Bass Coast has made an exciting announcement for 2017. The organizers have decided that the theme is bound to take you somewhere out of this world. Specifically …SPACE! To kick off the journey we though we’d take a look at a little bit of Bass Coast history:
Co-founders Andrea Graham (aka The Librarian) and Liz Thomson moved to Whistler, British Columbia mere months apart and found that they shared more than just a few things in common. They connection by immersing themselves in several varieties of art-related projects, and as they journeyed to festivals together, the friendship blossomed.
When they arrived back at home, they then turned their sights to creating the same innovative community from the inspiration they had received. They realized they were surrounded by a community of people who helped make that happen. Working together, they came up with the idea for Bass Coast, and the first event took place in Squamish, BC in 2008. As the festival is free of corporate sponsorship it grew by word-of-mouth, and it grew as the returning participants brought friends. Many people had come back from their event feeling inspired, like the organizers had felt after Burning Man.
In the past eight years, Bass Coast has grown from a gathering of about 450 people to a whopping 4,500 attendees. They had to move the festival away from Squamish due to its increasing size. The goal is still to stay clear of of corporate sponsorship and instead try to source as much as they can locally. In 2012, Graham had estimated that their contribution to the Squamish economy was about $350,000.
Every year the organizers receive hundreds of applications from artists wanting to showcase their work. The main thing that they’re looking for are up-and-coming artists who have been inspired. A lot of the artists selected in past years have been able to turn something that they do part-time into their full-time job.
There’s something to be said for a place where the organizers want everyone to be involved. Every year, the theme is meant to bring everyone together in the spirit of creativity. Furthermore, it may have a different meaning to each person that attends. For some people, ‘Space’ may be a nudge at the nickname ‘Space Toast’ that the festival has received. Bass Coast organizers have been assisting with organizing a celebration of the solar event taking place next year.
Space Toast at Bass Coast 2016
To accommodate as many interested parties as possible, Bass Coast has increased the festival capacity to 4,500 for 2017, but that’s not all. The “Cantina,” a small stage that the organizers introduced in 2016, was very popular for the Babes of Bass Coast. For this reason, they’ve decided to expand it and make it a stage where you can immerse yourself easily.
If you’re hoping to make it out, remember that next year’s Bass Coast takes place July 7–10. Tickets are moving at a record pace, so it’s important to secure your ticket soon. We hope to see you in Space!
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