57 vehicles towed, 78 drug-impaired driving files opened during Shambhala enforcement

A police officer supervises a Standardized Field Sobriety test for drug-impaired driving.

Photo: Submitted

SALMO — BC Highway Patrol opened 78 drug-impaired driving files, towed 57 vehicles and issued hundreds of tickets during traffic enforcement surrounding the 2026 Shambhala Music Festival near Salmo.

BC Highway Patrol said up to 50,000 people attended the festival and related events at the Salmo River Ranch. The festival ran from July 24 to 27.

High-visibility enforcement at the beginning of the festival resulted in 601 traffic contacts.

Officers issued 311 speeding tickets and another seven tickets for excessive speeding. They also issued 11 tickets for driving without insurance, 10 for seatbelt or occupant-restraint offences, two for using an electronic device while driving and one for driving without due care and attention.

“It’s concerning that so many people were driving with no insurance,” Sgt. Michael McLaughlin said.

“And it’s particularly concerning combined with the high number of speeders. It shows a level of irresponsible decision-making, and we’d like to see safer behaviour on the roads that we all share.”

BC Highway Patrol maintained two roadblocks for people leaving the festival.

The checks resulted in 51 24-hour driving suspensions for drug impairment and 85 standardized field sobriety tests for suspected drug-impaired driving.

Drug-recognition experts conducted 30 evaluations, resulting in 27 impaired-by-drug investigations and 23 blood draws performed by a laboratory technician. Officers also issued 50 additional tickets for Motor Vehicle Act offences.

A total of 57 vehicles were towed because of driver impairment or mechanical-safety concerns. Police also reported that eight vehicles were immediately removed from the road because of major mechanical defects. The RCMP release did not specify whether those eight vehicles were included among the 57 towed vehicles.

“We asked people before the event to make sure they allowed drugs to clear their system before driving, but too many ignored that advice,” McLaughlin said.

“It looks like we will have to be back next year, and hopefully in greater numbers, to deal with festivalgoers who are driving unsafely.”

Police motorcycles supplemented the check stops, with officers issuing tickets and watching for Motor Vehicle Act offences and drivers attempting to avoid police checks.

BC Highway Patrol worked with Nelson Police and drug-recognition experts from across British Columbia.

The festival period was also followed by two missing-person cases handled by Salmo RCMP.

Police announced on July 29 that a 20-year-old woman who had been reported missing on July 27 had been located. RCMP thanked the public and media for their assistance but released no further information about the outcome.

A 28-year-old woman was reported missing from the Shambhala Music Festival on July 28. Salmo RCMP announced on July 31 that she had been located safe.

Police thanked the public and media for providing tips and also credited Search and Rescue, festival organizers and partner agencies for supporting the investigation. Neither woman is being identified in this story.