Breakout Fest, a hip-hop music festival held on the grounds of the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) over the weekend, announced that rapper Lil Baby was “too sick” to take the stage at the PNE Amphitheater around 9:30 p.m. .m. — half an hour before. the scheduled end of the show. Videos from the scene after the announcement show people tearing down tents, throwing trash cans and flooding the venue’s beer garden. Others overturned refrigerators and smashed concession tables. Police arrested seven people for breach of peace. “Tonight … fans turned their frustration into anger, causing significant damage to the PNE Amphitheater and parts of Hastings Park,” PNE spokeswoman Laura Ballance said in an interview. Hundreds of attendees traveled from across the province to attend the two-day festival, paying up to $350 for a ticket. A statement from the Vancouver Police Department on Monday said “several hundred people” began fighting and destroying property both inside and outside the venue after learning the title was not forthcoming. “While no serious injuries have been reported, there is potential property damage in the thousands of dollars,” the statement said. Police have launched a criminal investigation. Riot at the pne and The best in Vancouver cause lil baby didn’t show up pic.twitter.com/EEuEDCkxPJ —@vancity2023
Lil Baby, PNE apologizes
Fans leaving the venue cited the cost as a source of frustration. “Biggest joke of my life, spent 200-300 dollars to travel, then all that money for the tickets and then it’s a wash … biggest waste of money in my life,” said Will Thompson, the who had traveled several hours from BC. Kootenays to get to the festival. “I paid for two days, $260, and probably four of the artists I bought tickets to see got canceled, and I also got pepper sprayed and cut my knee with a bat — so overall it wasn’t a good night,” he said. Joseph Dale, who had traveled from Ladner to Delta, B.C Lil Baby apologized to his fans on Instagram, saying his body “completely shut down” on Sunday after months of work. Ballance also apologized to the residents of the area around the PNE. “PNE is incredibly sorry for the actions of these visitors and the impact this behavior may have had on our community,” he said. Breakout Festival experienced issues with titles not appearing in the past. In 2018, Atlanta rap trio Migos failed to appear and perform as scheduled on the final night of the event. Organizers said they are considering a partial refund for ticket holders on Sunday.
