From Cabin Conversations to Cultural Phenom: The Evolution of ValhallaFest

In November 2017, amidst the quiet solitude of a snow-bound cabin, artists and event organizers Erinn McPherson, Issa Ullman, Jordie Laidlaw, and Ray Pedersen conceived the idea of presenting a new EDM music festival. Acknowledging the challenges ahead, they aimed to create a memorable community event while striving to minimize financial losses.

Today, ValhallaFest, the now-annual EDM festival, offers an inclusive celebration of music, art, and community, nestled within and inspired by the lush embrace of Terrace. What started as a modest gathering has transformed into a beacon of creativity and camaraderie, drawing over 1,200 annual attendees from all corners of B.C., Canada, and beyond.

Core to the Festival’s sustainability has been Creative BC’s Live Music program, which provides funding for live music events, concert series, and festivals throughout the Province of BC. Through its annual investments, the program incentivizes sustainable live event production, provides vital funding for B.C.-based musicians and music professionals, and drives quantifiable economic impact province-wide.

The Live Music program’s support over the past year, in particular, has proven integral to ValhallaFest’s continued success during what has been an ongoing period of precarity and recovery for festivals, presenters, and arts organizations of all sizes. Live Music funding in 2023/24 enabled Festival organizers to invest in Ageha, a new stage for live music events with upgraded electrical and operational components. The heightened capabilities of this infrastructure enable Festival organizers to meet the technical requirements associated with presenting more sophisticated acts, increase the total number of acts that can be programmed, while also easing the operational burdens of producing a large and complex festival in a remote locale.

Underpinning ValhallaFest’s values is the commitment to delivering an unparalleled experience for artists and audiences alike. For the Festival’s organizers, these values stem not from a calculation of profit margins – but, rather, from the quality of each facet of the Festival ethos. Sound, lighting and other production values are considered equally alongside safety, inclusion, and community impact. This attention to inclusive detail has earned a reputation for ValhallaFest as one of the largest and most successful EDM festivals in Northern B.C., mentioned in the same breath as other events like Shambhala, the Bass Coast Festival, Rifflandia, and others.

Yet, beyond the pulsating beats, light works, and increasing crowds that reflect these continued aspirations for momentum and growth, ValhallaFest is ultimately a testament to the close-knit community. The residents of Terrace have embraced the festival as their own, and consider it a source of civic pride that fosters social bonds and ignites passions for music and musicians from all walks of life.

From humble beginnings to a thriving celebration of music and art, ValhallaFest represents a testament to the power of passion and perseverance on both individual and community levels. As ValhallaFest looks to the future, the vision extends far beyond the confines of a single event. With over 150 dedicated volunteers in any given year and a demonstrated commitment to sustainable operations, the festival intends to be a permanent fixture in Terrace’s cultural landscape.

The 2024 ValhallaFest runs from June 28 – 30, 2024, in Terrace, B.C.

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Photo credits: ValhallaFest