Welcome to Bass Coast 2023

Bass Coast Festival is held on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Nlaka’pamux and Syilx people. Please take a moment to learn about the area. Bass Coast takes place on the shared Traditional Territories of Nłeʔkepmx and Syilx.

We invite you to be part of our innovative creative experience as we celebrate our 15th year.

About Merritt

We Are Nlaka'pamux  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ESGaLTsxBU 

Merritt is 270 km northeast of Vancouver. For more information about Merritt, check our website: https://basscoast.ca/pages/merritt

Mandatory Viewing: Bass Coast Training Videos

Bass Coast has produced 6 short training videos for all Bass Coast team members, artists and in-house participants. These videos will cover cultural appropriation, consent, harassment and bystander Intervention, local cultural knowledge, and harm reduction. Please watch all 6 videos and complete the quiz before you arrive onsite.

Watch Here (Site password: AvantGarden)

LINK TO QUIZ

Bring at least 1 piece of government issued photo ID. Our permit does not allow anyone under the age of 19 to attend the festival. No exceptions.

Artist Tickets

You will be emailed a QR code ticket one week before the festival.

All artist and artist guest accreditation will be at the Staff Gate.  You may be asked for ID for verification.

Artist Guest Passes

Artist guests will be emailed an individual QR code ticket one week before the festival.

Deadline to submit a guest name is before June 15th. 

Please revisit the ARTIST PROFILE FORM and make all necessary updates before June 15th. After this date the form will be closed for submission. If you require the form resent, kindly reach out to Jennafer at ProductionAssistant@basscoast.ca.

If due to exceptional circumstances, you are unable to meet the deadline, please contact Cindy at StaffGate@basscoast.ca and CC ProductionAssistant@basscoast.ca. They will provide further assistance regarding late submissions.

Artist Entry

Artists and their advanced guests are welcome to arrive on site after 12pm on Wednesday, July 5th, at the STAFF GATE. 

Please keep in mind that the festival grounds will not be accessible on Wednesday and artists will only have access to their designated camping area. On Thursday, food vendors and artist hospitality services will open.

Payment will be in your artist package upon arrival.

Staff Gate Hours

All Artists and Artist guests must enter and check in at the STAFF GATE -  located 1km past Moon Shadows Campground at 1145 Neilson St, Merritt, BC. We ask that you drive slowly down the dirt road to reduce the dust for campground residents. 15km/hr max. 

Staff Gate Hours: 

• Wed, July 5: 9am-12am
• Thurs, July 6: 9am-12am
• Fri, July 7: 9am-1am
• Sat, July 8: 9am-10pm
• Sun, July 9: 9am-4pm
• Mon, July 10: CLOSED

*All accreditation and your artist package will ONLY be available at the staff gate.

PLEASE NOTE

General admission ticket holders may arrive on site on Friday July 7 at 9:00am at the earliest. No general admission ticket holders arriving before Friday will be permitted on site unless they have a Wednesday + Thursday or Thursday Entry ticket. No exceptions.

Wednesday Entry tickets are still available on basscoast.ca.

Set Times

Find the full Bass Coast Schedule here. 

Please check in with your stage manager at least 1 hour before your set. The artist relations team will provide all contact information and key scheduling updates if needed. For any advancing communication please contact the Production Assistant Manager: productionassistant@basscoast.ca

Stage Managers:

Cantina Stage Daytime: Ben Midwicki and Ben Carson

Main Stage: Holland Kerr

The Cabin Stage: Matt Reed, Phillip Elliott, Jamal Hamadeh

Slay Bay Stage: Ian MacKenzie, Kearce Werts, Rachel Kirkpatrick

Slowtempo: Day: Curtis Mounsey   Night: Derek Frazer

The Brain: Heather Vardy and Natasha Cucek

Ground / Shuttle

If ground transportation is included in your artist contract, shuttle services are available from Kamloops, BC (YKA) airport. Please note that if you are arriving from a location other than Kamloops, you will be responsible for arranging your own transportation. 

To ensure a smooth arrival, it is important to pre-arrange all ground transport before Thursday, June 15th by submitting the GROUND TRANSPORTATION and ACCOMMODATION FORM. If you require the form resent, kindly reach out to Jacqui at BassCoastTransport@gmail.com and CC: ProductionAssistant@basscoast.ca

After completing the form, for any inquiries regarding shuttle services, please contact Jacqui directly at the email above.

Artist and Guest Vehicle Passes

Performance artists will be given a vehicle pass upon entry at the staff gate.

Performance artist guests that do not arrive in the same vehicle, will need to purchase a vehicle pass in advance to facilitate faster processing at the gate. 

PURCHASE A VEHICLE PASS

Artist Camping

Artists and artist guests are welcome to camp and park in the artist camp or walk into the production forest where camping is first come first serve.

Artist Camp is an open field adjacent to the forest. Artists may camp with their vehicles in artist camp. Any friends with a general admission wristband must camp in Campground A, B, C or Ventura.  Only artists and their plus one will have accreditation for artist camp.  Anyone without these accreditations will be asked to relocate. 

Production Forest Camp is a shaded camping area located behind The Cabin Stage and Slay Bay Stages. It is very central but not the quietest camping experience. Vehicles are ONLY permitted in Production Forest Camp if they enter between noon and 10pm on Wed.  Production camp will be available to artists, space permitting. The forest will be closed to vehicle access from Wed 10pm to Mon 10am. During that time it is walk-in camping only. If the forest reaches capacity, artists may also park and camp in the Artist Camp.

BASS COAST IS A WORKSITE ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY 

The main festival field and forest are closed to everyone but subcontractors, vendors and suppliers until 9am on Thursday. 

Cabin and Hospitality Camping 

Artists whose contracts include private accommodation will be shown to their cabin upon arrival. Adjacent to the cabins is a separate building containing washrooms and showers.

If the festival is providing camping gear for you, everything will be set up for you before you arrive. Please let artist relations know when you are leaving Bass Coast.

What Should I Bring / Festival Amenities:

Reusable water bottles - Free water is available on-site. Bring your own water bottle. Please do not bring glass of any kind.

Appropriate shoes and clothing - The terrain and weather can both be unreliable. Water or river shoes and waterproof clothing are recommended. 

Camping gear - headlamps / flashlights, sunscreen and bug spray. Prepare for all conditions. 

Camping locations - There is tent camping in wooded areas and in open meadows. Cars and RVs are free to park and camp together in the flat meadow areas in Campground B or C. 

Accessibility - Please read for updated information about Bass Coast accessibility ethos. 

Fire Ban - Please no fires, fireworks, open flames, or grills. Camp stoves are ok. 

Cash and credit - There will be ATM’s available on-site and all bars will only take credit sales. Individual vendors may only accept cash payments. 

Showers - While there are 2 shower locations on site, artists will have access to showers in Campground B. Locations available will be updated on site. 

Checklist

• Headlamps / flashlights
• The terrain is a little uneven, bring appropriate shoes
• Water or river shoes are helpful
• Bankcard or cash (there are ATMS onsite)
• Don’t forget the sunscreen and bug spray
• Fresh socks for every day
• Water bottle
• Coffee mug
• Plates and utensils (we have a washing station in food vending) 
• Warm clothes for night
• Chair for your camp
• Recycling system for your camp
• Bike if you are camping far from stages
• Snacks for camp

Shower price: 

• Artists: $5 
• General Admission: $9 

Show your wristband to the shower team to receive the reduced price. 

Please clean up after yourself and limit your showers to 5 minutes. It is costly to pump the tank.

Artist Lock Up

Electronics and valuables can be locked up at the festival site at the Artist Lounge area. Please connect with the artist relations team to secure your equipment.

Artist Lounge and Space Bar

Location: Close to the entrance of the forest behind the main stage and near the live art painters. The Artist Lounge is open 24 hours a day for artist information and a cup of tea and snacks. Only Artists and artist guests will be granted access to this area. 

Space Bar hours: Open from 3pm until 1:30am daily from Friday to Sunday (open on Thursday night from 4pm - 12am). Power will be available for computers and phone chargers. Wifi is not available on site, but almost all cell phones receive good service. Beverages are available for purchase and your complimentary drink tickets can be redeemed at the Space Bar or any of the bars on site. 

Happy Hours at Space Bar: Join us for complimentary snacks and beverages for artist happy hours on Saturday and Sunday starting at 7:30pm.

Happy Hours at Space Bar 

Join us for complimentary snacks and beverages for Artist Happy Hours on Saturday and Sunday starting at 6pm.

Artist merchandise will be sold at the General Store. Only artists who have pre-registered their merchandise before July 1 will be able to sell at the store. 

1. Sales to be split 80% to Artist 20% to Bass Coast.
2. Items can be dropped off at the general store between the windows of:
3. Thursday 6-8pm
4. Friday, Saturday, Sunday 9am-Noon OR 6-8pm

Please be prepared to spend 15 minutes with the general store managers Jess orSam to confirm the inventory count/prices on our consignment sheets.  If you need an alternate time,  please contact Jess / Sam directly  +1 (604)723-9254 / +1 (587) 340-3303.  No stock will be accepted without a signed consignment sheet.

     3)  Pick-ups will be available all day Monday 10am - 4pm.  

You will be given the consignment sheet showing your sales along with your remaining stock.  You will then be directed to the finance office where you will present your signed consignment sheet and be issued a cheque at that time.

Can I skip the line at Main Gate on Wednesday if I am an artist / in-house team / volunteer and already have my credentials?

No, there is no skipping the line on Wednesday for any artist / in-house team.

Beginning Thursday at 11AM artists / in-house team are able to skip the line at Main Gate if they have already checked in at the Staff Gate and have all their credentials.  

Drive past the entrance to the Main Gate line up and turn left behind the Main Gate Office.  Security will stop and search vehicles and check credentials.

Important Numbers

Production Manager: Anna Hilliar   

+1 (604) 726-4044 

anna@basscoast.ca

Production Manager Assistant: Jennafer Harkness 

+1 (604) 813-5405

productionassistant@basscoast.ca 

Artist Relations Manager and Onsite Artist Accommodations: Brian Aster 

+1 (250) 505-5992 (for onsite contact only)

Artist Transportation Managers: 

Jacqui Dempsey - PM Manager

+1 (604) 848-8615  

basscoasttransport@gmail.com (for pre-show and onsite contact)

Roger Yim - AM Manager

+1 (250) 354-8320 (for onsite contact only)

Jorge - Artist Relations After Hours

+1 (604) 767 - 9672 (for onsite contact only)

Directions

The festival site is located one mile southwest of the City of Merritt, BC, just off the Coquihalla Hwy. 

FROM KELOWNA

• Take Hwy BC-97C to Merritt
• Once in Merritt, continue through onto the Princeton - Kamloops Hwy BC-97C
• Turn left on COLDWATER Rd.
• Turn right onto POOLEY Rd.
• Turn left onto NEILSON St (gravel road). 
• Enter the festival site from the STAFF (east) GATE. 

FROM KAMLOOPS

• Take Hwy BC-5 S towards Merritt 
• Take exit #286 from the Coquihalla hwy and head towards Merritt City Center along Princeton-Kamloops Hwy BC-97C
• Turn left on COLDWATER Rd.
• Turn right onto POOLEY Rd.
• Turn left onto NEILSON St (gravel road) 
• Enter the festival site from the STAFF GATE. 

FROM VANCOUVER

• Take Hwy BC-1 and then Hwy BC-5 N towards Merritt
• Once in Merritt, take exit #286, keep right at the fork, and head towards Merritt City Center along Princeton-Kamloops Hwy BC-97C
• Turn left on COLDWATER Rd.
• Turn right onto POOLEY Rd.
• Turn left onto NEILSON St (gravel road). 
• Enter the festival site from the STAFF GATE. 

Drive 1km past Moon Shadows Campground at 1145 Neilson St, Merritt, BC

PLEASE DRIVE SLOWLY PAST MOON SHADOWS 15 km / hour.

Bass Coast Emergency Line: 1-672-699-6606

Festival FAQS

Online Schedule

Site Maps

Harm Reduction

Sustainability

Towards Equity

Bass Coast Harassment and Assault Policy

Bass Coast App