For another year, a plot of land off Highway 16 between Terrace and Prince Rupert takes the form of Valhalla.
Since 2018, Valhalla Fest, an electronic music festival, has been bringing people from around the northwest to an area just outside of Terrace to camp and dance. Taking just a one year break due to COVID-19 restrictions in 2020.
Erinn McPherson, director of the festival, says it all started with events for a home brewing group called the Misty Mountain Mashers; from there, connections were made and the brainstorming started.
Organizers decided to make it their own by incorporating a prevalent Nordic motif based on their lineage. Multiple locations now hold names associated with Nordic legends, such as the headline stage holding the title of Asgard, and a large awning at the entrance symbolizing the gates to Valhalla.
The festival aims to respect the Indigenous lands it takes place on by enforcing a “pack it in, pack it out” rule referring to garbage, and a ban on headdresses that mimic feathered war bonnets.
McPherson says the goal was to bring the feeling of festivals like Shambhala and Burning Man to the people of the northwest. That feeling seems to resonate mostly with women between the ages of 28 to 50 according to McPherson.
“It’s a very interesting demographic and it’s not the standard demographic that you see at electronic music festivals,” McPherson said of the demographic, which they say normally consists of a younger adult crowd.
Along with that, despite not being child-oriented, McPherson says they wanted to make the event family friendly, establishing a family camp and incorporating different activities for kids.
“It’s really nice to give everybody a chance to get back and enjoy the kind of music they got to listen to in the ’90s but haven’t really gotten the chance to experience since then,” McPherson said of the family friendly aspect that may include parents who experienced the original electronic dance music (EDM) trend of the 1990s.
This year’s lineup includes 42 different musical acts, artists displaying their works around the site, and attendees who wish to participate can host free workshops of their choosing.
As in previous years, the festival is held the weekend after the summer solstice: this year’s Valhalla Festival will take place from June 23-25.
Listen to the CFNR story below:
