The Emergency Manager Who Survived the Route 91 Festival Shooting

As emergency manager for the city of Santa Barbara, Kelly Hubbard was trained to handle the unthinkable. But when gunfire erupted during a night out with her daughter at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival, she found herself on the other side of the plan—as an attendee, a mother, and a survivor. In this powerful episode of the Art of Mass Gatherings Podcast, Kelly shares what that night taught her—not just about preparedness, but about healing, community resilience, and what festivals can do to keep people safe before, during, and after crisis.