CALEB NICKERSON
Bryson Aug. 14, 2019
A series of psychedelic music festivals outside of the quiet hamlet of Bryson has interrupted the sleep of more than a few residents.
Cathy Fox Welsh wrote a letter to . . .
The Equity last week to complain about the situation after the most recent iteration of the “Freaks Paradize” festival took place at a property just outside town in Litchfield at 17 chemin Wilson. Pounding baselines were heard throughout town until the wee hours, causing many residents grief over the last weekend in July. This is apparently the third such festival that has taken place this summer.
“At first we thought, oh they started Friday night and they’ve gone on all day and all night, on Sunday night they should stop, but I guess it’s an Ontario holiday and they did it all Sunday night as well, until six in the morning,” Fox Welsh said in a phone interview. “That’s when people said, ‘That’s it. We can’t take this anymore.’”
Julie Bertrand, Litchfield’s director general, explained that there have been similar events in the past where the municipality has issued the organizers a permit to allow noise as late as 3 a.m., but the festival operators never applied for any permits this year. She added that she’s been unsuccessful in contacting Chris Falardeau, who has owned the property since 2012.
“In 2016 to 18, they did not have the event there, to our knowledge,” she said. “This year they have returned, but they have not asked the municipality for any permit whatsoever.”
She said that in 2014 and 2015, Litchfield issued permits for the organizers to make noise until 3 a.m. and 2 a.m. respectively. The municipality also consulted police, who told them that only a formal complaint, requiring a name in writing, would allow them to issue fines.
Bertrand said that prior to the event in 2015, there were some complaints from residents, but there were also several business owners that wanted the festival to continue, since the concertgoers brought a good deal of traffic. Falardeau showed up to the council meeting and assured the complainants that he would change the direction of his speakers, and even offered to pay for their hotel. Bertrand added that they learned afterward that the organizers did not respect the 2 a.m. curfew.
“If they didn’t obey the noise bylaw, then the only recourse would be to call the police and when the 2 a.m. permit expires, the police can, if they get an official complaint they can issue a fine,” she said.
When contacted through the “Freaks Paradize” Facebook page, The Equity was told that Vincent Royal was the main organizer of the most recent festival. He did not respond in time for print, and when asked about their lack of permits, the person operating the event’s Facebook page did not respond.
The Equity reached out to the Municipality of Bryson and did not receive a response in time for print.
