What: Sunfest Country Music Festival featuring Keith Urban, Lee Brice, Thomas Rhett, Joe Nichols, Sam Hunt and more
When: Thursday through Sunday
Where: Cowichan Exhibition Society Fair Grounds, 7380 Trans-Canada Hwy.
Tickets: $75-$115 daily
Information: sunfestconcerts.com
To country-music fans in B.C., the four-day Duncan festival Sunfest is the big cheese. The top dog, the big kahuna.
A funny thing happened on the way to the B.C. Day long weekend, however. The family-friendly event has become a much-talked about destination for festival fans of all stripes. After a decade and a half, Sunfest is officially the biggest outdoor festival, regardless of genre, that Vancouver Island has to offer.
“This is a community,” said Emmalee Brunt, marketing and communications manager for Sunfest. “When we put something out on social media, or when we send out newsletters, the response is huge. People are very passionate about this festival, and that comes through quite strongly.”
Indeed it does. A four-day audience of more than 40,000 is expected to be on site at the Cowichan Exhibition Society Fair Grounds today through Sunday, about the same number as in a medium-sized municipality.
“It’s looking like a very good possibility that we could sell out for Saturday,” Brunt said. “Friday and Sunday have that potential, too.”
Given the size and scope of the event — which is headlined by country superstars Keith Urban, Lee Brice, Thomas Rhett, Joe Nichols and Sam Hunt — an extraordinary level of planning is in place to ensure the safety and satisfaction of Sunfest ticketholders.
Many of the 40,000 expected will be on site all four days, given that all 1,500 camping spots (which can accommodate up to eight people) have been scooped up in advance. Traffic flow to and from the site remains a huge priority for organizers, however.
Months were spent fine-tuning a transportation plan this year, Brunt said, including the expansion of the main gate, which can now process up to six vehicles simultaneously. That takes care of the festival-goers who arrive in a vehicle and stay. But also of importance was accommodating those who commute to and from the site for each day of programming, Brunt said.
A ride-share program through map-based web-classified service Hubl was implemented. As well, there is a comprehensive shuttle-bus program that will take attendees to and from the gate from three off-site parking points (Fuller Lake Arena, Island Savings Centre and directly across from the Cowichan Exhibition Society Fair Grounds).
Despite the concessions made to ease traffic, there is no easy way to shuttle tens of thousands of fans without some delays. Advance planning by ticketholders is key, Brunt said. “Have the realistic expectations that there will be some wait times.”
As for who is coming from where, the results are impressive. Country is a popular genre of music at the moment, and with the lineup Sunfest is sporting, it’s no surprise that fans are making the pilgrimage to Vancouver Island this week.
“We created a map of where people are buying tickets from, and it’s all over North America,” Brunt said. “The bulk of our tickets are definitely [bought] in B.C., but we have people coming from all across Canada and all across the States. We even have some sales in Europe.”
The majority of advance tickets have been sold, so the Sunfest festival team can predict the size of the audience, Brunt said. But with that knowledge comes a responsibility to pinpoint key areas in need of attention, she added.
Fire safety and waste are among the priorities. Those who accumulate excessive garbage at their campsites run the risk of a $200 cleanup fee and ejection from the event.
“A huge focus of ours is to reduce waste,” Brunt said. “That’s a big deal for all festivals, not only Sunfest. But it’s a safety concern, too. We have upped the number of garbage bins available. Be responsible and clean up after yourself.”
A roaming team will be on site to assist, and will distribute free water, food and sunscreen when needed. A marketplace and on-site field hospital are among the other amenities offered.
“If anybody gets hurt, we are able to take care of you.” Brunt said. “In theory, you should have everything you need. But we have shuttles to and from town all day long, so you can go into Duncan and purchase supplies if needed.”
Those day trips into town, where consumer dollars are spent, reverberate through the community.
Even those in the Duncan area who are not participating in Sunfest benefit from the financial spinoff. “What a lot of people aren’t aware of is how large the impact is that Sunfest brings to the Cowichan Valley and the Vancouver Island community,” Brunt said. “We had an economic impact study done, and it’s about a $5-million direct economic impact every year, which is huge. We are really affecting business in a positive way.”
More than $500,000 has been given back to local charities, non-profits and schools, some of the 40 groups Sunfest supports each year ($100,000 has been given to improve the Cowichan Exhibition Society Fair Grounds alone, Brunt said.)
“We’re not just a country-music festival. We’re only here for four days, but we employ people year-round, and have a big impact on the community. I think that’s pretty special.”
The buy-in is huge with Sunfest, no doubt. But the festival’s success is dependent upon fans and followers shouldering some of the responsibility. So far, so good, according to Brunt. Every year, organizers hear from fans saying Sunfest is their favourite festival. That will continue if fans follow a few simple rules, she added.
“Be a good neighbour and take care of each other. Come here, have a good time, but be respectful of the land.”
Sunfest lineup includes must-see performers
There ain’t no party like a country party, so buckle your seatbelt if you’re heading to Sunfest this weekend.
The hugely popular festival is one of the best at showing its guests a good time, which bodes well for the 30-plus artists on stage during the four-day funfest. With so many choices, keep an eye out for these must-see musical acts.
1. Bucko and Toad (Thursday, 6:20 p.m.). Kenn and Kelly Coutu, a Victoria husband-and-wife duo, are rolling big-time, having just released the video for their hit Any Excuse. The duo (who are signed to 604 Records, the one-time home of Kenn Coutu’s former project, Armchair Cynics) are set to release their debut next year, and with help from producer Tavish Crowe (who co-wrote Carly Rae Jepsen’s Call Me Maybe), expect to hear plenty more from the couple in the future.
2. Washboard Union (Saturday, 6:20 p.m.). The Vancouver group recently released its sophomore outing, In My Bones, which was recorded in Nashville with some of the top session players Music City has to offer. The result is a six-song blast of classic country, which layers high-lonesome harmonies on top of expert bluegrass picking. When you put pop sensibilities together with washboard, banjo and acoustic guitars, it’s impossible not to like the result.
3. Keith Urban (Saturday, 9:50 p.m.). Making mention of one of the biggest stars in country music today might seem like an afterthought, but there’s quite a bit even passing fans don’t know about Urban. The American Idol judge’s best-kept secret is his guitar ability, which counts as considerable. He’s a looker, indeed — but don’t let his baby blues keep you from digging deeper. Urban is the complete package.
4. Sam Hunt (Sunday, 7:50 p.m.). The sleeper of Sunfest is no newbie, with YouTube view counts for singles Take Your Time (34 million), Leave the Night On (26 million) and House Party (10 million) that put him in the realm of the elite entertainers. Hunt, a former college football quarterback, has drawn some criticism for fusing country with pop and hip-hop. No matter. Hunt is liable to be the hit of the festival, and not just with female fans.
5. Thomas Rhett (Sunday. 9:50 p.m.). There’s a distinct twang in the voice of Rhett, who doesn’t hide his Southern roots for the sake of a crossover hit. The native of Valdosta, Georgia — whose father, Rhett Atkins, co-wrote Blake Shelton’s No. 1 hit Boys ’Round Here — has succeeded on his own terms. While the 25-year-old is still developing, he’s a promising newcomer, having co-written Round Here, a No. 1 hit for Florida Georgia Line.
