Countdown to Excitement: 7 Days Until Fireside Festival!

In just 7 days, the eagerly-awaited Fireside Festival will spring to life. So, get your tickets and stylish coats ready — this is going to be good.

Think culture, vibrancy, and expression, and use these to your advantage! Fireside Festival celebrates self-expression and the power of community to create a truly unique and immersive experience. That's why we encourage all our attendees to dress up and present their energy in any way that resonates with them! Whether you're krumping in a fur coat or swaying in a pretty gown, the diverse genres combined with our amazing team and attendees create a sense of belonging everyone can feel embraced by.

With that in mind, we’ve curated the ultimate checklist to get you fully prepared for the perfect festival experience.

Need more inspiration? Our Instagram page is brimming with outfit and vibe inspiration to get you extra excited about assembling your ensemble. There, you can also discover more about the artists and music that will have you grooving for three nights straight, ensuring your ears and souls are primed and ready to sing along. But it doesn’t end there!

Here, you will find the perfect playlists to get ready to, featuring artists from the Fireside 2024 lineup! This year’s lineup isn’t just notable for its performances, but we can assure you that once you hit play, you’ll have these playlists on repeat all year round — no matter what your preferred genre is!

Aside from the fashion, visual feasts, and incredible live music, what truly sets Fireside apart are the memories and friendships you’ll make. So get your tickets while you can! As we enter our final week countdown, tickets are selling fast.

Once you’ve planned your fashionable layers, loaded your film cameras, and chosen your favourite songs, there’s only one thing left to do… GET PUMPED! 

Skip the FOMO and see what all the locals are buzzing about.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Fireside Volunteer Opportunity! 🔥

Are you interested in taking part in Kelowna’s favourite winter event? If you have a flair for creativity and a desire to contribute to an unforgettable event, this might be the perfect opportunity for you!

As a Decor Setup/Takedown Volunteer for Wolfette Events at Fireside Festival, you will be working alongside Fireside’s beloved Wolfette, playing a vital role in bringing Fireside’s captivating and immersive atmosphere to life. Volunteers will collaborate with the events team to both set up and dismantle decor elements, all while ensuring they align with Fireside Festival’s aesthetic vision.

Volunteer Roles and Schedule:

• Event Lead Up: Art Installation Creation

• Dates: January 20-21

• Roles: Assist in assembling new art installation.

• Final Installs/Set Up at Red Bird Brewing

• Date: February 2

• Roles: Complete the final touches on installations at Red Bird Brewing.

• Installation/Set Up at BNA Brewing

• Date: February 3

• Roles: Set up engaging installations at BNA Brewing.

• Tear Down at Red Bird Brewing + Final Installs at BNA Brewing

• Date: February 4

• Roles: Dismantle decor at Red Bird and complete installations at BNA Brewing.

• Tear Down at BNA Brewing

• Date: February 5

• Roles: Carefully dismantle and pack up installations at BNA Brewing.

Volunteer Requirements:

• Physical Ability: Capable of lifting and carrying decor items, and comfortable standing for extended periods.
  

• Design Skills: A keen eye for design and meticulous attention to detail in arranging decor as per specific guidelines.
  

• Team Collaboration: Ability to work effectively with the events team, ensuring clear communication and seamless execution.
  

• Timeliness: Efficient in meeting deadlines and committed to scheduled setup and takedown shifts.
  

• Adaptability: Flexibility to handle changes and enthusiasm to follow directions promptly and effectively.

Sound like the perfect role for you?

APPLY HERE!

If your application captures the spirit we're looking for, you'll be contacted for a brief  interview to discuss how you can contribute to the magic of the Fireside Festival.

All  applications are extremely appreciated, and we can’t wait to see you all at Fireside’s best year yet. 🔥 ❤️ 

Firetunes 2024: Your Ultimate 3-Day Spotify Playlist 🔥

If there's anything that ignites the flame at Fireside, it's the diverse lineup of artists that breathe life into Kelowna's favourite festival.   

From authentic western twang to infectious hip hop, the heart and soul of Fireside festival relies on all genres to leave a mark on Festival attendees, no matter what your personal playlist looks like. 

So open your mind and prime your ears, your new favourite genre awaits you with the help of our perfectly-curated, all-encompassing Fireside 2024 playlist – a collection of must-listen songs to get you pumped up and ready to sing along for all 3 days to come.

FIRESIDE DAY 1 PLAYLIST 🔥

Kick off your festival prep with the Moontricks! The dynamic duo kicks off Fireside Festival with a genre blend of electronic energy and campfire folk, promising a truly diverse musical experience. 

As for our country-lovers, we are eager to have rising country star Dawson Gray impress the stage with hits like "All she did" and "Running Back Home" on Fireside day one, offering an authentic country-infused festival experience. 

Keeping the folky warmth alive, feel the comfort of Kailee McGuire's musical embrace, giving you the best first-hand glimpse of Fireside day 1’s soul-stirring performances to come.

You can keep yourself hyped up for Fireside day one with DJ Teekay’s get-ready tunes, as well as  Kris Falco,  another awesome DJ who's synth -laden finesse is set to bring out all the festival vibes and then some. 

FIRESIDE DAY 2 PLAYLIST 🔥

Much like Fireside day 2 is not a day you’ll want to miss out on, neither is our electrifying Saturday playlist!

Encompassing an array of hip-hop, soul, dance music, and everything in between, Saturday vibes are willing to take on an all-time high at Fireside’s most impressive day 2 yet. 

Vibe out to the electrifying sounds of the award-winning hip-hop duo, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, as they promise attendees an experience filled with all the exhilaration that Fireside has to offer.

Award-winning DJ & Producer RUMPUS will always ensure a lively disturbance. Keep the playlist rolling and tap into the rhythm with RUMPUS's raucous mix of hits!

Femme-powered Hip Hop/R&B group, NADUH, fills the musical space with unity consciousness and R&B-infused beats, landing them as a true Fireside fan favourite.

Be sure to hit play on Post Modern Connection, born from the minds of Tega Ovie and Georges Nasrallah. Their indie hits are sure to have you soaking in the sunshine no matter the season — a prophecy Fireside Festival is eager to embody once again.

Maintaining this is Ramen Fog, intricately blending vocals, guitar, keys, and drums to promise Fireside a meticulous and soul-warming musical concoction.

Saturday’s lineup will set out to excite those who love to boogie. Featuring Bdice's hip hop, Edge's soulful R&B, and Broken Future's energetic house EDM, each artist brings a versatile flavour, ensuring a full-fledged dance-worthy experience.

You can keep the DJ dance streak going with Ur Girl Meems, infusing afrobeats, amapiano, and throwback hip-hop/R&B, while Stereo Sunday Band, representing the Philippines in Kelowna, creates vibrant music to enhance life's most colourful moments. 

Local artist Cameron James draws inspiration from hip-hop, R&B, and pop, adding a diverse flavour to the festival’s innate charm. And fear not, Kelowna’s beloved DJ Invizible, joined by the hip-hop talent Bdice, will once again command the Fireside stage with beats that are sure to keep us on our feet in anticipation.

Right when we thought this year’s lineup of talented DJ's couldn’t get any better, Fireside brings out DJ Anomaly, who, practising Turntablism in Kelowna, keeps the old-school underground boom bap alive—yet another new genre you can add to your music roster in 2024. 

Bringing in the melt-worthy soul of Fireside to day 2 is Elk the Moose, promising attendees a raw, melodic, and moody experience you won't want to miss.

Think you’ve discovered all your new favourite artists already? It gets better. 

Our vast assortment of artists on our Fireside day 3 lineup can be found on our Sunday playlist! Here’s what you get to look forward to seeing at BNA on winter time’s most perfect Sunday.

Travel back in time with the one-of-a-kind Ricky Diamonds, an energetic, old-timey performer countless attendees cannot wait to see in real-time.

Fulfil all your dreamy, floaty, sway-to-the-beat needs on Fireside day 3 with VOX REA and Bankes Brothers, a setlist that you’ll be most excited to sing along to as you sway the floor with your favourite crowd partners.

Get into your feels with Windmills and Common Fires, two lively and nostalgic performances Kelowna is always excited to see take stage.

Meet your new best friends, folk quartet Kentucky Eileen. If there was ever a sound to embody tapping your feet around the campfire with your loved ones, hitting play on Kentucky Eileen will give you just that.

Embrace synth-soaked surrealism with bilingual duo Beau Nectar, bringing cosmic energy that will undoubtedly cultivate an unforgettable sensory experience on Fireside Day 3.

When it comes to 538st, good luck wiping that smile off your face. Igniting a new wave of music called Surf-hop, brothers Sam and Jake Cooke produce hits that bring an ear-to-ear grin to all attendees at BNA.

Lose yourself in the perfect blend of indie-pop and ambient sounds with artists like JP Maurice and Sally Wallick, two performers on the Sunday lineup that you’ll be happy to add to your playlist beforehand.

Fireside’s Sunday night is no stranger to a lively dance floor, which Kelowna’s own Mr. M will serenade with contagious beats for all to get down with. Listen loud!

Fireside: Behind the Music

From Basement Jams to Main Stage Glory, Fireside Festival ignites the soul of Kelowna with community and culture: one setlist at a time.

With an emphasis on culture and community, the spirited Fireside festival is gearing up for its 9th year, and thanks to vibrant and intentional preparation, this may just be Fireside’s most exhilarating year to date.

With three days of diverse music genres set to seamlessly light up the city at Kelowna’s beloved Redbird Brewing and BNA, we sat down with Fireside’s creator and the mind behind the music, Aaron Desilva, alongside the core Fireside team. They gave us the ins and outs of what exactly goes into curating Kelowna’s favorite winter event and more specifically, how what began as a small event fueled by a love for music in a small living room is now making waves as the event that bridging the gap between cultural deserts and electrified unity in the heart of the Okanagan.

Captivating the Senses:

Part of what makes Fireside so captivating to the eyes of attendees is undoubtedly the creative vision that brings Kelowna’s winter scenery to life. In a town that endures low skies and minimal sunlight in the winter months, walking into Fireside, you simply would not know it. From striking banners to art installations, Wolfette pulls the warmth of summer into February, making the dance-laden landscape a truly eye-catching event – invigorated by her admiration for Fireside’s deep sense of community and devoted team members.  

“Fireside is a very unique event in general. For Kelowna, yes, on a Canadian scale, also very unique. Fireside has such a strong sense of community to it, and that's what really keeps me tied to this festival year after year. It's basically just like a three-day, all-day hangout with my friends and family.” - Wolfette

From Basement to Main Stage: 

With big names like Snotty Nose Rez Kids and Moontricks on the bill this year, long-time talent recruiter Kelly knows better than anyone the impressive growth that can come from humble beginnings. Witnessing some of Kelowna’s biggest events lose the ability to survive the town’s steep demands, the team emphasizes the importance of maintaining the event’s initial vision as well as the strong bones of the community surrounding it, to keep Fireside not only on its feet but thriving.

“Fireside started in Aaron and, you know, Wild Son's living room, and now it's expanded into two of Kelowna's best venues. And so there's this type of community sustainability behind it. Sometimes you won't know all the names on the lineup, but we guarantee you their live performance will blow your boots off.” - Kelly

Inclusivity in Diversity:

What pulls individuals from all walks of life into Fireside's arms is the unwavering inclusivity that goes into curating Fireside’s artist lineup. Understanding that small towns are naturally more susceptible to cultural deserts, the team goes above and beyond each year to satisfy attendees with new and exciting musical experiences. The multi-sensory event not only caters to a multitude of music but utilizes other mediums such as dancers, visual artists, and other creative minds to bring the whole event to life.

“I think we've always had sort of the same foundation when it comes to booking. If you like a little Country, you're going to get that. If you like your hip-hop, you're going to get that. If you want your French-Canadian artists or emerging artists, you’re going to get that. Like, for me, I don't listen to just one genre of music. I like to listen to lots of different types of music. And so it's kind of nice to go to an event and see so much variety in one place.” - Kelly

Building Community:

With loyalty to the Fireside mission, we can see familiar faces around the venues every year. The creative team behind the festival is committed to watching Fireside grow and prosper, in such a way that many of the team members have been dedicating their efforts continuously over the years — including Heather, a high-spirited MC and volunteer coordinator who knows very well the importance of bringing high-energy to the event, especially during one of the lowest times of the year.

“You don’t have to be any kind of person in order to enjoy Fireside. You just will. That’s kind of been our selling point over the last few years, and Aaron and I have definitely talked about this a lot. Fireside is like this gleaming ball of sunshine in this bleak time of year, that everyone can look forward to. It definitely will lift your spirits. It's such a beautiful testament to this community.” - Heather

The Heart of Fireside:

Both the Fireside team as well as recurring attendees can attest to the many reasons the event holds a special place in the hearts of Kelowna residents, but what might be less outwardly known is what really put the Fire in Fireside — that being an old band house united by an admiration for music and house parties that would unknowingly put Fireside on the map in some years to come. 

“It started as a bunch of friends just throwing a party together, and it still is that, essentially just bigger.” - Aaron

Aaron, the creator behind Fireside Festival, may be a witness to something minimal taking on substantial growth, but everything else? Well, based on what I, among all other attendees, have been blessed to experience — everything else has remained the same.

“I never wanted to dilute that initial purpose and change that energy because that really is where you get the most comfortable place to arrive. You get to see all your friends, you get to meet new people, you get to have cool music, meet the artists. It's this really organic kind of feeling, as opposed to, "Here's a show, you can come but stay over there." I just have really tried to grow it and maintain that feeling.” - Aaron

It’s not everyday you get to sit around a fire and hang out with your new favourite artists as they socialize around the venue grounds, but at Fireside festival that is one of the many highlights. The warm and inviting environment has new friendships and meaningful connections sprouting each year like a well-fed garden, and it's never just one type of crowd either.

“In the winter you're probably doing the same things every weekend, so let’s switch it up a little bit and get crazy and get your friends out, even get your family out. Maybe Grandma wants to come, especially on Sunday, there's really chill bands. It's people’s favourite thing all winter long. You just find the love and hug it out, it's a great place to see people in their element. I've always tried to create it so that there's a lot of freedom for people to express themselves however they want to.” - Aaron

Listen Before you Go:

With so much hype and anticipation placed on the lineup this year, we couldn’t help but delve into who the team is most excited to see this year, of which the answers did not fail to impress, with one consensus standing proud and strong: the acts we can look forward to this year are endless. Better yet, you can listen to this year’s artists and be ready to sing along well before the event, thanks to Fireside’s beautifully-curated Spotify playlists that showcase all of Fireside’s 2024 artists, down to the day they’re playing! Check them out:

Friday:

Saturday:

Sunday:

“I'm really excited for Moontricks. I do feel like Moontricks has that bassy vibe to it, but it's also, like, indie-folk-y. So that's kind of the perfect pairing for Fireside, you know, especially between the few days that we have at Red Bird and then you come over to BNA, and it is more of that indie vibe. Red Bird is a little more energetic, so I think that Moontricks really encapsulates all of it.”- Wolfette

“This year's lineup really came together so nicely. We do have some returning artists, both Moontricks and Snotty Nose Rez Kids, who've played here in the past, but both of them have seen substantial growth since they were here at the festival last. So I'm excited to see how that plays out. There are so many other favorites on the lineup. Like, I love Rumpus' set, Danny's Such a Beauty, and the Femme Fatale girls just take my breath away every year. And Ricky Diamonds if you have never seen that show before, that will also be very exciting for people.” - Kelly

“I am truly excited for this year's lineup. I've got my boys from 538th Street that are going to be playing, and I'm always excited to see Naduh. They are my favourite nasty Spice Girls in the world.” - Heather

“Snotty Nose Rez Kids, obviously those guys have been one of my favorite Canadian artists since I saw them at Breakout West, I think it was like 2014 or 2015, something like that. I saw them play in a cafe and I was like, what the hell are these guys doing in a cafe? There were probably 60 people and I thought the floors were going to cave in, it was so rowdy.” - Aaron

A Place for Everyone:

No matter the degree of weather, nor your flavour in music, Fireside is a place where you can come make new friends, show up in your snazziest winter outfits, and be reminded of the abundant culture that Kelowna holds when you’re in the right place. It’s an event you will not want to miss.

"I get messages from people all the time saying, “I want to play Fireside” even before we bring the lineup out. And that is solely because of the amazing venues, the teams of people that helped, all the core team for Fireside, how organized everybody is. It's just such an inclusive, safe space for people to come and enjoy music. And I think that's always been the foundation of it and why I think it's grown and been such a beloved event in Kelowna.” - Aaron

Get your tickets for Fireside Festival here!