You move to the rhythm, keeping time with the persistent, resonating thump. Lights scan from overhead; tie-dyed shirts and bright beach balls are highlights of the wave it illuminates below.

You’re part of it, bobbing with the rest, lost in the moment in the sea of a Kootenay summer music festival.

You’d be hard pressed to find a better setting for a music festival than here in the Kootenays. Mountains surrounding stages reverberate beats back to festival goers, while the region’s valleys, lakes & rivers carry the sounds kilometres beyond.

Itching for a tie-dye infused road trip? Here are a list of the major music festivals to groove to this summer (listed by date):

AMISSA Festival (Meadow Creek, BC)
DATES: June 10-12, 2022
Genres: Variety (International & DJs)
~ Past Artists
~ 2022 Line Up  

AMISSA featured international acclaimed artists as well as some of the finest DJs and producers from Western Canada and the Kootenays. This grassroots event combines the love of art, music and the outdoors. The directors pride themselves on curing a solid music line up coupled with local visual artists and venders.

Symphony on the Mountain (Kimberley, BC)
DATES: July 8-9, 2022
Genres: Classical
~ Past year’s performance was a scaled down orchestra, in 2022 they hope the entire orchestra will perform.

Symphony of the Kootenays will perform at the Kimberley Alpine Resort, at the lower level of the mountain (so that more people can attend) on July 9.  A Gala will be held, at the top of the mountain,  a day in advance of the full concert (July 8). 

Steamboat Mountain Music Festival (Edgewater, BC)
DATES: July 8-10, 2022
Genres: Variety (Blues, Country, Folk, Swing & more)
~ Past Performers
~ 2022 Line Up (coming soon)

This family-friendly, down-home music festival is hosted by the small community (population 437) of Edgewater, BC.  The event begins with several ‘Porch Parties’ around the town on the Friday evening, followed by live performances on Saturday and music workshops on Sunday.

Summer Sounds & Dancing in the Park (Cranbrook, BC)
Dates: July 9 to August 27, 2022 (Session Series)
Generes: All 
~ Past Performers
~ 2022 Line Up

Over the last decade, Summer Sounds has drawn together thousands of people at Rotary Park in Cranbrook to see and hear the best local music the region has to offer.

Starbelly Jam Music (Crawford Bay, BC)
Session Series in 2022
Genres: Variety (Bluegrass, Electronic, Folk, Rock, Reggae/Ska, Samba & more)
~ Past Performers
~ 2022 Live Music Session Series

Coordinated by a community-minded group, this festival was started to celebrate how wonderful it all is and has become the cultural event of the year for the East Shore of Kootenay Lake.

Shambhala Music Festival (Salmo, BC)
DATES: July 22-25, 2022
Genres: Electronic
~ Past Artists
~ 2022 Line Up  

Shambhala may hold the record as Canada’s biggest electronic music festival. The heart of the festival are ‘the people’ who flock annually to rub shoulders with 17,000 colourfully-clad music lovers.

Kaslo Jazz Etc. Festival (Kaslo, BC)
DATE: July  29 – August 1, 2022
Genres: Variety (Blues, Bluegrass, Funk, Indie, Jazz, Rock, Soul & more)
~ Past Performers
~ 2022 Line Up

The festival’s floating stage helps turn the area into a natural amphitheatre. Built within Kaslo Bay Park, the stage is situated so sounds from the performers reverberate against a mountain backdrop, amplifying the music to festival-goers who either swim or paddle around the stage or listen from along the sandy shoreline.

Shambhala Music Festival (Salmo, BC)
DATES: July 22-25, 2022
Genres: Electronic
~ Past Artists
~ 2022 Line Up  

Shambhala may hold the record as Canada’s biggest electronic music festival. The heart of the festival are ‘the people’ who flock annually to rub shoulders with 17,000 colourfully-clad music lovers.

Homecoming Concert (Fort Steele Heritage Town, BC)
Date: July 23, 2022
Artist: Dean Brody

Dean Brody is coming HOME! …and back to Fort Steele Heritage Town to show you the event of your summer. We can’t wait to celebrate with you, dance to some great music, watch the sunlight hit Fisher Peak just right, and share laughter with friends.

Wapiti Music Festival (Fernie, BC)
DATES: 10 ANNUAL, August 5-6, 2022 
Genres: Indie
~ Past Performers
~ 2022 Line Up  

This festival has a focus on delivering a curated experience of the best Indie Rock bands from across Canada. Previous acts who have played Wapiti includes July Talk, Black Pistol Fire, The Strumbellas, Yukon Blondie, Elliott Brood, Wintersleep and Shred Kelly.

Flats Music Festival (Canal Flats, BC)
Dates: 5th ANNUAL, August 19-20, 2022
Genres: Country
~ 2022 Line Up

Flats Fest was established in 2017 in this friendly little Village as the perfect location for an outdoor music festival, where attendees can take in the breathtakingly beautiful surroundings while enjoying entertainers on 2 separate stages.  The family-friendly event started out as a 1 day event that has evolved into three days.

Peak Music Festival (Cranbrook, BC)
Dates: September 2-3, 2022
Genres: All
~ 2022 Line Up

Since it’s 2018 debut in Cranbrook, this annual performing arts celebration has been well received as a crescendo of the outdoor music season by area artists, citizens, and visitors. The festival’s theme focusses on a rich variety of Kootenay performing artists like a harvest festival celebrates the bounty of the growing season.

Tiny Lights Festival (Ymir, BC)
DATES: 10 ANNUAL, September 2-4, 2022
Genres: Indie (Independent Canadian)
~ Past Performers
~ Festival Sustainability
~ 2022 (Event Sold Out)

Part of what makes ‘Tiny Lights’ so unique is their tiny size, performances are intimate – bursting with stellar talent and interested humans.

Visit our Event Calendar to find out about all of the musical events happening in the Kootenay Rockies this summer.

Cover/Top photo courtesy of the Kaslo Jazz Festival.