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Getting immersed in the expansive world of British Columbia’s Bass Coast
Deep in the Rocky wilderness, Bass Coast celebrated its 17th edition with a sweeping roster of global bass aficionados. Take a look inside the 2025 edition of the theatrical electronic music and art festival
When Bass Coast first began some 17 years ago, founders Andrea Graham and Liz Thompson couldn’t have suspected the sheer impact it would have on the local dance music scene in British Columbia. A festival that’s one half music and the other half art, with its two founders specialising in each respective side, Bass Coast has grown to welcome some 6,000 people each year. And while it’s still billed an intimate, boutique event, it’s far from the 450-cap attendance it brought to Squamish in 2009. Just a few miles away now in Merritt, the festival continues to bring global bass music favourites to the distant corner of the Canadian Rockies each year, set against a backdrop of sprawling mountains and the winding Coldwater River.
“We initially started Bass Coast by throwing some small parties with our friends. That planted the seed for us – the purpose was to create a platform for all of our talented friends, and book international artists from all over the world, bringing them up together,” explains Andrea. “We both gravitated towards hearing nice soundsystems outside, so right from the beginning, we always had great sound,” adds Liz. “A lot of the people who were involved in those original events and the first Bass Coast have stayed with us all 17 years.”
Bringing together both local talent and global stars is a balance Bass Coast strikes with ease, this year enlisting the likes of British Columbia-based fan favourites such as Smalltown DJs, OAKK, and Destrata, to international heroes including Madam X, Conducta, Rosa Pistola, Sally C, and Bradley Zero. But it’s not an easy choice booking in talent each year, Andrea notes — there’s hundreds of artists to choose from out of a pool of entrants who strive to perform at Bass Coast every year. “We like to have three different directions of music on the stages at any given time, so one will be more bass-driven, one might be more house and techno, and one will be fun, party-time vibes.”
Outside of Bass Coast’s four main stages, there’s a thoughtfully curated art programme spanning the festival site featuring more than 50 installations – each one interactive in some capacity. Live art performances, on-site games, roaming performers, and DIY audio shows all bring a playful edge to the festival. “Every single piece engages the viewer in some way, some are reactive, some have audio components, some are games. Right now, we’re finding more and more artists from all over the world,” Liz says.
Get immersed in this year’s Bass Coast Festival as we take a look back at the best photos from 2025.
