Updated: June 3/2011.
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?
The Advance ticket deadline is July 14th (2011) at 2pm. You can purchase your tickets on-line from our Ticket system.
What is the performance schedule?
The July-2011 schedule is under construction. But if you would like to see an example, check out the 2009 evening schedule or download the entire (2009) weekend program here.
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.
It’s important to understand that this is a festival and not a concert venue. It isn’t possible to see just one performer, not only because of the way the site is built, but because once you’re there, one concert is not enough! There is only one venue: Jericho Beach Park and your ticket gives you access to the entire site and all its seven stages, not just one stage or one performer. Part of what the Festival aims to do is bring together a wide array of artists to the greatest number of people. This is your chance not only to see your favourite performer, but to discover some new ones as well.
Where can I buy my tickets?
You can purchase tickets in our office, over the phone, by mail, and by fax.
Our store front Box Office is located at:
415 Dunsmuir Street (on the main floor of the 411 Seniors building)
Vancouver, BC
(between Richards and Homer Streets)
Or purchase online via our Ticket system. You can also purchase from one of our outlets. You can find more detailed information on our website at Ticket Information.
How can I pay for my tickets?
If you purchase over the phone from our offices, you can pay by VisaTM or MasterCardTM. If purchasing in person at our offices you can also use cash.
InteracTM debit is not available this year.
If purchasing from one of our 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?
We encourage patrons to come to the Festival via public transit or bike. Available parking is very difficult to find. 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 minimise vehicle usage during the Festival. There’s more details on parking 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 site. For more info, see our Getting Here page. You can also call Translink at 604-953-3333 or visit the TransLink website.
Is there somewhere safe I can lock my bike?
Yes, there is supervised bicycle parking available at the East Gate on West 4th Ave. Bikes cannot be brought onto the site. Please do not lock your bicycle to the perimeter fencing. Look more info here.
I bought my tickets over the phone. Where can I pick them up?
Vancouver Folk Festival Box Office
415 Dunsmuir Street (main floor)
Vancouver, BC Canada
Tel: 604.602.9798
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm. Beginning June 5th, we will also be open on Saturdays from 9am to 5pm – until July 10th.
Please call us first at 604-602-9798 to make sure your order is ready, and that someone will be here to assist you. Any tickets that are not picked up by July 14th (2011) will be taken to Will-Call at the East Gate (off West 4th Avenue) and held under the purchaser’s name. Please bring photo identification and your credit card to claim your tickets. Will-Call opens at 3:30pm on Friday and 9:00am on Saturday and Sunday.
When do the gates open?
Friday at 4pm; Saturday and Sunday at 9am.
When do the concerts start?
Friday night the concert starts at 5pm and ends at 11pm. On Saturday and Sunday, the concerts start at 10am and end at 11pm. Please leave the park quietly so as not to disturb the Festival’s neighbours.
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 guide dogs. 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 food available, from hotdogs and candy to falafels and ice cream – something for every palate. We will not be selling bottled water on site – bring your own container and fill up with filtered water at the self-serve water stations courtesy of watermatters.
The Vancouver Folk Music Festival is pleased to welcome back Big Rock Brewery, our official beer sponsor along with Tinhorn Creek Winery.
Will there be a craft market this year?
The Art Market Area will be back in the area of Stage 3 with lots of wonderful things 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 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!
Beginning many years ago as the Traffic Committee, there has been a group of volunteers dedicated to reducing as much as possible the impact of the Festival on those who live near the Park. Now that committee is called Community. They deal with traffic and parking issues, work with our neighbours to deal with other Festival issues each year, help people leave the area quickly and quietly at the end of each day and also extend the invitation to our neighbours to come to the Festival Friday evening as our guests. If you are a neighbour of the Festival and have questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact us.
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. Universal Access Services can be found west of the Arts Market Area, or be on the lookout for one of our volunteers wearing the universal wheelchair symbol on the back of their t-shirts.
Here’s what we offer:
- An automobile drop-off area for people with disabilities.
- Limited parking for people who have a parking permit for designated parking spots is located near the west end of West 2nd Avenue, just left off Wallace Street. You must have advance tickets to use this entrance;
- Site maps and a list of our services are available at the Disabled Access Entrance on West 2nd Avenue and at the East Gate on West 4th Avenue
- Braille and large-print versions of the performers’ schedules are available at both these gates.
- There are ramped, accessible washrooms.
- On site assistance is available from the Universal Access Committee.
- A two-for-one ticket policy applies if you bring your attendant/companion and purchase one full-price weekend ticket or one full-price day ticket, in advance or at the gate.
- Seating for people with disabilities is available in front of the Evening Concert Stage and a raised, covered platform is located near the middle of the Evening Concert Stage crowd.
- Roped off viewing areas for disabled patrons are located at most daytime stages.
- Evening concerts will be interpreted in American Sign Language.
- Wheelchairs may be borrowed from the Universal Access Services tent where a private rest area is also available.
HandiDART service pick-ups and drop-offs will be located on the west end of West Second Avenue, at the Disabled Access Entrance.
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
36th Annual Festival
14-16 July 2017
