increase.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re aware of the changing climate, and we\u2019re trying to accommodate,\u201d Farkas said. \u201cBut we also recommend that people prepare. Bring a raincoat. If it\u2019s not going to rain, don\u2019t bring a raincoat. Sunscreen, plenty of water, stay hydrated. Those are the things that are essential.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Man](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0731-arts-osheaga-site-4074_304533057.jpg\")
\u201cWe\u2019re aware of the changing climate, and we\u2019re trying to accommodate,\u201d says Osheaga co-founder Nick Farkas, seen in the food court on the festival grounds. \u201cBut we also recommend that people prepare.\u201d Evan Buhler \/ Montreal Gazette<\/p>\n