Bass Coast is making a return to Merritt.
Organizers made the official announcement on Nov. 8 that the event, which draws in thousands of festival-goers every year, will run from July 8-11, 2022.
“We are grateful to announce our collective return to Merritt, British Columbia, for Bass Coast Festival 2022,” said Bass Coast founders, Andrea Graham and Liz Thomson. “We are eternally thankful to our attendees for the patience shown over the past 18 months. This is the reunion we have all been waiting for.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bass Coast has been put on hiatus since 2019, much like Merritt’s other major festival, the country-themed Rockin’ River.
Merritt Mayor Linda Brown threw her support behind the return of both festivals in a recent letter.
The 2021 iteration of Bass Coast was officially put on hold in April of this year. Tickets already purchased will be honoured for the 2022 festival.
Though the full lineup is yet to be determined, 150 performers are expected for the festival, across four stages, and including 50 interactive art installations.
“The winding Coldwater River and stunning landscape of the Nicola Valley are the idyllic settings for this thoughtfully curated experience,” reads a press release.
The theme of “Future Deco” that was originally planned for the cancelled 2020 event remains in place for 2022. It is set to be a mix of a nod to the aesthetics of the 1920s and the future century.
“Each theme has surprised us as it unfolds and takes on a life of its own in the hands of the community,” said Thomson. “It’s relevance always surpasses our original intentions, and the way Future Deco has merged with current events is no exception.”
Tickets for the event go on sale on Nov. 22.
