FVDED in the Park is back this weekend and boasting another strong lineup of some of the world’s best rap, EDM, and DJing talents. Festival organizer Mackenzie Dunham feels the “focus on local talent that we're showcasing at the festival. As well as the juxtaposition of that alongside some of the biggest artists in the world in the Chainsmokers and Wiz Khalifa” is key to FVDED’s yearly growth.
And while Blueprint Events and Live Nation deserve a round of applause for hosting an impressive array of international talent, the success of the current festival in our province may, in part, have something to do with location.
When many of us think about an outdoor music festival, we harken back to the iconic images of Woodstock and the Isle of Wight Festival. And while the Pemberton Valley Music Festival and Squamish Valley Music Festival both took inspiration from a model similar to those somewhat idyllic music fests of yesteryear, our country’s current dollar value has forced the two large-scale festivals to fold their tents.
FVDED’s continued success provides an argument to the theory that the "tents" may be the catalyst to the demise of the outdoor festival in BC, at least while our dollar remains in the basement, and the simplifying effect of situating FVDED at Holland Park in Surrey cannot be overlooked. Not having to cope with the additional complexities that come with camping on festival grounds has aided FVDED organisers and attendees, alike. Meanwhile, the ease of access for virtually anyone in the GVRD helps to make coming and going more realistic for anyone interested in catching some of 2017’s most popular music talent. Music lovers with scheduling conflicts, day-to-day lineup preferences, or those wanting to avoid day trips on the Sea-to-Sky Highway view single-day tickets as far more compelling when the commute is only as far as Surrey. And having the SkyTrain let festivalgoers off just steps away from Holland Park is a perk neither of the now defunct Valley hestivals could provide.
An then there's the lineup. BluePrint and Live Nation have once again put together a two-day event that pays attention to diversity in music as well as festival flow.
The Friday night at FVDED in the Park has historically interchanged rap with an internationally acclaimed DJ and this year is no different. Friday night represents the West Coast, and SoCal native DJ Dillon Francis may be happy the show is not happening on home soil as the comedian/DJ finds himself performing between the long-standing street war of West Side Rollin’ 20’s Blood Ty Dolla $ign, and East Side of Long Beach Rollin’ 20’s Crip Wiz Khalifa on either side of him.
On Saturday night, Amsterdam’s Yellow Claw and Mississauga’s PARTYNEXTDOOR. keep the stage bouncing for the festival closers: the multi-award winning New York DJ pair the Chainsmokers.
And, if Canadian dollar makes bringing in a bevvy of international recording artists a tricky endeavour, our region’s ability to produce globally recognised musical talent has never seemed brighter. FVDED in the Park has three Vancouver success stories taking the stage this weekend alongside some of the globe’s highest grossing and most popular recording artists of 2017. VanCity DJ duo, Pemby Fest alumni and two-time Rise and Shine afterparty guests The Funk Hunters play FVDED in the Park on Friday afternoon. And two additional acts Vancouver acts, Harrison Brome and Vanic, both have a short commute Saturday, July 8, when they make the Holland Park crowd move to their beat.
Last minute festival and one-day passes to FVDED in the Park are still available.
2017 FVDED in the Park lineup:
The Chainsmokers/ Wiz Khalifa/ PARTYNEXTDOOR/ Dillon Francis/ Ty Dolla $ign/ Yellow Claw/ Getter/ Russ/ What So Not/ NGHTMRE/Matoma/ MadeinTYO/ Lost Frequencies/ Louis The Child/ Vanic/ Jai Wolf/ KYLE/ BADBADNOTGOOD/ The Funk Hunters/ Claptone/ Lane 8/24hrs/ Zaytoven Beats/ Nebu Kiniza/ Nora En Pure/ Jax Jones/ Harrison Brome/ Brasstracks/ Night Lovell/ Boogie/ B.Traits/ Lophiile/ Andrew Luce/ SO LOKI/ Kempeh/ Live Evil
