End Overdose has energized the live entertainment industry to help with its goal of training 10,000 people in overdose response by International Overdose Awareness Day.
Opioid overdose continues to rock the country, but End Overdose is making strides in helping bring public awareness and provide educational training to those who want to help prevent drug-related deaths. This month, the 501c3 nonprofit organization has set off on a mission to bring together its longtime partners, artists, and more to drive people to its free online overdose-response training.
End Overdose’s goal is to train 10,000 people by August 31, which is International Overdose Awareness Day.
“The live entertainment industry has an extraordinary ability to reach people where they are and give them tools that can save a life,” said Theo Krzywicki, founder and CEO of End Overdose. “These partnerships show what becomes possible when festivals, venues and operators make overdose prevention part of how they care for their communities. This August, we want to turn awareness into action by training 10,000 more people to recognize an overdose, administer naloxone and step in when it matters most.”
At the core of this campaign are the longtime partners in the live entertainment and hospitality space, including Insomniac, AEG Presents, Breakaway Music Festival, TAO Group, along with artists like Illenium and HVDES. These partners have implemented everything from on-site activations for awareness and staff training to naloxone access and more.
Since 2022, End Overdose has been found at over 130 Insomniac events across the US, including EDC Las Vegas, Beyond Wonderland, HARD Summer, and more, which has brought forth a massive response. To date, over 161,000 people have been trained in overdose prevention efforts and over 227,500 doses of naloxone have been distributed.
“From the beginning, our partnership with End Overdose has been about giving our community the knowledge and resources to look out for one another,” said Pasquale Rotella, Founder & CEO of Insomniac. “Seeing how many people we’ve been able to reach and train over the past few years shows what’s possible when education and lifesaving tools are made accessible. We’re proud to continue this work with End Overdose and use our platforms to help keep our community informed, prepared, and safe.”
Other festival companies have followed suit with End Overdose activations. Goldenvoice, a subsidiary of AEG Presents, has paved the way for its inclusion at their major festivals like Coachella, Stagecoach, and Portola. Breakway Music Festival has also joined in, with End Overdose found at its 33 events across the country. Since 2024, End Overdose has trained nearly 15,000 people and distributed over 20,000 doses of naloxone at Breakaway’s events.
“The safety of our attendees, team, and community is our number one priority every Breakaway weekend,” said Adam Lynn, Breakaway Co-founder and CEO. “We’re fortunate that our partnership with End Overdose has equipped our attendees and team with the training and resources to help keep our community safe so everyone can enjoy the festival experience to the fullest.”
Beyond major promoters are artists who are passionate about preventing overdoses from continuing to run rampant in the scene. Illenium is an End Overdose partner whose efforts in pushing education and training have reached over 500,000 people through his various tours, live events, and social media posts. This was prominently seen during Illenium’s recent show at Red Rocks earlier this month, where more than 125 attendees were trained in overdose response and provided resources.
“I’ve received many messages over the years from fans telling me that the training and naloxone they received at one of my shows helped save a life,” said Illenium. “End Overdose provides an incredibly important resource to our community, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to support their work.”
This campaign from End Overdose will continue through the rest of August, but anyone interested can take its online course at any time. The free online training teaches participants how to recognize the signs of an overdose, administer naloxone, and take necessary steps to support someone until emergency services arrive. Free naloxone is distributed to those who complete the course.
To complete the free training or support End Overdose’s harm reduction mission, head to the official website.
