In a world where first year festivals are popping up everywhere you look, and long time festivals are battling to keep their place, it’s difficult to say what the deciding factors are for a festival success. Of course you’ve gotta bring in some headliners, a good property, and supply the fundamentals for thousands of people making the land their home for the weekend. But we all know that no matter how hard you try, there are some things you just can’t control. To me the biggest aspect of any festival is the crowd’s vibe – I’ve been to many a great festival and had no where near stellar experiences due to certain patrons in the crowd or bad attitudes in general.
Seems like this is where it can get tricky; how do you make sure to draw in friendly, dedicated and responsible party goers to your fest? That’s where Shambhala Music Festival comes in, who have been successfully throwing their legendary parties for 18 years now.
How does Shambhala prove that one festival is really all you need? We’ve compiled our favorite aspects of the festival, and why taking the journey to Shambhala truly makes all the difference.
It’s A 4 Day Adventure – And It Starts Months Before You Get There
What truly sets Shambhala apart and contributes to the family vibe is the actual journey to get there. Determining if you’re inadmissible to Canada, booking flights and rideshares can take months to plan, but you’ll realize the fruits of your labor once you finally get there and see this:
Shambhala Owns Shambhala
The only thing better than raging a festival like Shambhala is knowing you’re on private land; the 500 acre farm has been owned by the Bundusch family for the past twenty years. That being said, there is no safer haven to be found at a festival than those that Shambhala provides. The heavy focus that Shambhala puts on harm reduction is admirable, and we think all festivals can greatly benefit by taking a step in this direction. The Sanctuary offers relief, shade, medical help, or simply a place to refresh and get out of the festival chaos. Camp Clean Beats is for 100% sober attendees who opt for less of a ‘party’ setting, while Women’s Safe Space is open 24 hours to serve as a support system for women in need of help or comfort.
Live-In Stages
Each of Shambhala’s 7 magical stages call Salmo River home all year long, doing away with the grueling break down at other festivals. This allows the crew to build on to these structures months before attendees even reach the grounds, resulting in the best stages we’ve ever laid eyes on. Performing artists and fans alike claim that the experience of Shamb’s stages alone is a highlight of the trip.
Canadians Are Awesome. Period.
We don’t believe in stereotypes, but this is one has been proven time and time again: Canadians truly are some of the rowdiest yet hospitable people you’ll ever get to party with! When it comes to Shamb’s, the welcoming vibe is overwhelming – you can’t take a look around without running into warm smiles and friendly embraces. No one invites you onto their turf quite like the Canadians do, and they’re more than happy to show us just how they like to do it in the BC.
Tickets for Shambhala 2015 are SOLD OUT, so we hope to see you there! Look forward to our photo galleries and artist interviews after the festival.
