An Insider’s Guide to Wicked Woods Music Festival 2022

by Jake Williams · April 18, 2022

Wicked Woods, an intimate electronic music festival in British Columbia, is gearing up for its 12th edition next month. The event will return to the heart of the Columbia Valley—a region in the Rocky Mountain Trench, minutes away from the Fairmont Hot Springs—from May 26th to 28th.

Whether it’s your first time attending or you’re coming back for more, we’ve come up with a comprehensive insider's guide with everything you need to know ahead of Wicked Woods 2022. We’re here to help you figure out what to bring, where to find the festival, how to navigate the grounds and more.

Packing Guide

In case you spend a little too much time planning your outfits and forget about the rest, here's a reminder. From the essentials to the little things, check out Wicked Woods' recommended packing list and overview of prohibited items.

Insider's tip #1: “Bring more socks than you think you need, and always an extra pair of shoes," says Cassiopeia, Team Lead of Social Media and Photography. "Try and have day shoes and evening shoes, that way if one pair gets wet, they can hopefully dry while wearing other pairs."

Insider's tip #2: “Bring outfits with layers," adds Phoenix Crowther, a festival patron. "The temperature will be changing constantly and there’s nothing worse than being too cold or smothered by your outfit.”

Prohibited Items:

Anything that can be considered a weapon
Open flames
Glass
Pets
Drug paraphernalia
Illegal substances
Alcohol
Laser pointers
Aerial drones/UAVs
Renegade Stages
Bad Vibes
Any items that could pose a potential safety or security risk to any staff or guests.

On that note, here is the Wicked Woods Music Festival Code of Conduct as well as the Code of Conduct for volunteers and crew members.

Insider's tip #3: "Keep your basic needs at the top of your priority list," says Melissa, Team Lead at Sanctuary and Harm Deduction. "H2O, EAT, SLEEP, they all keep you energized, excited, emotionally regulated, present, and rave ready.”

Festival Grounds

Now that you know what to bring and what not to bring, let's take a closer look at where you will be spending the weekend. As mentioned above, Wicked Woods is located in the Columbia Valley, roughly four minutes North of Fairmont Hot Springs, BC at 3901 Kootenay Hwy 93/95.

Parking and Camping

There are four zones where you can safely park your vehicle for the duration of the festival.

1. Juniper Lot (Car/truck & RV passes are sold out)
2. Raven Lot (Car/truck & RV passes are sold out)
3. Hidden Ridge (Car/truck passes available)
4. Free Parking

To park in the Juniper Lot, Raven Lot, or Hidden Ridge, you must purchase a parking pass. These three zones are where you are able to camp with your vehicle or RV. It is important to note that RV passes are sold out and there will not be any more available before or at the event.

If you have purchased an RV pass, you do not need to purchase a car/truck pass for your towing vehicle unless you require your towing vehicle to be with your camp. You can park your towing vehicle in the Free Parking zone after you get yourself situated.

Car and truck passes are still available for the Hidden Ridge camping zone. No camping is allowed in Free Parking, so you will have to park and hike your gear in. But don't fret, it is a short 15 minute walk from one end of the grounds to the other, with well-lit walking trails.

Glamping

Wicked Woods offers Glamping. Designed for two people, the Glamping Camp package includes a fully set-up, five-meter diameter bell tent, a queen-sized mattress with basic linens, mirror, table and a water jug. A parking pass is included with the package, but a festival ticket is not.

You can take a look at the Wicked Woods festival grounds below.

Insider's tip #4: “The location is unprecedented," Cassiopeia says. "The grounds overlook the Windermere Valley, surrounded by mountains, incredible sunrises, and stunning sunsets. Two of the stages are surrounded by forest and trees, and one overlooks the valley as well."

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The Stages at Wicked Woods

Wicked Woods 2022 will comprise three nights of music from 130 performers. Its three stages are The Hallow, Ursus, and The Unicorn Lounge.

The Hallow

The Hallow stage is a crooked cabin in the woods, surrounded by forest. This year, The Hallow is set to host performances from Stylust, Neon Steve, The Funk Hunters, JPOD and more. Prepare to be anchored to the sacred land and have your senses heightened by thoughtfully curated acts from across the globe.

Insider's tip #5: "There are so many local Canadian artists, as well as a couple bigger names, and because of the local talent, so many people know so many others, and it really does feel like one giant reunion," Cassiopeia says. "Wicked Woods is more than a festival, it’s a family."

The Hallow is powered by PK Sound, with visionary productions courtesy of INEO Studios.

Ursus

The Ursus stage is situated just outside of the forest, overlooking the Columbia Valley. According to the website, "Ursus invites you to take part in our celebration of all things wood and wicked, with live acts of all shapes and sizes."

Catch performances from the Lazy Syrup Orchestra, Jodie B, Five Alarm Funk and others here. On Saturday, Ursus will host a yoga class at 10AM, as well as the fashion show at 4PM, among other activities.

Insider's tip #6: “Wicked Woods is a must attend for music fans because we host artists that are also your good friends, and that are more than happy to meet up and dance with you,” says Ryan Frampton, Ursus' Stage Manager.

The Unicorn Lounge

Wicked Woods Music Festival 2019 — The Unicorn Lounge stage at Wicked Woods in 2019.
Britt Rose

Living up to its name, The Unicorn Lounge invites festival patrons to experience an uplifting, colourful space. Here, you are invited to express your inner Unicorn. Benanas, Burchill, Ben Fox, Fort Knox Five, RUMPUS, Average Citizens and many more will bring the lounge to life this year.

Insider's tip #7: “Don’t forget the filtered ear plugs,” says Cory DP, Stage Production Volunteer.

The Unicorn Lounge is powered by Sleazy Listening Sound.

Who's playing at Wicked Woods 2022?

Insider's tip #8: “I have discovered so many artists and styles of music by going to Wicked Woods," Phoenix Crowther admits. "While the lineup is appealing, I’m not there specifically for a certain artist. I’m there for the whole experience, and to see artists I may have never heard of before. And wouldn’t have a chance to see anywhere else.”

You can check out the full lineup by day below.

WICKED WOODS 2022 LINEUP: THURSDAY, MAY 26TH

Lineup for May 26th, day 1 of Wicked Woods 2022.

WICKED WOODS 2022 LINEUP: FRIDAY, MAY 27TH

Lineup for May 27th, day 2 of Wicked Woods 2022.

WICKED WOODS 2022 LINEUP: SATURDAY, MAY 28TH

Lineup for May 28th, day 3 of Wicked Woods, 2022.

Wicked Woods Tickets

Tickets from the postponed event, originally scheduled for September 2021, are honoured for the upcoming Wicked Woods Music Festival from May 26th to 28th, 2022. A very limited amount of tickets remain for the May event. For more information or to purchase tickets, navigate here.

FOLLOW WICKED WOODS:

Website: wickedwoods.ca
Facebook: facebook.com/wickedwoodsmusicfestival
Instagram: instagram.com/wickedwoodsmusicfestival