Line Spike hits a snag on the eve of the festival

South Frontenac Township pulled the liquor license 3 days before the event took place.

The weather was nice, but it was not the dry weekend organizers of the Line Spike Festival had in mind.

The 2-day festival kicked off on Saturday night in Harrowsmith but with no ability to sell alcoholic beverages on site.

South Frontenac Township pulled the group's liquor licence last Wednesday, 3 days prior to the start of the event.

In a statement, the Township says the license was removed after organizers made changes to the original plan.

That plan was reviewed by another group made up of various agencies such as the various Township departments, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority (CRCA), Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), South East Health Unit, the County of Frontenac and Frontenac Paramedic Services. 

They say a municipally significant designation was issued for the event based on that plan.

Organizer Jeremy Campbell issued his own statement on the event's Facebook page apologizing to attendees about the situation.

He invited people to bring their own alcoholic beverages and sold bottled water at the festival.

The removal of the liquor license was apparently just the tip of the iceberg of the troubles the festival faced.

Tickets for the event were reportedly not selling well as first thought.

Organizers later offered free admission to see the headlining act, legendary Canadian musician Burton Cummings,  on Sunday.

The music event featured a star-studded line-up that included Cummings, Chantal Kreviazuk, and Walk Off the Earth.

KingstonDaily.ca reached out to the organizers and the Township for a comment but did not hear back from them before the deadline.

Story by Ken Hashizume