Community Info

We're ramping up to host the sixth annual Squamish Valley Music Festival! As

we prepare to welcome festival goers for a weekend of fun, amazing music, and top-notch event production, check out the information below. The Squamish Valley Music Festival has also created a Community Page to provide information to locals about navigating festival weekend.

Pre-eminent music festival in North America

 

Our town is hosting a world class music festival that is gaining international recognition. Music from the concert will be audible in most neighbourhoods, especially in the evenings. A full exemption to the District’s Noise Bylaw has been granted to the SVMF for the weekend. The festival grounds close Thursday at 11:30 p.m. and Friday/Saturday/Sunday at 1 a.m.

Transit
 

Squamish Transit will operate on its normal schedule throughout the Squamish Valley Music Festival weekend, including stops at Brennan Park Recreation Centre. Transit is an important part of the festival’s transportation plan to get festival goers to and from the venue and around Squamish. Regular transit fees will be in effect.

Brennan Park closure
 

Brennan Park Recreation Centre will be closed during the Squamish Valley Music Festival. During the closure some of Recreation Services’ programs will be offered at the downtown Seniors’ Centre. If you have any questions for Recreation Services during this time, please contact the Squamish Seniors’ Centre Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 604.848.6898. Additional field and facility closures can be viewed here.

Environmental Protection
 

An environmental task force was formed in November 2014 comprised of festival organizers, the District of Squamish, Squamish Nation, Conservation Officer Service, Fisheries & Oceans Canada, Ministry of Forests, Lands & Natural Resource Operations, and WildSafeBC. The group teamed up to further safeguard the protection of our rivers, streams, watersheds and wildlife from wayward campers. Agencies will be implementing patrols of key areas, and entry will be restricted to sensitive areas with barricades, fencing or signage. We welcome community residents to be extra eyes and ears on the ground. To report any concerns or wildlife sightings, please contact the Conservation Officer Service 24 hours a day at 1-877-952-7277. Read more about closures and restrictions.

Trail access
 

Locals may find a few trails shut down, limited or access monitored during the festival. We ask for your patience as we work as a community to protect our sensitive areas from wayward festival goers looking for free camping, or from additional fire hazards. Read on for closure details.

 Fire protection
 

Each year the festival develops a Fire Risk Management Plan in conjunction with Squamish Fire Rescue, and this year the plan is being amped up to address the extreme hot and dry conditions. The plan will address such things as smoking in the trails (between festival grounds and campgrounds), and designated smoking areas within the festival grounds, for example. Increased patrols are being dispatched by various agencies; extra resources such as fire suppression units will be dispatched to all sites; and extensive (non-potable) water sources will be readily available. 

 Emergency services
 

Festival organizers have invested heavily in state-of-the-art medical tents and emergency response teams within the festival grounds to minimize impacts on Squamish’s local emergency services. Emergency vehicles will have access to all roadways and given priority access as required.

 The Pinks are running
 

The pink salmon run has started and will last the duration of the festival to the end of August/early September. The pinks are coming up the Squamish and Mamquam Rivers to spawn and are under additional stress due to lower than normal water levels and higher than normal water temperatures. Festival goers are being asked to be mindful of this natural phenomenon and are asked to avoid swimming or bathing in the rivers. River rocks that are removed or rearranged could also disturb salmon roe (eggs). Tickets may be issued by provincial and federal authorities for any activities that may stress the fish or may be considered harassment.

 On-site water use
 

The Squamish Valley Music Festival uses non potable well water to maintain the festival grounds and support fire suppression efforts. Water provided at the festival for drinking, food services, and showers is District of Squamish water that will be pumped through a festival distribution system. The DOS water provided to the festival will be metered and charged to the SVMF.

 Festival cleanup
 

Organizers will work to clean up the various festival sites swiftly and comprehensively once festival goers leave town. Extensive planning has taken place to address waste and recycling management throughout the weekend. On-the-ground Campground Ambassadors and Green Teams will be hard at work throughout the weekend to help orchestrate recycling as well as mitigate wildlife attractants. Local non-profit groups have been recruited to reap the benefits from returnable and reusable items left behind.

 Plan errands accordingly
 

Festival goers are being encouraged to explore our community, pick up food, drinks and supplies, dine out and recreate. These activities will primarily take place Thursday through Sunday in the mornings until mid-afternoon. The festival gets underway at 1 p.m. each afternoon (and 4 p.m. on Thursday). Try to plan your shopping and errands accordingly in order to avoid the busiest times.

Head Downtown
 

Check it all out! Whether or not you plan to attend the festival, head downtown and soak up the atmosphere (Squamish Transit will run as normal). This is a milestone moment for our community as the spotlight is on Squamish and we welcome the world to our doorstep. We are so proud of the beauty of our town, the amazing business community, and the friendly nature of our locals. Let’s celebrate Squamish-style, and be great ambassadors for our town.

Squamish is a two-wheeled town
 

Bike, bike, bike. Squamish loves to bike, and last year’s Squamish Valley Music Festival reinforced that this is indeed true. Our trails, bike lanes and roads were filled with locals riding on two wheels to get around, and it was an amazing scene! Remember your lights (front and back) if you’re planning to ride after dark, and watch out for pedestrians along the pedestrian routes from the campgrounds to the festival grounds.

Street parking
 

Street parking is permitted throughout Squamish, except in bike lanes and within five metres of a fire hydrant. The festival has a robust parking plan to accommodate over 8,500 cars, in addition to shuttle services. Some street parking, however, should be anticipated as many locals are also hosting their own guests for the festival. As long as cars are parked legally and for the duration noted on any signage, it is allowed.

Highway traffic
 

Camper check-in will again take place in Britannia Beach at the large gravel lot just south of the community. With room to accommodate hundreds of cars, highway gridlock was not experienced in 2014 and is not expected again this year. Increased highway volume should be expected throughout the weekend though.

 Here to help
 

The festival’s Help Centre will be available at 604-390-2564 or info@squamishfestival.com. The Help Centre will open beginning July 29. If you get voicemail, please leave a message and your call will be responded to. In-person customer service kiosks will also be located at SVMF Gates 3 and 9.

Feedback welcome

 

Feedback is always welcome! All feedback is logged and discussed with festival organizers during debrief meetings in September. Much of the community's feedback from the 2014 festival has been incorporated into the plans for 2015. Please call the District of Squamish during office hours at 604-892-5217 or send us an email through our website contact forms

Additional resources
 

For additional questions around security, traffic management, and the Squamish Valley Music Festival’s sustainability principles, please check out the festival's Community Page

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