'Really disappointing': Organizer says Montreal New Year's Eve fireworks show interrupted by 'technical issue'

New Year's Eve is usually a time when spirits are high and everyone is in a celebratory mood, but if you spent the night at the Old Port in Montreal chances are you might have been let down.

Social media was flooded with complaints from people who say they went to ring in the new year at the free outdoor party on Dec. 31 and went home disappointed.

It was Jay Licudan's first time celebrating New Year's Eve in the Old Port, which welcomed more than 100,000 people for the festivities Tuesday night after the celebration was previously cancelled two years in a row. He said the crowd around him was eagerly waiting for a countdown but was confused by not seeing or hearing one. Then, the fireworks suddenly ended shortly after they started going off.

"It's about to hit 12 o'clock when all the people are raising their phones, they're trying to take videos and pictures of the fireworks, and when the fireworks came, it's so underwhelming. It just was out for a few seconds. And it's not as big, as spectacular as we expected," he said in an interview.

"The organizer should have gone up to the stage, addressed the crowd and hype everyone that it's about to change the year, right? But it didn't happen."

 

 

 

 

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He took the metro home a few minutes later only to get a text message from his friends who stayed and told him that there was a much bigger and better fireworks performance around 1 a.m.

Others also expressed their disappointment online.

"We left disappointed. It was the most underwhelming fireworks display I’ve ever witnessed. I’ve seen better displays in smaller towns during less significant events," one person wrote on Reddit.

"The 12 a.m. fireworks were sad lol then as we were driving home over the bridge we see a huge show go off at 1 a.m.," another user posted.

When asked to rate the event from 1 to 10, Licudan said, "I would give zero."

Organizer provides explanation

The event marked the first edition of Igloo Nouvel An, organized by Multicolore, the company behind the popular wintertime electronic dance music festival, Igloofest.

There was a fireworks display at midnight, "followed by a second sequence after a technical issue was resolved and the safety protocol was completed," Pascal Lefebvre, president of Multicolore, told CTV News in a written statement.

Lefebvre said the countdown to midnight was indeed broadcast on two screens at the main stage, and on two additional screens at Place Jacques-Cartier and Quai Jacques-Cartier.

But the complaints weren't only focused on the fireworks.

Others said they were concerned about the "woefully insufficient" crowd control at the venue with revellers "pushing like crazy in all directions."

"The risk of stampedes/crowd surges and lack of bathrooms were not appreciated," one person said on Reddit.

"I was to the right (east) of the railroad crossing when leaving, and it absolutely got dangerously close to people getting trampled. Young children got separated from their parents, people having panic attacks, chains of people forcefully shoving themselves through," another person wrote.

Licudan agreed.

"It's really dangerous. Like, if something happened, it could have triggered the stampede," he told CTV News.

"And everyone there was thinking is it worth it? We risk our lives together there, and we did not get what we expected. So it's really disappointing."

It wasn't all negative online, with at least one person writing that they had a fun experience.

"Me and my friends had a GREAT time! Some people just don't know how to be in crowds and expect a free event in the most busy area of the city to be like a walk at Place des Arts. C'mon, manage your expectations. And happy new year," the user wrote.

The organizer said that despite the large turnout, "all necessary safety measures were rigorously implemented, and no major incidents were reported, ensuring a safe and successful family celebration."

Montreal police also said there were no arrests or injuries reported following the event.

"In light of the enthusiasm generated by this first edition, we have taken into account the feedback and lessons from this year to come back even stronger next year!" the Multicolore president added.