The Night the Bush Beat the Bay
transplanted San Franciscan and unabashed rave n’ club lover reflects on her wicked nights in nearby woods.
It's lit — Amongst more than 150 artists who perform each year at Wicked Woods, dancer Elysha Herridge (stage name Meraki Rising) performs during a 2022 DJ set by Dominic Butler, one-half of UK-based DJ duo Stanton Warriors. — Neil McElmon Photo
Leading up to my move from San Francisco to Kimberley, I had to make some decisions on what to bring from my wardrobe. It was a no-brainer to discard the high heels and office workwear, but it was a lot harder to let go of my carefully curated festival gear: fur coats, neon onesies, and tutus. Eventually the practical side of me won out: I assumed my raver days were behind me.
Two weeks after my arrival, while still wondering what life would be like now that I was surrounded by wilderness on all sides, my fiancé announced we had been invited to hear some DJs play. Cool, I thought, but is there even a club around here?
I was a bit confused when we turned off the highway onto St. Mary Lake Road, which seemed even further away from any signs of civilization. We took another turn onto an even bumpier, smaller road. Thick forest blocked out most of the fading sky.
I heard it before I saw any signs of it. From somewhere deep in the forest, a deep booming grew louder. We pulled up to some friendly people waving flashlights who showed us where to park. “What the heck is this?” I asked my fiancé. He grinned. “Welcome to Wicked Woods!”
Be still, my electronic-music-loving heart! There before us, tucked deep inside the wild mountain landscape, was a vibrant, pulsating dance club. It was surreal: dust rose around people jumping to hypnotic beats on the dirt dance floor; others warmed their hands around crackling fire barrels. Laser lights shot through the darkness, creating a lightshow on the towering conifers better than any effect I had seen in an industrial warehouse. I breathed in the crisp mountain air and thought to myself, “Sorry, San Francisco, this is the real underground!”
Bush bashin’ — Right between Salmo’s legendary Shambhala Festival and Golden’s SYNC Festival, Fairmont’s Wicked Woods started as a 50-person birthday shindig near Kimberley. — Neil McElmon Photo
Wicked Woods began in 2008 as an edgy, one-night bush party of about fifty people celebrating Kimberley local Danielle Phillip’s birthday. So much fun was had that Danielle and her husband Heath hosted the party again the following year, and every year thereafter. Momentum grew as they and their friends became more organized and creative with the lights and sounds (provided by Ray’s Music since day one), artist lineup, and overall ambiance. In its sixth year, the event expanded to two nights to accommodate all the local talent. Vendors and workshops were added, and detailed planning went into the site’s layout, decor, and camping experience.
After bouncing around on crown land for several years, Wicked Woods found a spot on private land from 2013 through 2016. Eventually the festival outgrew its humble roots and moved in 2017 to a grander location near Fairmont Hot Springs, its seventh and final location: 144 acres of land, set against an otherworldly mountain backdrop with panoramic views of the Columbia Valley.
Here, the festival’s elaborate structures and stages remain in place between festivals, thus allowing for ongoing expansion and enhancements every year. The larger space features four stages of music, as well as inspiring art installations, more workshops, and abundant ways for people to come together and experience the transformative power of music, art, nature, and community.
In 2023, a talented new team took over management of the event, which now sees an attendance of approximately 3,000 people. The team’s vision for 2024 includes presenting the most diverse line-up of artists and performers yet, while maintaining the inclusive, homegrown, welcoming atmosphere that the festival is known for. Rumour has it there will be more Drum and Bass this year, a favoured genre.
Kimberley resident Rob Palermo has participated in almost every Wicked Woods event since its inception, in roles such as builder, site carpenter, stage director, and DJ. He is known around the region for his beautiful stages: he constructed a 50-foot-tall pirate ship for SYNC Festival in Golden, and has worked as the main builder for the Grove stage at Shambhala in the West Kootenay, known as Canada’s premier EDM (Electronic Dance Music) event.
“Building stages for music festivals allows me to express myself and explore the creative and artistic side of my carpentry skills,” Palermo explains. “It’s a tonne of hard work, time, and commitment — but seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces makes it all worthwhile.”
As for Danielle Phillips, whose birthday set off the chain of events leading to the unexpected rise of Wicked Woods’ popularity, she emphasizes that, “Wicked Woods is and always has been about bringing everyone together in community.”
“Seventeen years ago, my husband and I and a few others created a magical night out in the woods — a night full of local talent, beautiful friends, and the best vibes,” Phillips reflects. “So many people along the way helped create this space for us all to enjoy; for us all to get weird and just be.”
While its original ethos still drives Wicked Woods, Kimberley’s little backwoods festival has expanded into one of the top-ranked EDM festivals in Western Canada.
Oh, and for any other city slickers who are on the fence about attending, know this: there’s nothing that compares with dancing your heart out from sunset to sunrise on the side of a mountain underneath a starlit sky. The lights, the costumes, the community: Wicked Woods is a colourful, high-energy, life-affirming experience of community and fun. (And don’t worry: there are even glamping options now, too!)
Want more info? Visit wickedwoods.ca.
~ Written by Monica Karaba
Find this full-length story and more in The Trench’s Spring/Summer 2026 edition: