music festivals

Rifflandia turns 16 years old this year. (Black Press Media file photo)

Victoria music festival Rifflandia announces full lineup

Singer-songwriter Feist is the latest headliner announced, performing Sunday of the festival

 

A past Rifflandia show. (Courtesy Rifflandia)

REZZ, Ja Rule, Tokyo Police Club among 1st-night performers at Victoria’s Rifflandia

The music festival takes place over one weekend in September on Matullia Lands in Rock Bay

 

FILE - People walk toward the temple at Burning Man near Gerlach, Nev., on the Black Rock Desert, Friday, Aug. 31, 2012. Burning Man organizers don’t foresee major changes in 2024 thanks to a hard-won passing grade for cleaning up this year’s festival. Some question whether it has veered too far from its core principles of radical inclusion and participation. (Andy Barron/The Reno Gazette-Journal via AP, File)

Burning Man climbs out of the muck to answer questions about its future

Surrealistic circus works to reestablish core values through a lens of 30 years experience

 

Ben Mizrachi, 22, was killed while attending a music festival in southern Israel on Saturday, Oct. 7. He is one of more than 260 festival-goers believed to be killed by Hamas militants. (Ben Mizrachi/ Facebook)

B.C. man among hundreds killed at music festival in Israel

Attack on festival part of sudden weekend strike by Hamas militants

Ben Mizrachi, 22, was killed while attending a music festival in southern Israel on Saturday, Oct. 7. He is one of more than 260 festival-goers believed to be killed by Hamas militants. (Ben Mizrachi/ Facebook)
FILE - Travis Scott performs at Day 1 of the Astroworld Music Festival at NRG Park on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, in Houston. The rap superstar was questioned on Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, in a deposition he is giving in connection with hundreds of lawsuits that were filed against him and others over the deaths and injuries at the 2021 Astroworld festival. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)

Rapper Travis Scott is questioned over deadly crowd surge at Texas festival in wave of lawsuits

Rap superstar Travis Scott was questioned for several hours on Monday in…

FILE - Travis Scott performs at Day 1 of the Astroworld Music Festival at NRG Park on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, in Houston. The rap superstar was questioned on Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, in a deposition he is giving in connection with hundreds of lawsuits that were filed against him and others over the deaths and injuries at the 2021 Astroworld festival. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)
The Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival will go on despite smoky skies from nearby wildfires, the festival announced on Facebook Friday, Aug. 18, 2023. (Brendan Shykora - Black Press Media)

Show will go on: Salmon Arm ROOTSandBLUES proceeding as planned

Organizers say Salmon Arm ‘is not under any direct wildfire threat’

The Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival will go on despite smoky skies from nearby wildfires, the festival announced on Facebook Friday, Aug. 18, 2023. (Brendan Shykora - Black Press Media)
Ignus, the 10.5-foot steel and aluminum sunflower art installation created by Terrace artist Jordie Laidlaw and his team. Inspired by his experiences as an ICU nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic, the piece is set to embark on a 2,500-kilometre journey to Burning Man, symbolizing resilience, connection, and creativity. (Vilk Studios photo)

Terrace man to bring ValhallaFest art installation to Burning Man

ValhallaFest organizer and ICU nurse seeking community support through a GoFundMe campaign

Ignus, the 10.5-foot steel and aluminum sunflower art installation created by Terrace artist Jordie Laidlaw and his team. Inspired by his experiences as an ICU nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic, the piece is set to embark on a 2,500-kilometre journey to Burning Man, symbolizing resilience, connection, and creativity. (Vilk Studios photo)
Laketown Ranch has announced that Keith Urban will be headlining Sunfest 2024. Early bird tickets will go on sale on Aug. 22 at 9 a.m. (Courtesy of Sunfest)

Keith Urban sure to be red-hot attraction for Sunfest 2024

First tier early bird tickets available to purchase Aug. 22 at 9 a.m.

Laketown Ranch has announced that Keith Urban will be headlining Sunfest 2024. Early bird tickets will go on sale on Aug. 22 at 9 a.m. (Courtesy of Sunfest)
Country music sensation Blake Shelton will be the final main stage headliner on Sunday, Aug. 6 for the annual Country music inspired Sunfest at Laketown Ranch in Youbou. (Courtesy of Sunfest)

Sunfest ready to shine on Vancouver Island with headliner Blake Shelton

Country music acts grace 3 stages at Laketown Ranch from Aug. 3 to 6

Country music sensation Blake Shelton will be the final main stage headliner on Sunday, Aug. 6 for the annual Country music inspired Sunfest at Laketown Ranch in Youbou. (Courtesy of Sunfest)
Canadian pop star Justin Bieber performs at a concert marking the end of Formula One, in Jidda, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021. How did he get his start in music? (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Amr Nabil)

QUIZ: Are you ready for some sounds of summer?

Music festivals and outdoor concerts abound at this time of the year

Canadian pop star Justin Bieber performs at a concert marking the end of Formula One, in Jidda, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021. How did he get his start in music? (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Amr Nabil)
Setting up a prototype drug tester at Shambhala Music Festival. University of British Columbia researchers from the chemistry department are bringing a portable drug-testing robot to Shambhala Music Festival in Salmo to give festival-goers a chance to have their drugs tested in about 15 minutes. (Hein Lab)

Portable drug-testing ‘robot’ heading to Shambhala Music Festival

The team’s prototype aims to identify, quantify expected substances, like fentanyl, in 15 minutes

Setting up a prototype drug tester at Shambhala Music Festival. University of British Columbia researchers from the chemistry department are bringing a portable drug-testing robot to Shambhala Music Festival in Salmo to give festival-goers a chance to have their drugs tested in about 15 minutes. (Hein Lab)
A rendering of the new PNE Amphitheatre, which is expected to be complete by 2026 and hold up to 10,000 people. (Revery Architecture)

Design of new PNE Amphitheatre revealed, with opening expected by 2026

PNE says sponsors will be able to bid for naming rights

A rendering of the new PNE Amphitheatre, which is expected to be complete by 2026 and hold up to 10,000 people. (Revery Architecture)
The long-running Vancouver Folk Festival is back for another year, less than two months after funding issues threatened to permanently cancel the event. Festivalgoers are seen on the second weekend of the Austin City Limits Music Festival at Zilker Park on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, in Austin, Texas. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP

Vancouver Folk Festival revival is music to the ears of B.C.’s dedicated fans

Since demise was announced in January, substantial funding pledged, many volunteers stepped up

The long-running Vancouver Folk Festival is back for another year, less than two months after funding issues threatened to permanently cancel the event. Festivalgoers are seen on the second weekend of the Austin City Limits Music Festival at Zilker Park on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, in Austin, Texas. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP
People walk past carnival game stands below a ferris wheel during the Pacific National Exhibition Fair, in Vancouver, on Thursday, September 1, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. introduces $30M fund to support festivals, events over next 2 years

One-time grants come as event organizers cite increased costs, supply chain issues, trouble hiring

People walk past carnival game stands below a ferris wheel during the Pacific National Exhibition Fair, in Vancouver, on Thursday, September 1, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Rockin’ River Music Fest in Merritt has been cancelled for 2023, citing economic struggles. (Rockin’ River Music Fest- Facebook)

Rockin’ River Music Fest in Merritt cancelled due to financial struggles

Announcement follows Vancouver Folk Fest, Squamish Constellation Festival cancellations

Rockin’ River Music Fest in Merritt has been cancelled for 2023, citing economic struggles. (Rockin’ River Music Fest- Facebook)
Danny Davis Guitars are displayed in Huntsville, Ala. A groundswell of support for the Vancouver Folk Music Festival has its board of directors rethinking plans to cancel this year’s event and dissolve the society.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, The Huntsville Times, Matt Wake

Chorus of support has Vancouver folk fest board reviewing cancellation, letter says

Board has paused a motion to dissolve the society and looking at options to continue

Danny Davis Guitars are displayed in Huntsville, Ala. A groundswell of support for the Vancouver Folk Music Festival has its board of directors rethinking plans to cancel this year’s event and dissolve the society.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, The Huntsville Times, Matt Wake
Vancouver Folk Music Festival organizers say they don’t have the funds to run the annual event in 2023. They’ll ask their membership on Feb. 1 to vote on whether to end the festival forever. (Vancouver Folk Music Festival/Instagram)

Short $500K, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival calls it quits, possibly forever

Organizers say they don’t have the funding or staff to get the annual event off the ground

Vancouver Folk Music Festival organizers say they don’t have the funds to run the annual event in 2023. They’ll ask their membership on Feb. 1 to vote on whether to end the festival forever. (Vancouver Folk Music Festival/Instagram)
Festival goers leave Worthy Farm in Somerset, England, Monday June 27, 2022, following the Glastonbury Festival. Organizers at Canada’s summer music festivals say even as pandemic restrictions lift and live concerts return to some semblance of normalcy, it’s anything but normal behind the scenes. (Photo from the Canadian Press)

From travel woes to inflation, music festivals face most unpredictable summer yet

Several factors make putting together a festival more tumultuous, costly and unpredictable

Festival goers leave Worthy Farm in Somerset, England, Monday June 27, 2022, following the Glastonbury Festival. Organizers at Canada’s summer music festivals say even as pandemic restrictions lift and live concerts return to some semblance of normalcy, it’s anything but normal behind the scenes. (Photo from the Canadian Press)
A colourful float makes its way down Ste. Catherine St. during the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in Montreal, Sunday, March 22, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Students, festival organizers make masks a choice as Canada nears St. Patrick’s Day

Return of the Irish holiday doesn’t come without risks, even though provinces have lifted mandates

A colourful float makes its way down Ste. Catherine St. during the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in Montreal, Sunday, March 22, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Tim McGraw sings “Something Like That” in a video posted to Youtube.com. The American artist is booked to perform during the 2022 Rockin River Fest in Merritt, B.C.

Tim McGraw, Darius Rucker headline summer’s Rockin River Fest in flood-hit Merritt

‘Now more than ever, we need things to be excited about,’ city’s mayor says

Tim McGraw sings “Something Like That” in a video posted to Youtube.com. The American artist is booked to perform during the 2022 Rockin River Fest in Merritt, B.C.