Increased police presence at Winona Peach Festival this weekend

Hamilton police and a private security company are increasing their presence at the Winona Peach Festival to keep crowds safe this weekend.

The festival begins on Friday at 5 p.m. and visitors will not be allowed into the park after 9:30 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.

Security will be doing bag checks at the entrances and attendees will also have to go through metal detectors.

“Expect to be on camera. There are some covert cameras all through the property and that’s just to provide safety and security for everybody,” Const. Adam Kimber says.

These security measures were put in place after what Hamilton police are calling “social disorder”.

WATCH MORE: Serving up peach pies at the Winona Peach Festival

Terry Gudgeon, a director of the festival, says police officers will be at the event both visibly present and undercover.

Gudgeon says about 40 – 60 security guards will be at the festival all day long, with 12 patrolling the park all night

Although last year’s festival was safe without any issues, police say robberies and swarming incidents have been carried out by young people at several community festivals in the past.

“Last year we had no major events and we confiscated 81 knives and you don’t get them back, so leave them at home,” Gudgeon says.

The Winona Peach Festival has been around since 1967, with about 100,000 – 150,000 people expected to attend this year.

WATCH MORE: Winona Peach Festival returns with vendors, rides and tighter security