Neighbors Raise Concerns as Victor Prepares for Lovers & Lunatics Music Festival
VICTOR, MT — As anticipation builds for the upcoming Lovers & Lunatics electronic music festival set for Labor Day weekend, tension is growing among residents near Victor, Montana. The festival promises a vibrant music and camping experience, but many neighbors are raising serious concerns about safety, fire risk, traffic, and environmental disruption.
Electronic Music Event Meets Rural Resistance
The Lovers & Lunatics Festival is scheduled to take place on “The Property,” a 55-acre bike park carved out by Iraq veteran Arthur Sykes and his family. The land — part of an 80-acre private estate — is typically used for biking trails but is now set to transform into a 400-person capacity electronic music venue for the first time.
Event director Ivan Gallego emphasized the opportunity it brings:
“We have 45 local DJs and then 2 DJs that are flying in. There’s not a lot of performance opportunities for DJs around here.”
Sykes, the landowner, says the festival will help support trail development and that organizers have tried to remain transparent with local agencies.
“We submitted that to the environmental health department, the Sheriff’s Office, the planning department, we shared it with the road division, and we spoke to the Forest Service,” he explained.
Fire Safety, Security, and Rules in Place
The event team claims they are taking all necessary steps to ensure a safe experience.
- Emergency services and private security will be present.
- Campfires and smoking are strictly prohibited.
- Music will end by 12 a.m. each night.
- All bags will be checked for illicit items, with only clear bags allowed.
- Attendees causing problems will be turned away at the gate.
“We’re going through everybody’s bags, making sure there’s no illicit substances, no dangerous items,” Gallego said.
Despite these reassurances, some residents remain unconvinced.
Locals Worry About Fire, Traffic, and Wildlife Disruption
Neighbors like Danielle Gundlach-Cassley and Stuart Draper are not objecting to the bike park itself — they support its family-friendly use — but they believe hosting a music festival is a step too far for their quiet community.
Gundlach-Cassley expressed fears about fire hazards, particularly with hundreds of cars parking in dry grass during fire season:
“We’ve had neighbors who have driven their tractors into fields and have them spark a fire.”
Other major concerns include:
- Traffic congestion on Fred Burr Road hindering emergency access
- Water contamination due to irrigation lines running through the property
- Wildlife disruption from noise and crowd activity
Draper added,
“The amount of wildlife up here is truly special. I think they’re all going to scatter.”
“What sort of poisons and different things could be introduced?” he questioned, regarding runoff into irrigation lines.
Event Team Open to Dialogue Amid Uncertainty
Event organizers say they want to build positive relationships with the community.
“Certainly, anybody that might have any questions or concerns, we’re more than welcome to discuss and talk to them about that,” Gallego said.
Despite outreach efforts, no official statement has been provided yet by the Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office on how the festival will be monitored.
Will Lovers & Lunatics bring a new wave of creativity to Victor — or set off unintended consequences? The Labor Day weekend will offer the answer.
What do you think about hosting electronic music festivals in small towns? Would you attend one like Lovers & Lunatics? Let us know and follow more festival updates on ChicagoMusicGuide.com.