We do our best to provide you with all the information you need for a happy Festival. If the answer you seek is not in these pages, then just give us a call or send us an email.
When is the Advance ticket deadline?
What is the performance schedule for this year’s Festival?
I only want to see my favourite band. How much will it cost to see just them?
Where can I buy my tickets?
How can I pay for my tickets?
Where can I stay?
Where can I camp?
Where is Jericho Beach Park?
Where can I park?
How can I get to the Festival on public transit?
Is there somewhere safe I can lock my bike?
Where can I pick up my ticket order?
When are the gates open?
When do the concerts start?
I attend a post-secondary institution (college or university). Is there a discounted rate?
Can I come for one day?
Does the day ticket include the evening concert?
Can I come to the evening concert only?
Can I leave the Festival grounds and come back in?
What should I wear?
What kind of seating is there at the Festival?
Can I bring my dog?
Can I bring my own food?
Can I buy food and beverages at the Festival?
Will there be a craft market this year?
Can I bring my camera?
Who is a Festival neighbour?
What kinds of services are available for people with accessibility needs?
What are the dates of future Festivals?
When is the Advance ticket deadline?
The Advance ticket deadline is July 12th 2012 at 2pm. You can purchase your tickets using our on-line ticket system or by visiting a ticket outlet in person.
What is the performance schedule for this year’s Festival?
The 2012 Festival schedule is currently under construction but will be available shortly.
Evening Schedule
Daytime Schedule
I only want to see my favourite band. How much will it cost to see just them?
It will cost you the price of a day or evening ticket, depending on when your favourite band is scheduled.
The Festival strives to bring together a wide array of artists to our broad audience. Plus, our venue is all of Jericho Beach Park, not just a single stage. Your ticket gives you access to the entire site and all its seven stages making it pretty much impossible to see only one performer. This is your chance to catch not only your favourite band or one (wo)man show, but to discover some new ones as well. Once you’re here, one concert just isn’t enough!
Where can I buy my tickets?
You can purchase tickets in person, online, by phone, fax, or mail.
In Person:
VFMF Box Office
Suite 100 – 2425 Quebec Street
Vancouver, BC
(one block west of Main & Broadway)
You can also purchase from one of our authorized ticket outlets; more detailed information is available on our website under Ticket Information.
How can I pay for my tickets?
We accept VisaTM or MasterCardTM for purchases made over the phone through our VFMF Box Office. Cash is also accepted for in-person purchases through our VFMF Box Office.
InteracTM debit is not available this year.
If purchasing from one of our authorized ticket outlets, please contact them directly for their payment options.
Where can I stay?
The official hotel for the Vancouver Folk Music Festival is the Sandman Hotel Vancouver City Centre (180 West Georgia). They offer year-round special overnight rates for Festival audiences – more information can be found on our Accommodations page.
Where can I camp?
Because the Festival takes place in a public park, there is no camping allowed on site. You can contact Tourism Vancouver or Tourism BC to ask about camping options.
Where is Jericho Beach Park?
Jericho Beach Park is located off West 4th Avenue, just west of Alma St. Here’s a map.
Where can I park?
Available parking is very difficult to find, so we encourage patrons to come to the Festival via public transit or bike – or even on their own two feet! If you must travel by vehicle, follow the signs along West 4th Ave to Festival parking. Please don’t park in front of our neighbours’ homes or in other “no parking” areas. Violators are subject to towing. Please also consider offering or using The Vancouver Folk Music Festival Pick Up Pal to minimize vehicle usage during the Festival. More details on parking are available at the end of our Getting Here page.
How can I get to the Festival on public transit?
The #4 bus will take your directly to the Festival site. For more info, see our Getting Here page. You can also call Translink at 604-953-3333, visit the TransLink website, or try Google maps.
Is there somewhere safe I can lock my bike?
Yes, there is supervised bicycle parking available at the East Gate on West 4th Ave as well as near the West Gate for $2 per bike per day. Bikes cannot be brought onto the site. Please do not lock your bicycle to the perimeter fencing. Look more info here.
Where can I pick up my ticket order?
From now to July 12, 2012, tickets are available for pickup at the VFMF Box Office; from July 13th-15th tickets are available for pickup at the Festival site Will-Call. Only the ticket purchaser will be able to pick up tickets at the VFMF Box Office and the Festival site Will-Call. Government issued photo ID and the purchasing credit card are required at the time of pickup. Hours and additional information provided below. Questions? Call us at 604.602.9798.
VFMF Box Office
Suite 100 – 2425 Quebec Street
Vancouver, BC Canada
Tel: 604.602.9798
Hours:
Monday to Friday (until June 1st): 9:00am to 5:00pm
Monday to Saturday (June 2nd-July 12th): 9:00am to 5:00pm
Not able to stop by the VFMF Box Office to pick up your tickets? No problem! You can pick them up at the Festival site Will-Call.
Festival site Will-Call
East Gate off West 4th Avenue
Hours:
Friday: 2:30pm to 9:00pm
Saturday & Sunday: 9:00am to 9:00pm
When are the gates open?
East Gate (4th Ave):
Friday: 4:00pm – 9:00pm
Saturday & Sunday: 9:00am – 9:00pm
West Gate:
Friday: 4:30pm – 9:00pm
Saturday & Sunday: 9:30am – 9:00pm
Access Gate (patrons with disabilities/mobility issues only):
Friday: 4:00pm – 9:00pm
Saturday & Sunday: 9:00am – 9:00pm
Neighbour Gate (invitation only):
Friday: 4:30pm – 9:00pm
Saturday & Sunday: gate closed
Security is present at each gate should you require re-entry after 9:00pm.
When do the concerts start?
The Friday night concert starts at 5:00pm and ends at 11:00pm. Saturday and Sunday concerts begin at 10:00am and run to 11:00pm. For detailed information on a specific performer, take a look at our Daytime Schedule and Evening Schedule. Please respect our Festival neighbours by exiting the park quietly following each evening concert.
I attend a post-secondary institution (college or university). Is there a discounted rate?
Student rates are posted on our Ticket Information page. Students must present valid photo ID with their tickets at the Gates.
Can I come for one day?
Yes. You can purchase tickets for Friday night only, Saturday only, and Sunday only. Day tickets can be purchased in advance or at the gate.
Does the day ticket include the evening concert?
Absolutely.
Can I come to the evening concert only?
Tickets for the evening concerts are on sale at the Gates at 5pm the day of the show (Friday tickets are available in advance). Full details are on our Ticket Information page.
Can I leave the Festival grounds and come back in?
You will receive a wristband in exchange for your ticket. You may come and go as you wish until 11pm each day when you show your wristband at the gate. Please do not remove your wristband while you are in the Park. Weekend wristbands need to stay on your wrist for the full weekend.
What should I wear?
The Festival happens rain or shine, so wear weather-appropriate clothing: raincoats and jackets, etc., for wet days, hats and sunscreen, etc., for sunny days. You should bring a warm sweater for the evening concert as the stage is near the water and it can get chilly at night.
What kind of seating is there at the Festival?
The seating is on the lawn. You should bring a blanket or tarp to lay on the ground. Lawn chairs are permitted but the chair legs can be no taller than four and one-half inches (yes, that’s 4 1/2 inches or 11.5 cm). Chairs taller than this should be placed at the back or on the sides of concert venues in order not to block the view of others.
Can I bring my dog?
Sorry, but pets of any kind are not allowed on the Festival site with the exception of service animals. Please do not tie your dog to the fence or leave your pet in your car.
Can I bring my own food?
Yes, by all means. Please bring along your own cup or water bottle to refill on site. Please place your recyclables in the appropriate recycling bins on site and minimize the amount of garbage you leave behind. Please note that controlled drugs and alcohol are not permitted on the Festival grounds.
Can I buy food and beverages at the Festival?
Absolutely! Our Food Area has a great reputation among long-time Festival attendees who seem to come just as much for the food as they do the music. There is a wide variety of multicultural dishes and drinks available, from Aboriginal to Jamaican and Mediterranean to Thai cuisine. Plus Festival classics like hand-cut fries, roasted corn, and ice cream – something for every palate! Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options also available. Bottled water is not available for purchase on site; bring your own container and fill up with filtered water at the self-serve water stations courtesy watermatters.
The Vancouver Folk Music Festival is pleased to welcome back our official beer sponsor: Big Rock Brewery.
Will there be a craft market this year?
Yes! The Artisan Market will be back in the area of Stage 3 with lots of wonderful hand-crafted items to buy. Don’t forget to drop by the Festival Booth for souvenir mugs, hats, and lawn chairs. There are also 160 vendors in the Folk Bazaar along the beach.
Can I bring my camera?
Yes, you may bring your camera, however professional audiotape or video recording of concerts or workshops is not permitted.
Who is a Festival neighbour?
Our Neighbourhood boundaries are from the North side of 4th Avenue to English Bay, and from the East side of Trimble Street to the West side of Alma Road. There are more than 1,000 households in that area!
Our community committee (formerly known as the traffic committee) is a dedicated group of volunteers who work to reduce Festival impact on those who live near Jericho Beach Park. They deal with traffic and parking issues, assist people in leaving the area quickly and quietly at the end of each Festival day, and extend the invitation to our neighbours to come to the Festival on Friday evening as our guest. Neighbours of the Festival may contact us directly with any questions or concerns.
What kinds of services are available for people with accessibility needs?
We want to make it comfortable for people with accessibility needs to come to the Festival. The Access Services tent can be found west of the Artisan Market; Access Services volunteers can also be f0und throughout the Festival grounds.
Here’s what we offer:
- A vehicle drop-off area for people with disabilities.
- An Access Services gate dedicated exclusively to patrons with disabilities or mobility issues; advanced tickets are required for the use of the Access Services gate.
- Limited parking, for people with a designated Provincial Access Parking Permit, is located near the Access Services gate, at the west end of West 2nd Avenue, just left off Wallace Street.
- Site maps, a list of our services, and Braille and large-print versions of the performers’ schedules are available at the Access Services Gate on West 2nd Avenue and at the Main Gate on West 4th Avenue.
- There are ramped, accessible washrooms.
- On site assistance is available at the Access Services tent and the Access Services gate.
- Attendant ticket policy: when a person with a disability or mobility issue purchases a full-price ticket (weekend or day ticket) they may bring an attendant or companion at no charge.
- Seating for people with disabilities, and their companions, is available at a raised and covered platform located near the middle of the Evening Concert Stage audience.
- Roped off viewing areas for disabled patrons and their companions are located at most daytime stages.
- Wheelchairs may be borrowed from the Access Services tent where a private rest area is also available.
HandyDART service pick-ups and drop-offs will be located on the west end of West Second Avenue, at the Access Services gate. Please note: HandyDART service must be pre-booked; see the HandyDART website for more information.
What are the dates of future Festivals?
Here are the dates of Festival weekends in the future…
35th Annual Festival
13-15 July 2012
36th Annual Festival
19-21 July 2013
37th Annual Festival
18-20 July 2014
38th Annual Festival
17-19 July 2015
39th Annual Festival
15-17 July 2016
40th Annual Festival
14-16 July 2017
