A serious medical emergency at Margate’s Drum & Bass Festival forced organisers at Dreamland to end the event early on Saturday. Thousands of festivalgoers were quickly escorted out as emergency services responded to the incident.
The one-day festival, scheduled to run until 10:30pm, was abruptly cut short around 5:40pm. Security staff and police guided the crowd safely out onto Margate’s seafront. Approximately 7,000 attendees were dispersed under a large-scale dispersal order across the Thanet area.
A witness described the moment: “Mozey came on and said everyone has to go, the venue is closing and you all need to leave now. We have a medical emergency. There were a few angry people, but most were calm, just confused.” Dreamland was cleared within 30 minutes, with a noticeable increase in security and police presence outside the venue.
Ambulance crews from South East Coast Ambulance Service and officers from Kent Police rushed to the scene inside the festival grounds. The exact details of the medical emergency were initially unclear, leading to widespread speculation online. Sadly, Kent Police later confirmed that a death had occurred. The victim’s identity has not been released.
A Kent Police spokesperson said: “Kent Police is aware of a medical incident at Dreamland in Margate, which was hosting an event that has now closed. Additional patrols are in place to ensure public safety.”
Dreamland initially attributed the early shutdown to “extreme heat, alcohol consumption, and limited medical cover.” A message posted on their Facebook page stated: “Sorry guys, it was just too hot today so we had to close early. Get home safely.”
In response to recent safety concerns, Dreamland had introduced stricter protocols including a zero-tolerance policy on drugs, a ban on under-18s at high-risk events, more on-site medical staff, compulsory ID and age checks, and a no re-entry rule during events.
Despite these measures, the tragedy highlights the ongoing challenges of managing large crowds and medical emergencies during high temperatures in the South East.
It remains unclear if Dreamland’s planned events for Sunday will proceed. Organisers are expected to provide an update soon. Attempts to contact Dreamland managers for comment on the police investigation were unsuccessful as of publication.
Anyone with information or footage related to the incident is urged to contact Kent Police on 101.
Originally published by UKNIP.
