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A medical emergency at the Margate Drum & Bass Festival prompted organisers at Dreamland to shut down the event early, sending thousands of attendees onto the seafront and drawing a significant emergency services response.
The one-day festival, which was due to run until 10.30pm on Saturday, was brought to an abrupt end at around 5.40pm, with crowds escorted from the venue under the supervision of security teams and police officers.
Emergency Response
Ambulance crews, including South East Coast Ambulance Service and Kent Police, responded to the incident, which occurred within the event grounds. A large dispersal order was already in place across Thanet, and officers helped facilitate the safe exit of around 7,000 festivalgoers.
A witness said:
“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 largely cleared within 30 minutes, with attendees reporting an increased security and police presence outside the venue.
Official Statements
Dreamland initially cited extreme heat, alcohol consumption, and limited medical cover as reasons for the early closure. In a statement posted on Facebook, the venue said:
“Sorry guys, it was just too hot today so we had to close early. Get home safely.”
While the message came before full details emerged, it sparked speculation online. Kent Police later confirmed that a medical incident had occurred and that a person had died. Their identity has not been released.
Kent Police Statement
A spokesperson for Kent Police said:
“Kent Police is aware of a medical incident at Dreamland in Margate, which was hosting an event that has now closed.”
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The force added that additional patrols would continue into the evening to ensure public safety around the site.
Prior Safety Measures
Dreamland had implemented stricter safety protocols in recent months, including:
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A zero-tolerance drugs policy
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Banning under-18s from high-risk events
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Increased on-site medical teams
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Compulsory ID and age checks
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A no re-entry rule
Despite this, the tragic incident has renewed focus on crowd and medical management at large-scale summer events, especially amid ongoing high-temperature warnings across the South East.
What’s Next
It is currently unclear whether Dreamland’s scheduled events for Sunday will go ahead. Organisers are expected to issue further guidance soon.
We have reached out to Managers for Dreamland and at the time of Publishing have refused to comment into the on going Police investigation.
Anyone with information or footage that may assist with the investigation is urged to contact Kent Police on 101.
