Summer is here, and with it comes the height of music concerts and festival season. As thousands of music fans gather at venues worldwide, security professionals face increasing challenges in protecting these large-scale events.
Milestone Systems, a globally renowned provider of open platform video management software (VMS), is helping security teams leverage integrated technology solutions to enhance safety and create seamless experiences for the thousands of fans attending these events.
Comprehensive security via unified technology
Securing large-scale public events like music festivals and concerts has become increasingly complex
Securing large-scale public events such as music festivals and concerts has become increasingly complex amid evolving threats ranging from severe weather and crowd surges to targeted attacks.
To meet these challenges, security professionals are adopting open-platform video management technologies that unify data from fixed cameras, drones, mobile devices, thermal sensors, and AI-driven analytics into a single, real-time operational interface.
Flexible VMS platforms
These advanced systems support coordinated decision-making between venue security, law enforcement, and emergency services, streamlining both response and prevention.
Flexible VMS platforms are particularly valuable for overlaying event-specific venue maps, an essential feature when layouts change frequently for different events throughout festival season.
Key technologies for event security
Event security professionals are increasingly deploying integrated technology solutions to enhance safety at large gatherings:
- Video Management Software (VMS): Central platforms that integrate and manage multiple security technologies
- Thermal Cameras: Detect unauthorized fires, overheating equipment, and monitor crowd density
- Drone Surveillance: Provides aerial overwatch for large areas with real-time video feeds
- AI-Powered Analytics: Identifies unusual patterns, counts crowds, and detects potential threats
- Access Control Systems: Manages entry points with credential verification
- Mobile Command Centers: Specially equipped vehicles that serve as on-site security headquarters
Real-world applications demonstrate value
The Jelling Music Festival in Denmark exemplifies how effective video security enhances event safety. This year's festival, hosting nearly 40,000 attendees over four days, features 60 cameras throughout stages, entrances, and the campsite.
All video feeds are monitored via Milestone's video management software on 65-inch smart screens in a specially equipped emergency command truck. Thermal cameras at the campsite offer advanced detection capabilities, enabling quick identification of unauthorized fires or barbecues.
Open VMS technology
Security teams are testing new abilities, including software that accurately counts attendees in specific areas
The festival has grown from 1,000 spectators and 16 performances in 1989 to its current scale, thanks to open VMS technology that helps prevent overcrowding around the stages.
Security teams are testing new capabilities, including software that accurately counts attendees in specific areas, providing critical data for crowd management and emergency response.
Response times and overall crowd safety
The synchronization of video, audio, and geospatial data across agencies creates a shared operating view that improves response times and overall crowd safety.
Security professionals can implement thermal imaging, IR-enabled cameras, and drone surveillance to create more adaptive and resilient event security strategies.
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