Lauren Collins
reporter@pqbnews.com
The Pacific Rim Music Festival Society (PRMFS) is gearing up for the fourth Otalith Music Festival on Aug. 19 and 20.
Warren Recker said there’s still some general admission passes at Tofino Brew Co. or Zoe’s Bakery, but he added that tickets will only be sold at those locations until Aug. 13.
Recker, sales and marketing director for the festival, said he’s heading to Tofino on Aug. 12 to see how many tickets they can release at the door.
Recker added that they sold more the 1,300 tickets online this year which is almost double their online sales last year.
“We expect to have another 400 people at the gate,” Recker said.
This year, the lineup includes two headliners Shakey Graves and FIDLAR, also performing is People Under the Stars, Sonny and the Sunsets, The Shivas, Vinyl Ritchie, Band of Rascals, Barefoot Thieves, Sarah Jane Scouten, Left at the Junction, Couch Thieves, Stinging Belle, The Window Girls, DJ Surgery, DJ Killah Bee and Dream That.
“We have this really eclectic mix,” Recker said. “It goes from folk to Island rock and Island artists.” Graves, who is from Austin, TX, is known for his one-man band “hobo-folk” style of song-writing and performing. His music is a cross between blues, folk and rock ’n’ roll.
Recker said the organizers have been trying to get Graves for about three years.
“What we feel, and who he is as a musician, is what Otalith is about,” Recker said.
All proceeds are donated in support of local initiatives and this year, all funds raised will be going to the Jamie Collins: Legend and Legacy Fund and Pacific Wild.
Last year, Recker said they donated about $5,200 through money raised from ticket sales and vendors. Recker said that as of last week, the they had already raised that much and were expecting more.
“We’re pretty stoked about having a pretty good cheque to donate,” he said.
The reason the festival has been able to raise so much this year was because of their own new online ticketing system instead of paying a third-party ticketing fee, according to Recker. He added that because of that, most of the small surcharge on the ticket is almost entirely donated back to charity. Recker said what’s interesting about the location of the festival – which is across the road from the Ucluelet Campground – is that it’s located in the fog belt.
“There’s never a fire ban,” said Recker, adding that festival-goers are able to set up a campfire at night.
Recker said they also encourage people to bring their guitars, harmonicas or fiddles and have campfire jams at night.
