Volunteers’ Roles in Festival Emergency Management: Lessons from Shambhala Music Festival

This case shares insights from Shambhala Music Festival (SMF), which is an annual, large-scale, independent electronic music event held in British Columbia, Canada. This case examines how SMF, with its 2000+ volunteers, has addressed the challenge of integrating volunteers into formal emergency management systems. By exploring the experiences of Shambhala, this case offers valuable insights into how volunteers contribute to medical services, harm reduction and emergency management to create a safe festival environment. The festival is known for its pioneering on-site services, including medical care, drug checking, and safe spaces for guests. This case is intended for students, professionals and academics in event management, tourism management, emergency planning, and volunteer management. Through strategic partnerships with external organizations, proactive planning, and including volunteers in emergency management structures, Shambhala serves as an example for other events operating in high-risk environments, especially as climate change increases the risk of disaster frequency and severity.