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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
If you're not willing to pay, you aren't going to see the musicians play.

Keith MacNeill, president of Folk on the Rocks board of directors and head of security, stands next to what used to be referred to as "the underground railroad." The space under the fence was a notorious spot for those trying to sneak into the Folk on the Rocks festival grounds. - Lyndsay Herman/NNSL photo

Folk on the Rocks security has some new procedures in place this year to ensure all festival attendees are paying patrons and that all outside alcohol stays at the door, but the new measures don't come cheap.

Penny Ruvinsky, executive director of Folk on the Rocks, said hired security, which covers security needs overnight for the weeks prior and following the festival, costs the festival around $5,000.

Ruvinsky said this year security will be "beefed up" at spots where people are known to sneak in, in order to make sure everyone coming in has a pass.

"It's not a problem if they have their wristband, the appropriate wristband," she said.

"But if they don't have it, they're not getting in. We've got cameras now on particularly bad spots in the festival where people sneak in. If people are insisting on trying to do that this year they may be surprised."

More than 35 volunteers will take over as the festival's security team during the daytime throughout the weekend, which does help alleviate costs, she said. The volunteers will watch for people sneaking in, for attendees trying to sneak in alcohol and for people trying to take alcohol out of the beer gardens.

Chris Kyte, business development manager for Danmax Communications, the company hired to provide a monitoring system, said two strategically placed cameras will be part of a closed circuit television system that will allow problem sneak-in spots, particularly along the shore of Long Lake, to be watched by security personnel.

Another security focus this year is on the backstage area of the main stage. Ruvinksy said the area, which serves as a "greenroom" for the main stage, has always been a restricted VIP area but the restrictions have only been lightly enforced in previous years.

Ruvinsky said patrons bringing alcohol outside of the beer garden, or smuggling in their own, is a serious issue because the festival only has a liquor licence for within the designated beer garden.

"As the festival gets bigger and more well-known, we need to keep a tighter handle on these things," said Ruvinsky.

"We are a non-profit society and we risk a lot of we're not very careful. There are so many people coming out to the festival who are just coming out to enjoy the festival and we need to keep it going."

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