The VIP Experience at Squamish Valley Music Festival

So I mentioned previously that I was fortunate enough to win two weekend passes and camping to the Squamish Valley Music Festival because I am a Virgin Mobile customer. After the weekend I will stay loyal to Virgin for the rest of my life. I was already on a plan with them in Australia before moving to Canada.

Squamish is located about an hour’s drive inland from downtown Vancouver and thirty minutes from Whistler. It is on the Howe Sound and surrounded by beautiful rocky mountains. Every artist who got on stage mentioned the breathtaking scenery. It is definitely in a class of its own. To be able to sit and watch the Arctic Monkeys with snow-capped mountains behind the stage and the super moon rising in front was incredible.

The Squamish Valley Music Festival featured some superstar acts too, including Eminem, Arcade Fire, Foster the People, Bruno Mars and Chvrches. It was running over three days, but about 3,000 people came just on the Sunday to see Eminem close the festival in outstanding rap god fashion.

Squamish Valley Music Festival

Virgin didn’t mention too much in correspondence about what was included in my win, so we were very pleasantly surprised when we arrived to find we got VIP passes to the weekend. This meant we got expedited entry into the festival and could sit and watch the performances from the VIP tents to the left of the two main stages. Being able to watch the music with a drink in hand (a tall can of Somersby no less), a seat and easy access to clean bathrooms were awesome.

Our campsite was right next door to the Squamish Valley Music Festival too. Other attendees had to get shuttles or walk quite a distance to get to the festival from the other campgrounds. We could peek over the fence and see if anyone famous was coming out of their tour buses. We also had our own after-party every night until 1:00 am, which I didn’t really participate in as I was so exhausted by the end of the day.

But my win also allowed us to have a couple of free drinks at night at our own bar too, right next to the tents, which helped in the unwinding. Another thing that helped was the super-clean and efficient showers. Going into the festival, I was thinking I just wouldn’t be showering over the weekend. But our showers were just like any you would find at a hostel, if not cleaner. Let’s just say the first was one of the best showers of my life.

But wait, there’s more. We got breakfast burritos in the morning and a free caesar to wash it down with if you wanted (not my style). And we got to keep the camping gear that was included. Seeing as I am going travelling the tent was of no use to me but my guest and her housemates were stoked: a two-man tent, two sleeping bags, air mats and pillows.

The Squamish Valley Music Festival was well run too, in my opinion. Everything was cashless so you loaded money on to your wristbands, tapped and that’s it. There was free water and charging stations for the phones (need to keep up with the Instagrams). I think the one downside I could see was the queue for the beer gardens: insane. There were 50+ people lining up to just get inside, to then have to line up again to get an actual beer. No thanks.

I know people say “I never win anything,” but seriously, I can’t remember the last thing I won. This is definitely the jackpot and I don’t think much could surpass it. Except for a lot of money or a free holiday maybe. So take it from someone who has now dealt with Virgin Mobile in two countries: I love the company. Both my plans are well-priced and I have never really had any major issues.

Thanks, Sir Richard.