ItB次元官网网址檚 come a long way from its backyard bash roots.

Now in its 10th year, Armstrong MetalFest is bigger than ever as West Metal Entertainment Society, the not-for-profit created to organize the festival and other heavy metal happenings in the North Okanagan, gears up for the festival set to rock ArmstrongB次元官网网址檚 Hassen Memorial Arena July 13-14.

Jesse Valstar, festival co-founder, is stoked that Armstrong MetalFest has seen the exponential growth it has over the past decade.

B次元官网网址淚 was a fairly ambitious 19-year-old and 10 years kind of flew by,B次元官网网址� Valstar laughed. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e had a lot of different events that have shaped the festival in different ways. WeB次元官网网址檝e had all sorts of bumps along the road to help make the crew a well-oiled unit.B次元官网网址�

Armstrong MetalFest started when Valstar and friends decided to throw a private backyard party.

B次元官网网址淲e nailed it down. The first year was a raging success,B次元官网网址� said Valstar, who was in charge of booking talent. B次元官网网址淚n year two, attendance doubled. It was frightening for a couple 20-year-old kids,B次元官网网址� Valstar laughed. B次元官网网址淚t went full Project X.B次元官网网址�

The lads decided that they no longer desired to utilize their parentB次元官网网址檚 backyard for the bash and upgraded to the Hassen Memorial Arena for the festivalB次元官网网址檚 third instalment. And, for the past seven years, attendance has been on a steady incline. Valstar credits that spike to the devotion found within both the heavy metal community in western Canada and his hometown of Armstrong.

B次元官网网址淚 remember looking at the price tag of the festival, losing hair and going white,B次元官网网址� Valstar said.

However, Armstrong MetalFest has always at least managed to break even.

B次元官网网址淥ur community hasnB次元官网网址檛 let us down,B次元官网网址� said Valstar, who recently returned from promoting the festival at in Lone Butte, B.C.

At the core of Armstrong MetalFest is quality metal acts from across the continent that come to the North Okanagan to rock the arena.

B次元官网网址淲e have Sarah Longfield B次元官网网址� sheB次元官网网址檚 a Youtube sensation gone metal act. SheB次元官网网址檚 going to be very interesting,B次元官网网址� Valstar said.

Also gracing the stage are Quebec death metal phenoms Kataklysm and Vancouver Juno-nominated technical death metal fame Archspire.

B次元官网网址淭he lineup is heavy. ItB次元官网网址檚 quite diverse,B次元官网网址� Valstar said. B次元官网网址淏alance has been our No. 1 thing.B次元官网网址�

Valstar, a self-proclaimed numbers man, said that organizers use a proportional representation-based algorithm for determining the number of bands from each location as well as the ratio of bands per genre, with sub-genres like brutal death metal falling under the primary death metal umbrella. Categories include technical metal, death metal, doom and sludge metal, alternative metal, black metal and more.

B次元官网网址淲e have a ton of guys that work on this all year,B次元官网网址� Valstar said of West Metal EntertainmentB次元官网网址檚 lineup algorithm.

While it originated as a society in tandem with Armstrong MetalFest, West Metal Entertainment has grown to provide metal bands with the opportunity to get on a multitude of stages in the North Okanagan.

This year, the Society was also able to give a scholarship to the tune of $500 to a Pleasant Valley Secondary School graduate. Scholarship candidates were required to write a letter about how music of any genre has impacted their lives.

B次元官网网址淭his is the first year weB次元官网网址檝e ever done it. We kept it as broad as possible because we donB次元官网网址檛 know how to do this,B次元官网网址� Valstar laughed. B次元官网网址�(It was) in the name of heavy metal, funded by heavy metal.B次元官网网址�

The scholarship has been on West Metal EntertainmentB次元官网网址檚 radar for several years. However, Valstar said they decided to make it a priority this year.

As the festival continues to grow, he hopes that the scholarships will follow suit.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 like to see the festival continue to grow at the rate it is. IB次元官网网址檇 like to see it go on for a very long time,B次元官网网址� Valstar said. B次元官网网址淥ne of my favourite parts is hearing about how people meet their fiance, husband or wife at the festival. It brings a bunch of like-minded people together.B次元官网网址�

For Valstar, building that community is what the festival is all about.

B次元官网网址淭he No. 1 thing is itB次元官网网址檚 not that you attend our festival, itB次元官网网址檚 that you attend a festival and get out there and support the community,B次元官网网址� Valstar said. B次元官网网址淭hey require people at the event to keep going. Just get out there and support local.B次元官网网址�

When organizers pour everything into their festival, Valstar said that community support makes it all worthwhile.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think I know how to stop,B次元官网网址� Valstar said. B次元官网网址淚 think IB次元官网网址檇 be lost.B次元官网网址�

Advance weekend passes are $125, walk up rate is $165. All tickets include tent camping. Guests are welcome to sleep in their vehicles, RV or trailer. Reserve RV spots online to guarantee a spot that includes water and power hookups. For more information and tickets, visit .

parker.crook@vernonmorningstar.com
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