OUR MISSION, VISION AND PASSION:
“To joyfully celebrate the diverse cultures, history and heritage of the Thompson-Nicola Region of British Columbia and to engage, entertain, unify and strengthen the fabric of our rural lifestyles and communities through music and the arts!”
Welcome to the official website of the Spences Bridge Desert Daze Music Festival!
Our dedicated team of volunteers begin planning in February to offer a fun-filled, family-friendly 2-day summer festival every year. The 14th Annual Desert Daze Festival will be held September 6 & 7, 2024.
The Annual Desert Daze Music Festival was conceived in 2009 by the Spences Bridge Community Club to celebrate the rural communities of BC’s Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) and to highlight the areas rich and diverse arts and culture. The 2-day festival presents activities and entertainment for all ages to enjoy: top-notch musical performances, First Nations demonstrations, educational workshops, local crafts, vendors and a “beverage oasis”!
Desert Daze strives to present over its two days a widely diverse range of musical genres – from country & western, rock’n’roll, roots and blues, folk, indigenous and world music. We make a point of featuring many of the fantastic “home-grown” musicians and artisans from our own local communities, but also incorporate non-local artists from within the Thompson-Nicola Regional District and beyond. There is also a number of vendors and merchants on-site, usually locally based, who offer an interesting and eclectic array of food and merchandise.
This two day festival presents activities and entertainment for all ages to enjoy…
- Two days of top-notch live music performances from both local musicians and those “imported” from all over our province and beyond
- First Nations demonstrations
- Fun activities and a family friendly environment
- Fun and educational workshops
- Crafts and artwork by local artists and artisans
- A variety of great food and merchandise by local vendors
- A beverage oasis!
The Desert Daze Music Festival acknowledges it carries out its work on the traditional territories of the Nlaka’pamux First Nations in British Columbia. We pay our respects to the Elders, past and present, descendants and custodians of these lands. We honour the knowledge keepers and the continuing relationships with Indigenous people in B.C. that develop through our work together. Desert Daze acknowledges that we and the community of Spences Bridge share the ceded territory of the Cooks Ferry Band.
We are proud to have had the honor of having the Siska Drummers from this band officially open each of festivals since 2010 Also, we actively encourage local indigenous artists, musicians, artisans, elders and wisdom-keepers to share the rich tradition and art of Nlaka’pamux people through music, dance, and workshops.
Festival Location
The festival takes place on the former Spences Bridge elementary school grounds (now maintained in collaboration with the Spences Bridge Improvement District) and can easily be seen by passers-by on Hwy 1 through town. During festival weekend this village of 150 people triples in size, with benefit to all local businesses as well as a “spillover” economic impact on the nearby towns of Lytton, Ashcroft and Cache Creek.
The Desert Daze Music Festival is a community based initiative which celebrates life in rural British Columbia through music, arts, heritage and culture. The Desert Daze Music Festival was born in 2009 from the vision, passion, dedication and hard work of a small group of volunteers in Spences Bridge, British Columbia,who wanted celebrate the lifestyle and livelihood of small town and rural British Columbia.
For Spences Bridge to host such an event involves months of preparation and the support of several volunteers, local area businesses, Indian Bands and service organizations.
The Spences Bridge Community Club, a non-profit society comprised of dedicated volunteers, hosted the first annual festival in 2010. Although the town’s population is just over 150, during festival time the population has been know to more than triple!
Thanks again to all the fans, volunteers, artists, vendors, sponsors and the community of Spences Bridge, The Spences Bridge Community Club and Spences Bridge Improvement District for all of your support and hard-work over the past many successful years!
Join the Desert Daze Festival Facebook fan page to keep up-to-date!
