We’ve all spent the last two years basically in solitary confinement and 2022 is the year we all get to celebrate the end of the madness we’ve endured. In the spirit of dancing, great music, cool arts, socializing (ewww what’s that?) and more…lots of festivals are making a comeback around the world. British Columbia is no exception with several summer festivals you shouldn’t miss.
- Fvded in the Park | Surrey, BC (July 8-9, 2022)
- Vancouver Island Music Festival | Vancouver Island, BC (July 8-10, 2022)
- Vancouver Folk Festival | Vancouver, BC (July 15-17, 2022)
- Squamish Constellation | Squamish, BC (July 22-24, 2022)
- Shambala Music Festival | Salmo, BC (July 22-25, 2022)
- Rifflandia | Victoria, BC (September 15-18, 2022)
and my personal fav… - Bass Coast | Merritt, BC (July 8 – 11, 2022)
What is Bass Coast?
Celebrating its 14th year, Bass Coast has a global reputation for showcasing innovative international artists alongside cutting-edge Canadian talent. Bass Coast Festival is a thoughtfully curated boutique music and an arts festival that takes place in the picturesque shared traditional territories of the Nłeʔkepmx and Syilx nestled beside the magical Coldwater river.
BASS Coast 2022 Line up
Bass Coast Festival attracts a mix of talented local and global artists who typically perform electronic, house, techno, and Drum ‘n’ Bass music. The music featured at Bass Coast is predominantly electronic, with an emphasis on original compositions and live performance.
This year Bass Coast Festival features innovative NYC house duo AceMoma, Manchester-based high-BPM dance purveyor Anz, Dirtybird Records boss Claude VonStroke, hip-house producer and MC Galcher Lustwerk, turntable whiz Skratch Bastid, Jersey Club queen Uniiqu3 and a 20/20 LDN featuring Sicaria Sound, Tim Parker, Oakk, & Ivy Lab and many, many more.
See the full list of awesome artists here OR stream on Spotify to get a taste of the line-up.
Bass Coast Vibe Check
Bass Coast is a place that welcomes people from all walks of life. One of the first things I noticed at my very first Bass Coast Festival were the people. The volunteers welcome you with smiles and helpful hands. While the community that attends each year brings a positive energy that stays with you long after the festival ends. People embrace the yearly theme which I believe this year is “Future Deco”. However, in general they bring their most colourful, vibrant and sparkly festival outfits to show off on the dance floor.
What makes this festival even more special is the land it sits on. Nestled beside the camp and festival grounds lies the River Coldwater. Yes, it is cold but after a weekend of shaking your groove thang, walking back and forth between the festival grounds, a dip in the river is a luxury. What makes this river even more special is that it runs parallel to the entire festival.
‘Coldwater’ coasting
Be prepared to bring your bathing suit, bikini, your fav floatie, and a waterproof speaker cause you’re in for a treat. Everyday, multiple times a day you and your friends will grab a bevvie, some great tunes, each other and float down the river right into the festival. And, everyday you are joined with hundreds of like minded festival goers making it wild and so much fun! The best part is once you get to Slay Bay (my fav stage) just pop your floatie on the riverbank and go dry off by shaking your groove tang to some funky tunes.
A little more on the fest...
- There are four stages (Main Stage, Slay Bay, Radio, and the Cantina Stage)
- Workshops galore….Throughout the weekend there are tonnes of workshops ranging from yoga, meditation, movement and twerking workshops (Yes, I said twerking, I can proudly say I am intermediate amateur twerker at best)
- Arts & Culture – Bass Coast showcases works from many talented artists and you can walk through, interact, lie, press, pull, and play on tonnes of art installations throughout the festival.
- Food – There are some amazing food vendors that provide healthy and delicious eats for a nominal fee. So, be sure to bring some extra cash.
- Get there early – It’s best to buy a Thursday ticket and get to the festival early to secure a great spot to camp. By Friday, the mayhem ensues, the lines to get in are long and slow and I try to avoid it as best I can.
- The size of the festival – Last time I checked there were about 6500 attendees in 2019. This may have increased this year but one thing you can count on is a great community of people.
- River = Floatie + Bathing suit – Remember to pack your bikini, bathing suit, borat onesie and bring along a floatie. It gets hot everyday and you’ll want to lounge in the river with your friends.
- Merritt, BC – The little town of Merritt plays host to the festival each year. They are used to folks driving in from all over for the weekend. Please be respectful but do know if you need any supplies they have everything you need. From Walmart, Canadian Tire, No Frills, gas stations, electric charging stations and a myriad of fast food chains.
Just to make Bass Coast a little more accessible…
Maybe you can score last-minute tickets at Bass Coast Ticket Exchange.
Or win your way to the festival with one lucky ticket given at the Official Bass Coast Pre Party on June 11 2022 at The Red Room in Vancouver.
Check out Bass Coast’s Bass Shuttle program where transportation can be accommodated.
By now you should have a general idea of what to expect, what to bring, what to see, and more… I hope to see you this year as the festival returns after a two year hiatus.
Please enjoy your summer and make sure to wear some sunscreen.
