Photo: Photo/Kenneth Wong Bass Coast returned to Merritt for 12th year in a row July 11 to 14, bringing in 6,500 people. Every year, thousands of artists, festival goers, volunteers, vendors, and more flock to the Nicola Valley to attend Bass Coast. In addition to bringing in thousands of people, according to Bass Coast marketing manager Zan Comerford, Bass Coast generates $4 million to Merritt's economy.
The festival started back in 2009 in Squamish, B.C. drawing in 450 people.
After four years in Squamish, Bass Coast's attendees had outgrown the site that the festival was hosted on. "We were looking all over B.C.
for the perfect property, which is quite a challenge to find. And we're just very fortunate that this festival site had actually been here and unused for a few years,” said Bass Coast co-founder and music director Andrea Graham. "When we came here, we just thought it was in the perfect location, the grounds are just stunning, the river is beautiful,” said Graham.
"It was all of the things we were looking for and the town was very open and welcoming to us and they have continued to be right from day one in Merritt.” For Graham, her favourite part of the Nicola Valley is the people and the landscape. "It's been such a pleasure getting to know the different community members,” said Graham.
"I think I've always been surprised that for such a small town, there's so many creative people here, it looks like an industry town, but the core of it, there's a really be.