Chart-topping country music duo Florida Georgia Line is used to bringing the heat on stage. Friday, more than 20,000 fans braved the hot weather to see them perform in Hartford. But the heat and humidity are creating dangerous conditions for outdoor events, especially when alcohol is involved.
Xfinity Theatre making some safety exceptions for fans. They could bring in an unlimited amount of bottle water, as long as the bottles were still sealed.
“Why pay $5 inside when you can pay a $1 out here?”
Matthew Hudson was hawking a hot commodity - cold water.
“Trying to fight the heat and try to make money at the same time,” he said.
Florida Georgia Line fans flocked to the venue hours before the band even took the stage, braving the near three digit temperatures on the blistering blacktop.
“We brought a lots of water…Gatorade…a couple of other things…we’re going to stay very hydrated,” Alexis Santoro of Prospect said.
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Emergency responders keeping an extra eye out for heat exhaustion at Xfinity’s two shows this weekend.
Diehards we spoke to weren’t going to let Mother Nature deter them from seeing the show.
“Oh absolutely not. I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” said Newtown resident Elizabeth Coulter.
Despite the heat, the energy was a lot more chill a couple of miles away at the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz.
Lots of families finding seats in the shade at the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz.
“Make the best of it, stay cool, have a few drinks,” Jose Feliciano of West Hartford said.
Regulars say they’ve enjoyed the event in even warmer weather before.
“My wife gets it all ready, let’s be honest, I just stand back and take orders, you know ice, liquor, food,” Feliciano said.
An AMR spokesperson said Friday that "pre-planning paid off" and that they didn't see major issues with drinking or heat exhaustion.
Saturday night Heart will hit the stage at Xfinity, with temperatures even toastier.
If you plan on going, Xfinity has added extra stations to buy water and fans and misters inside the venue.
