Blizzard Music Festival Returns to Rossland
By Valerie Rossi
A sound storm is on the horizon this month in Rossland, where Blizzard Music Festival is once again bringing top talent to the alpine city.
The eclectic Canadian music festival is back by popular demand for its 12th year, spanning four days – Jan. 25 to 28, 2023 – and coinciding with Rossland Winter Carnival. The small yet mighty event is packed with an exciting variety of artists and tickets are going fast.
Hosting venues are selected to strike a harmonious chord with different artists, ranging from the iconic outdoor Olaus Ice Palace to intimate settings like the Lily May Room and The Alpine Grind. Larger venues include the historic Miners’ Hall, The Legion, and The Flying Steamshovel, all ready for the festival’s comeback after a two-year hiatus due to pandemic closures and restrictions.
“Blizzard Music Fetival’s goal is to be as inclusive as possible,” says Coordinator Daniel D’Amour. “We’re not catering solely to rock or punk – though we do have Edmonton’s Choke and Old Wives on deck. Festival-goers can expect an eclectic lineup featuring everything from folk/Americana to punk, electronic, and funk,” he says.
“The mandate is to provide a variety of all music stylings, with an emphasis on Canadian content. There’s truly something for everyone to enjoy.”
The diverse lineup includes high-energy performances from The Pack A.D., a garage rock duo from
Vancouver, The Evergreen Afrodub Orchestra, an eight-piece infectious horn band from Spokane, WA, and western Canadian and resident Shambhala DJ Stickybuds, mashing genres, acapellas and tempo changes with live turntablism. Other much-anticipated acts include folk headliners Under the Rocks from Kelowna and Sam Lynch from Vancouver, the resurrected Rossland superband The Tuques (featuring band members Jonny Provencal and Gabe Gaudet, the festival’s founding fathers), and nationally renowned Kootenay duo Moontricks laying it down in two back-to–back shows.
“After Moontricks sold out immediately, we secured them for another show, jump-starting the festival a day early,” says D’Amour. “They’re the quintessential Kootenay sound. If you ask me what that sound is, I would say newgrass/bluegrass banjo rock and roll mixed with electronic music.”
With 70 per cent of the music representing Canadian sound – Stubbs and The, Giant Water Bug, Liz Arnason, and Jonny Bono Dudar to name a few more local favourites – the goal is to attract international variety for the remaining 30 per cent, bringing culture and diversity to Rossland to expose residents and visitors to new music and all around good times. This year’s Blizzard Music Festival, presented by The Flying Steamshovel, is amped to add another layer of excitement to a popular weekend of tradition and community pride.
“If there’s one weekend of the year you want to come to Rossland, it’s Winter Carnival and Blizzard Fest weekend,” says D’Amour. “There are so many things happening and, in terms of the visitor experience, you’re coming to see what Rossland is like in its element.”
The festival wouldn’t be possible without the Provincial Government (B.C. Fairs, Festivals and Events
Recovery Fund), the City of Rossland, Tourism Rossland and Phillips Brewing and Malting Co., the event’s signature beer sponsor.
As in past years, weekend passes do not apply to smaller venue events with limited capacity (Lily May Room and The Alpine Grind). Weekend passholders are encouraged to pick up their wrist bands a week early at the Steamshovel to eliminate waits. The Festival is paperless, with digital tickets, ticket transfer, and resale options all available at https://www.blizzardmusicfest.ca/tickets. For more information, check out https://www.blizzardmusicfest.ca.
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