Craven Jamboree rowdier this year, police say

A country music festival in Saskatchewan has produced some rowdiness, with police reporting that 30 people spent Friday night in cells, mostly related to drunken disturbances.

The Craven Country Jamboree, held about 30 kilometres northwest of Regina, attracts thousands to the site, many of whom set up camp and enjoy a weekend of partying.

About 17,000 people attended the concert's mainstage offering Friday night.

RCMP have 36 members patrolling the site, which is divided into two areas this year because of flooding.

Police said Saturday that the different set-up is likely behind the increase in arrests. Sgt. Craig Cleary said the 30 arrests Friday were more than he remembered from previous year's jamborees.

Cleary said that since the campground this year is in a separate area and concert-goers are being bussed to the mainstage, officers are able to focus on disturbances instead of traffic control.

"What has helped us a great deal ... is the lack of traffic congestion," Cleary explained. "'That certainly took our resources away from being at the event site and more concentrated on the highway."

Cleary said most people were taken to cells for disturbances related to fighting, but one incident escalated.

Bottles thrown at police

"We had our first real incident where people were starting to throw bottles and cans and stuff like that at our members as well as their vehicles," Cleary said. "We've got a plan in place to deal with that this morning and hopefully we won't have any further occurrences that are similar."

Officers also assisted emergency medical crews stationed at the festival. In one case a woman required treatment for ingesting over 20 pills. She was taken to hospital in Regina.

It was not known what her condition was.

Police said they also dealt with a reports of stolen stereo equipment, missing beer and people lighting fireworks.

Fireworks are not permitted at the festival.