Rock the Shores (July 13 to 14, Victoria, BC)
Get out of town. And by this we mean to plan on heading over to picturesque Vancouver Island for this weekend in July and score a chance to see an eclectic mix of musicians all but take over the quaint city of Victoria. We’re talking about the likes of Weezer, Sam Roberts Band, Mother Mother, The Sheepdogs, 54-40, Matthew Good, City and Colour and more. Leave your cooler at home because they’ll have plenty of local goods available to satiate that concert-going appetite (The Reef, Pizzeria Prima Strada, Tacofino and more favourites are on board). Though last year’s inaugural concert saw a bit of a rain delay, the show was amazing and this year is guaranteed to more than top that. Tickets start at under $60 – totally doable.
Vancouver Folk Music Festival (July 19 to 21, Vancouver, BC)
Stick close to home and head over to Jericho Beach Park for this long-standing folk fest that guarantees you’ll want to unleash your inner hippie. Catch acts such as Kathleen Edwards, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Natalie Maines, Nomadic Massive and the Refugee All Stars (to name just a few – there are nearly 60 featured). Peruse plenty of on-site vendors, crafters and check out the beer garden as you celebrate summer at the 36 Annual Festival. Look for late night dance parties, collaborative sessions with artists and more. Tickets start at $45 and full weekend passes are available.
Shambhala Music Festival (August 7 to 12 in Salmo, BC)
This multi-day dance fest always sells out well in advance, so don’t delay on making plans and getting your tickets. Grab your most outrageous concert gear (channel part 90s rave and part Hallowee’en), unleash your inner earth God/Goddess and get ready for a non-stop weekend of groove-induced good times. Gear up to explore a plethora of musical acts performing at the various, artfully-crafted venues (it seriously is like exploring another world driven by some seriously good beats). Check out the line-ups set to take over the Labyrinth and Fractal Forest (which promises you an epic journey to the 12 dimension and back… only on the West Coast).
Squamish Valley Music Festival (August 8 through 10, Squamish, BC)
Set to become one of BC’s largest contemporary music festivals with new acts just announced, this is a definite must for any young professional looking to escape town for the weekend this summer. Acts such as Portage & Main, Vampire Weekend, Said the Whale, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Dragonette, Jurassic5, Band of Horses and plenty more are set to take over several stages. Score tickets to a full weekend of fun from $89 (prices will go up).
The Capitol Hill Block Party (July 26 to 28, Seattle, WA)
We’d be remiss not to suggest that Notable readers consider getting a few tickets to this awesome multi-day music fest being hosted just south of the border. Grab your passport and head down to Seattle for a weekend of grunge-meets-hipster fun. With a great mix of well-known and up and coming bands from the Northwest taking over multiple stages, catch the likes of Girl Talk, Pickwick, Strfkr, Cults and The Flaming Lips, to name a few of the 100 acts playing six different stages. There will be food trucks to feed you, independent booths to check out and plenty more. Single day tickets start at $40 with a limited number of multi-day passes still available here.
Photo: Squamish Festival / Jonathan Evans Photography