The narrow July-August window that used to account for festival season on Vancouver Island has grown into a four-month marathon covering every corner of the arts and culture community.
Festival season has already begun, with two events 鈥� classic rock festival Laketown Rock and avant-garde amalgam Pretty Good Not Bad 鈥� off the books before June arrived. There are plenty more to come, from ones smaller in scale to others bigger in vision.
Some have fallen by the wayside since last year, from Rock of the Woods and the Victoria Buskers Festival to the Victoria Chalk Festival and Rock the Shores. But for every pin knocked down, there鈥檚 another put up in its place. And with festival fever at blistering levels these days, there鈥檚 clearly enough audience to go around.
鈥淚 think Victoria has become a completely different place,鈥� said Atomique Productions co-founder Nick Blasko, who started the popular Rifflandia festival a decade ago.
His company has grown in the time since (Atomique will also produce the Phillips Backyard Weekender, Car Free YYJ and Spirit of 150 Victoria this year) but so have the tastes of Victorians, he said. A new generation of festival fans has given rise to a wide range of music, theatre and art.
鈥淵ou have so many more people living downtown and working downtown,鈥� Blasko said. 鈥淭he landscape is totally different.鈥�
With more choices than minutes in a day, it would be impossible to provide a full accounting of the events happening this summer. With a path that stretches from Victoria and events such as the Vancouver Island Blues Bash (Sept. 2-4) to Ucluelet and the Otalith Festival (Aug. 23-24), the summer is all over the map. That鈥檚 a good thing.
But for those with less time to explore, the sa国际传媒鈥檚 Top 20 鈥� a cross-section of events that appeal to the widest audience imaginable 鈥� should come in handy.
Dig in.
1. VICTORIA SKA AND REGGAE FESTIVAL
June 14-18
Photo: Booker T. Jones (credit: handout)
The festival鈥檚 2016 edition was a big hit, so expect the main stage at Ship Point to buzz once again during its 18th instalment, which includes roots favourite Tarrus Riley, ska-punk acts the Black Seeds and Mad Caddies, and soul legend Booker T. Jones. The festival 鈥� which attracts acts from around the world 鈥� starts and ends with free concerts for the whole family, further adding to the ska and reggae riches.
2. CAR FREE YYJ
June 18
Photo: Electric Timber Co. (credit: Tyson Elder)
Seven hours of free programming on four stages is just the tip of what Car Free YYJ has to offer. Dozens of vendors and three beer gardens lining nine blocks of Douglas Street will contribute to the atmosphere, which will draw tens of thousands of revellers to the streets for this third annual Father鈥檚 Day festival. In the span of just two years, Car Free YYJ has become one of the city鈥檚 most beloved events.
3. SPIRIT OF 150 VICTORIA
June 21-July 1
Photo: Tegan and Sara (credit: Warner Bros. Records)
Organizers are expecting one of the biggest fireworks displays in regional history on July 1, with an expected six-digit audience to match. The musical festivities on June 30 and July 1 (which feature acts on two stages, among them Tegan and Sara, and Arkells) will be preceded by nine consecutive days of free programming suitable for the whole family. A total event audience of 200,000 at Spirit of 150 Victoria isn鈥檛 out of the question for this 11-day event.
4. TD VICTORIA INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL
June 23-July 2
Photo: Ziggy Marley (credit: Gregory Bojorquez)
Ziggy Marley, Mavis Staples and Elvin Bishop, among dozens of other international acts, will descend on the city for the 34th instalment of one of the city鈥檚 longest-running festivals. The tale of the tape is always jaw-dropping where Jazzfest is concerned: 320 musicians will give 80 performances on nine stages over 10 days of programming, with styles ranging from traditional jazz to classic reggae. In a word, wow.
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5. TALL TREE MUSIC FESTIVAL
June 23-26, Port Renfrew
Photo: Tokyo Police Club (credit: The Billions Corporation)
Brown鈥檚 Mountain in Port Renfrew is the perfect setting for a community-minded festival such as Tall Tree, which happens to be staged in the middle of a forest spanning hectares in every direction. The vistas aren鈥檛 the only breathtaking aspect, of course. Several popular locals (Jon and Roy, Jesse Roper, Astrocolor) join touring acts Tokyo Police Club, DJ Nu-Mark, and the Easy Star All-Stars for four days of festival frivolity.
6. SPECTACULAR SUMMER EVENINGS AT BUTCHART GARDENS
July 1-Sept. 2
Photo: Ricky Skaggs (credit: RAM Entertainment)
A mainstay of the summer festival season is the entertainment calendar at Butchart Gardens, which provides a picturesque setting for 64 consecutive days of music programming, every bit of which is included with paid admission to the gardens. Highlights this summer include the All American Boys Chorus (July 21), Jim Byrnes (Aug. 4), Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder (Aug. 16), and Jane Bunnett and Maqueque (Aug. 23).
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7. PHILLIPS BACKYARD WEEKENDER
July 7-9
Photo: Phillips Backyard Weekender
A backlot party with genre-splitting acts on each of its three days, the Phillips Backyard Weekender has become one of the summer鈥檚 most popular outdoor events in Victoria. With an expanded site capacity for the 2017 edition, the shipping yard for Phillips Brewing will become a mass of music revellers, with two goals in mind 鈥� to dance and party. Headliners have not yet been announced, but word is a few big fishes are on the line. Stay tuned.
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8. DOWNTOWN VICTORIA BUSKERS FESTIVAL
July 11鈥�16
Photo: Nathaniel Rankin (credit: Avant Agency)
The inaugural Downtown Victoria Buskers Festival is a free event showcasing street performers from Israel, Spain, the U.S. and sa国际传媒. Ship Point is the main festival site, but several others are in play as well, from the Bay Centre and Market Square to Bastion Square. Pop-up 鈥減itch stop鈥� locations will also be featured at various downtown locales, making its six days a source of ongoing activity.
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9. VANCOUVER ISLAND MUSIC FESTIVAL
July 14-16, Courtenay
Photo: Emmylou Harris (credit: Sacks & Co.)
Musicfest is pound for pound one of the best festivals in the province, with an incredible site and six stages in play. The three-day action-packed event has sets on deck this year from Emmylou Harris, Bruce Cockburn, Rita Coolidge and Barenaked Ladies, among others, which should continue the winning streak. A word to the latecomers: camping is sold out, but don鈥檛 let that stop you from attending Musicfest鈥檚 23rd edition.
10. TD ART GALLERY PAINT-IN
July 15, Victoria
Photo: File
Details are not yet announced, but this much we know: The annual exploratory art walk known as the TD Art Gallery Paint-In stretches for blocks along Moss Street from Fort Street to Dallas Road, showcasing the work of local artists along the way. We also know that the 30th edition of this annual event will be incredibly well-attended, with upward of 30,000 people taking in the work of more than 150 local artists.
11. ISLANDS FOLK FESTIVAL
July 21-23, Duncan
Photo: The Bills (credit: The Bills.ca)
Five stages boasting more than 40 acts give you an idea of the scope of this charming Duncan get-together. Folk bands from the sa国际传媒 region 鈥� the Bills, Big Little Lions, Linda McRae, Quinn Bachand鈥檚 Brishen and the Lonely Heartstring Band among them 鈥� provide this festival with a musical boost, but there鈥檚 no denying the charm of the site itself. Among the jewels on Providence Farm is the acoustic-friendly chapel, a must visit for all festival-goers.
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12. SUNFEST COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL
Aug. 3-6, Lake Cowichan
Photo: Little Big Town (credit: Universal Music)
In the past two years alone, Sunfest organizers have booked Keith Urban, Sam Hunt, Carrie Underwood and Dierks Bentley, four of the biggest stars in country music today. The four-day roster in 2017 is led by Toby Keith and Little Big Town, so the big names are still in place. The only question left to be answered: How many will show up at the private Lake Cowichan site. Answer: The biggest paid festival on Vancouver Island is liable to crack 25,000 people with ease in 2017.
13. HORNBY FESTIVAL
Aug. 3-12, Hornby Island
Photo: The Paperboys
The tagline 鈥�10 days of magic鈥� is how this Gulf Island festival is billing itself this year, a fitting title, as it turns out. The 35-year-old festival is now a must-see event, with everything from roots and classical music to theatre on its menu. A new music practicum program is in place this year, along with performances by Daniel Lapp, Clinton Fearon, the Paperboys, Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer, Shen Cai and Lucas Myers, among others.
14. FILBERG FESTIVAL
Aug. 4-7, Comox
Photo: Delhi 2 Dublin
The Filberg Festival is situated on one of the most picturesque locales on Vancouver Island, with acres of gardens as a backdrop. The event also sports one of the largest juried arts and crafts festivals in Western sa国际传媒, with money raised benefiting the Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park. Music is perhaps the biggest part of this four-day festival, however, with headlining sets on tap this year by Barney Bentall, David Gogo, Jim Byrnes, Delhi 2 Dublin and Wooden Sky, among others.
15. VICTORIA SYMPHONY SPLASH
Aug. 6
Photo: sa国际传媒
Victoria鈥檚 Inner Harbour will continue its busy summer of festivals with the 28th annual Victoria Symphony Splash, one of the top free events for families. The symphony (situated on a floating stage, of course) will be under the baton of maestro Christian Kluxen, who takes over from longtime music director Tania Miller. The performance concludes with artillery, fireworks and Tchaikovsky鈥檚 1812 Overture, a bombastic end to the all-day event.
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16. ATMOSPHERE GATHERING
Aug. 18-20, Cumberland
Photo: Half Moon Run
Atmosphere Gathering is known for its progressive, dance-happy vibe, which mirrors the hippie theme of this camping-friendly event. The boutique Cumberland festival 鈥� which comes complete with a Big Top circus tent 鈥� has created for itself a stellar reputation. And with the booking of Half Moon Run as its headliner this year, the homecoming performance by the Montreal-based group of former Comox Valley kids could make Atmosphere one for the books.
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17. VICTORIA FRINGE FESTIVAL
Aug. 23-Sept. 3
Photo: Ingrid Hansen (credit: Laura Dittman)
Spoken word, drama, musicals 鈥� it鈥檚 all on display at this 12-day celebration, one of the oldest festivals of its kind in sa国际传媒. Organizers have booked 53 shows for the 2017 Fringe, so there鈥檚 no slowing down during instalment No. 31. Event producers Intrepid Theatre have secured performers from Australia, New Zealand and the U.K., who will join several notable Victoria artists for what should be a dozen very entertaining days.
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18. LEGENDS VALLEY MUSIC FESTIVAL
Aug. 23-27, Lake Cowichan
Photo: Body Count
Three large-scale bands making their Vancouver Island debuts head up this second-year festival and cannabis expo, which is the third event to be held this summer at the Laketown Ranch Music and Recreation Park. Body Count (the metal side-project for rapper/actor Ice-T), House of Pain (creators of the anthem Jump Around), and massively popular Rude hitmakers Magic! are the only names announced thus far, but that鈥檚 one heck of a start.
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19. SUMMERTIME BLUES FESTIVAL
Aug. 24-27, Nanaimo
Photo: Shemekia Copeland
Perhaps the best blues festival on the Island has taken another sizable step up in 2017, with confirmed acts ranging from the up-and-coming to the outright legendary. Tickets are on sale now, so be prompt about getting yours. The festival at Maffeo Sutton Park features a lineup of Sonny Landreth, Shemekia Copeland, MonkeyJunk, Mark Hummel鈥檚 Golden State/Lonestar Revue and Devon Allman 鈥� son of the late jam-band icon, Gregg Allman 鈥� who could push the event to capacity.
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20. RIFFLANDIA
Sept. 14-17
Longtime supporters of Rifflandia can expect big things from the festival in its 10th year, including the first Victoria performance by two iconic electronic acts 鈥� Moby and Hot Chip 鈥� along with sets from favourites Bonobo and Zed鈥檚 Dead. Electric Avenue, the massive outdoor area near Phillips Brewery, will be back in action this year, with a bigger site and the sky as the limit. Rifflandia has grown into the city鈥檚 best festival, all things considered.
