If you like music then check out the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival on the lawns of Deer Lake Park on August 11th in 2018.

The one-day event attracts great bands and up to 5000 people.

Deer Lake Music Festival

In 2018 the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival is on Saturday, August 11th.

The headliner band in 2017 was Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, and other great bands included Matt Andersen, Sue Foley, Leeroy Stagger, Jesse Roper, Murray Porter, Little Miss Higgins, Jesse Waldman, and Kaya Kurz.

In 2018 the headliner band is Nathanial Rateliff & the Night Sweats.

Shipped Waterfront Festival

Also on August 11, 2018, there is another great music festival happening in the Lower Mainland. North Vancouver’s Shipped Waterfront Festival is a free event and groups playing there include Humans, Manatee Commune and many other fabulous bands. Check it out!

About the Festival

The Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival takes place at Deer Lake Park in central Burnaby not far from the City Hall and Burnaby Village Museum. The park is a beautiful venue, and the festival features three different stages, a market, food vendors and (very importantly) beer and wine service.

2018 Concert Lineup

Performers at the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival in 2018 include the following:

• Amythyst Kiah – the southern Gothic singer entertains from 3:00 until 3:30 pm.
• Begonia – the Winnipeg-based singer is on stage from 3:45 to 4:15 pm.
• The Suffers – the soul band from Texas performs from 4:30 to 5:15 pm.
• Nikki Lane – the Nashville singer hits the stage from 5:35 to 6:20 pm.
• The Rural Alberta Advantage – the folk group performs from 6:45 to 8:00 pm.
• Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats – the Denver Colorado-based group finishes the night from 8:30 to 10:00 pm.

Things to Take and Leave at Home

There are a number of things that the festival recommends you bring to the event, as well as items you should leave at home.

TIP: NOT allowed at the festival are the usual things like outside alcohol, drugs and weapons, but also not welcome are pets, frisbees, balls, BBQs, musical instruments, shaded canopies and even umbrellas (so hope it doesn’t rain)!

Things to take include sunscreen and/or a raincoat depending on how the weather looks. Items you can take with you include low back beach style chairs (not more than 8″ in height off the ground) and small blankets.

The Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival is a fabulous family-friendly event with great music. The crowd is all ages.

Festival Admission

Most years the gates open at noon on the Saturday and performances run from 1 until 10 pm.

In 2018 single tickets cost $50 plus taxes and service charges when purchased in advance, and a 4-pack of tickets cost $180. Early-bird tickets are also available until the early spring for about $40. Tickets on the day can also be purchase at the gate for $60.

Children 12 and under are free with an accompanying adult, but they still need tickets.

Note: Advance tickets in previous years cost about $65 each or $220 for a set of four, including GST but excluding fees, so more than in 2018. Tickets at the gate in 2018 cost about $80. The reason for the price drop? Likely due to fewer performers in 2018 than in previous years.

Other Information

For more information on the event, check out the official Burnaby Blues + Roots Festival website.

For more ideas on things to do in the month of August, check out our Events Calendar.