Close to 40,000 people are expected to fill Surrey’s Holland Park this weekend (July 6-7) for the fourth edition of FVDED in the Park, the festival devoted to electronic, hip-hop, rap and R&B music.
American rapper Future and Norwegian DJ Kygo are the 2018 headliners at the annual gathering, which co-promoters Blueprint Events and Live Nation Entertainment bill as Western Canada’s largest urban music festival.
“This year, fans can enjoy non-stop music across three stages, with a fresh new look and feel planned for the Northwest Stage,” festival organizers say in an event advisory. “The estimated economic impact of the event is $5 million.”
• RELATED:
LETTERS: Love it or hate it, FVDED in the Park got Surrey talking, from 2016.
Surrey Mounties give FVDED in the Park a thumbs up, from 2015.
This year, the Friday lineup at FVDED includes performances by Future, FERG, Kaskade, Duke Dumont, REZZ, NAV, Trippie Redd, 88Glam, Ookay and others, while Saturday includes a stage for KYGO, Kehlani, Brockhampton, Illenium, Lil Skies, BAZZI, Slander, Whethan, Grandtheft and more. The schedule, ticket info are other festival details are posted at fvdedinthepark.com.
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The 2018 fest “promises to be better than ever with increased capacity for bigger crowds, an edgy, high-calibre lineup and state-of-the-art stages that serve as the perfect backdrop for all of our artists,” Blueprint boss Alvaro Prol said in Feburary, when the festival’s 2018 lineup was announced.
• RELATED: Surrey’s FVDED fest to feature rapper Future, DJ Kygo this summer.
Prol says the music mix and location both contribute to the success of FVDED in the Park.
He says festival fans need to be able to get to a site easily and without concern of securing hotel reservations, camping stays or costly trips. Also, Holland Park is a “celebrated site,” he says, as it served as a venue of the 2010 Winter Olympics and will be “redesigned for the 2018 show.” As for the music, “Get the right balance of artists and you can’t go wrong,” Prol notes.
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“Every year is a challenge to recreate a festival experience that is exciting, unique and is a step beyond what was achieved previously,” Prol said in a release. “This year, we have a fresh, first-rate lineup that will make the FVDED experience one that shouldn’t be missed.”
The 2017 festival featured headlining sets by Wiz Khalifa and The Chainsmokers.
The debut version of FVDED in the Park, held in 2015, included performances by Deadmau5 and The Weeknd.
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In advance of popular summer music events such as FVDED in Surrey, Health Canada issued a “Drug Use During Festival Season” safety alert on June 22. The agency’s tips to “help reduce the potential harms associated with drugs and alcohol” include the following, published at healthycanadians.gc.ca.
What you should do:
• “Understand that any illegal drug can be tainted with other dangerous substances, such as fentanyl and carfentanil, which can be deadly.
• “Be aware that people who use drugs and alcohol can be at an increased risk of sexual assault.
• “Never leave your drink unattended and do not accept drinks, even water, from someone you don’t know.
• “Do not mix drugs or mix drugs with alcohol.
• “Never use drugs alone and stay with your friends and people you trust.
• “If you are checking your drugs with a test kit, know that test kits have limitations for detecting dangerous substances.
• “Talk to your teen about the dangers of drugs.”
If someone looks unwell or you suspect is having an overdose:
• “Do not leave someone alone if they seem ill. Stay with them and immediately call for help from volunteers and emergency contacts.
• “Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency help line if you think someone is having a drug overdose.
• “Carry naloxone, which can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose, if you or someone you know uses drugs. If you are with someone who is having an opioid overdose, follow the directions on the naloxone kit and administer it right away. Many community organizations or local public health units offer training in the proper use of naloxone. Administering naloxone won’t hurt someone who isn’t overdosing.
• “Stay until help arrives. The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act provides certain legal protections for individuals who seek emergency help during an overdose situation and who are in possession of illegal drugs themselves.
• “Get your opioid overdose wallet card and carry it with you. Know what to do.”
