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Pemberton (Music) Festival: Some Tips and Hints to a Good Weekend
If you’re into new music at all, you’ve likely heard of the Pemberton Festival (not music festival for some reason), a three-day concert taking place in late July with a completely insane lineup. Coldplay, Jay-Z, The Tragically Hip, The Flaming Lips and Nine Inch Nails will all be there. And for some reason, sleepy Pemberton, British Columbia (population well less than 3,000) has been chosen as the site for this concert.
At this point, you can probably tell this post isn’t exactly snowboarding-related. But I thought I’d provide a few thoughts on the concert that might help concertgoers (or those thinking of going), given I have experience in many things related to Whistler and Pemberton.
First and foremost, I should say that I think this concert is going to kick ass. I think it’s going to kick ass not just because of the lineup; Pemberton is a beautiful village. There are mountains basically on all sides of Pemberton, and they never look the same. Just sitting outside and looking around is a majestic experience. So, if you’re looking forward to the scenery: you won’t be disappointed!
If you’re planning to head to the festival, the best way to get up there is by car or bus. Pemberton is about 20 minutes north of Whistler, and there’s virtually nowhere to stop in between the two places. Getting to Whistler by bus is fairly easy; check out our Whistler Guide for some recommended options. Getting from Whistler to Pemberton, though, is going to be a little tougher unless a shuttle situation is worked out (and I couldn’t find any information on one). Greyhound only runs a few buses daily, as does Whistler’s transit service; last time I went, both stopped around 9pm. Furthermore, there are very few taxis in Pemberton, and it’s so mind-bendingly expensive to get to Whistler that you only make the mistake of taking a cab once!
The bottom line here is: transportation will be a bigger issue than you think. Make sure you have it planned out beforehand.
If you’re not planning to camp at the site, you’ll want to look into Pemberton-area accomodations immediately (of which there will be few). You’ll likely want to look into staying in Whistler, and it looks like the resort is running some great promotions for rooms at reasonable rates (our Whistler Guide has some information on a few Whistler hotels). Again, though, make sure you have a plan for getting to and from Pemberton daily. Personally, if there’s a way to get to and from the concert every day, I’d stay in Whistler: there’s more bars, more restaurants, more hotels and generally more to do. It will also be much easier to get home!
If you do decide to stay in town, be warned that there are fewer bars and restaurants in town than I can count on my hands. Moreover, there are few stores for stuff like food. I’d recommend stopping in Squamish for your provisions before heading out on the final leg to Pemberton.
Anyway, this looks like a great time and a phenomenal show. I was thinking of going myself, but I’ll be camping too - back here in Ontario.
Discussion
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“And for some reason, sleepy Pemberton, British Columbia (population well less than 3,000) has been chosen as the site for this concert.”
The reason is the North American president of Live Nation (the promoter) lives here.
We’re all still trying to wrap our heads around it - and trying to figure out which bike trail will have the best view of the show!
No kidding. For real? That’s interesting, thanks for that.
I bet the locals are already scoping the best views for the show.
Cheers,
adam
Can you teach me to pemberton?
http://www.GoGreenShuttles.com
Go Green Shuttles has buses leaving every other hour from our central locations in both Vancouver and on the Pemberton Festival site. Our reserved seating system ensures you’re leaving when you need to with minimal line-ups waiting for your bus. Tickets are $70 return ($90 after July 10).