Squamish Valley Music Festival
Years of steady growth has lead to the upstart Squamish festival now being able to fight in a heavier weight class. Stepping into the Live Nation corner this year is Bruno Mars, Eminem, and Arcade Fire, backed by alt ingénue Lykke Li, the stadium-ready Arctic Monkeys and hip hop luminaries Nas and The Roots. The bout will be refereed by the Chief and an anticipated 35,000 attendees. We predict Eminem to emerge victorious. Tickets: $149-$325; SquamishFestival.com
If Squamish's open air battle of the big names doesn't draw you, it's possibly because these other two festivals do:
Shambhala Music Festival (Aug. 8-11)
Fueled by what festival goers call “Shambhalove”, a 10,000-person-strong art, EDM, and organic food family is drawn each year to dance and be free on a tract of farmland in Salmo, BC. Led by the likes of Z-Trip, Moby, and Beardyman, and eschewing any corporate sponsorship, this enchanted party is the longest-running of its kind in BC and attracts delegates from all the woodland clans. Don’t miss: Locally roasted coffee from Night Owl, Farm Phresh smoothies, and Blaze Burgers (produced from happy cows raised on the Salmo River Ranch grounds). Tickets: $330; ShambhalaMusicFestival.com
Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival (Aug. 8)
More like a really diverse concert than a full-length festival, this nine-hour showcase of world-class music in the picturesque Deer Lake Park is a family-friendly afternoon of blues and roots. This year features Canadian reggae-rock band Big Sugar, New Brunswick guitar powerhouse Matt Andersen and the Mellotones, and stirring American soul singer Bettye LaVette. Tickets: $50-$65, BurnabyBluesFestival.com
