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PHOTOS: 2019 Wapiti Music Festival

With eyes to the stage and hands to the sky the crowd danced, happy to be enjoying a weekend of music, despite the thunder.

With eyes to the stage and hands to the sky the crowd danced, happy to be enjoying a weekend of music, despite the thunder.

The Wapiti Music Festival in Fernie is celebrating another successful year, which sold out yet again and had a waiting list for volunteer sign-up.

“This sounds cliche, but every single year at Wapiti we always grow a little bit,” said Wapiti artistic director, Chantel Vincent.

“So for me, we’ve grown quite a bit over 10 years.”

Being involved since the inception, Vincent has seen the festival grow significantly.

“If I can do that, and grow a little bit every year, and meet those expectations we set, I’m really really happy… A sell-out is what you aim for, and we sold out,” she said.

Around 2000 individuals enjoyed the festivities, with music presented by Mountain Sound, Nuela Charles, Current Swell, The Parsons, the Steve Brockley Band, Goodnight Sunrise, Carmanah, Jeremie & The Delicious Hounds, Fake Shark and Black Pistol Fire.

“What I loved was how every single band or artist that went up on the stage was dramatically different from who played before,” said Vincent.

“I think you can’t say we’re a rock festival, you can’t say we’re a roots festival, we just brought what was best to the table and then structured it throughout the day the best we thought the vibe would flow,” she explained.

Vincent was excited to see a dance party break out at 3 p.m. on Saturday, something she said is a first.

“We had a huge dance floor at 3 p.m., that was a milestone for us,” she said.

Vincent thanked all of the Wapiti volunteers for their selfless service over the weekend. The group is looking forward to their 10th anniversary next year. As of August 15, they are already planning 2020.



Phil McLachlan

About the Author: Phil McLachlan

Phil McLachlan is the editor at the Penticton Western News. He served as the reporter, and eventually editor of The Free Press newspaper in Fernie.
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