And the lineup has finally been unveiled.
A day behind schedule, on Wednesday, April 9, the Pemberton Music Festival announced its star power for the three-day musical extravaganza. Between July 18 and 20, industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails will return to Spud Valley — the band played at the festival’s inaugural event in 2008 — and Grammy Award winners, hip hop crew Outkast will check out the town for the first time. Seattle’s Soundgarden will also take to the stage along with Metric, Modest Mouse and rapper Snoop Dogg.
The announcement follows a promotion by Canada’s favourite white-trash, The Trailer Park Boys, who recently released a video promoting the event. The actors are a part of the event’s stacked comedy performances that include Bob Saget and Lisa Lampinelli.
This marks the first time the event will run under the wing of the U.S. event producers Huka Entertainment. In 2008, Live Nation, the company behind Squamish Valley Music Festival, debuted the festival in Pemberton.
While it’s a lot to ask of the Sea to Sky Corridor communities and music fans to hold two large music festivals three weeks apart, SVMF executive director Paul Runnals said he is unsure of how or if the Pemberton event will impact Squamish’s festival.
“I have no idea,” he said of it’s possible effects. “I hope not at all.”
Huka has held concerts in Louisiana, Alabama, Florida and North Carolina, as well as festivals in New Orleans, Fort Lauderdale and Gulf Shores, AL. Pemberton Music Festival will provide a blend of on-site camping and off-site hotel lodging options, provided by lodging and activities partners Whistler Blackcomb and Tourism Whistler. While camping options will allow attendees to stay directly on festival grounds, those seeking the comforts of a home away from home can secure traditional lodging in nearby Whistler, BC. Non- camping patrons will have access to festival-supplied transportation, including shuttles from Whistler. Camping capacity for the event is expected to be 25,000.
For more information on the event, visit www.pembertonmusicfestival.com.
