Virgin returns to British Columbia July 25-26

Virgin Canada's ambitious 2009 festival plans became more clear with the June 4 announcement of a British Columbia event set for July 25-26 at Deer Lake Park in Burnaby BC, nearby to Vancouver. The fest is one of five Canadian Virgin Festivals set for 2009, though only the third with specific dates and locations set.

The ubiquitous Ben Harper & Relentless7 and Canadian rockers Our Lady Peace will headline the two days of the festival, with other big names including Sonic Youth, De La Soul, Gomez and Mute Math also announced. Visit the festival website for full lineups and ticket information.

The festival marks a return to British Columbia after a successful launch in 2007 but an off-year in 2008. Two other area festivals that drew big audiences on consecutive weekends last July—Pemberton Music Festival and Whistler Music Festival—are both no-gos for this year, so Virgin is likely to fill the vacuum.

"We’re going to show BC a weekend to remember,“ said Virgin chairman Richard Branson, adding that "we’re thrilled to bring Virgin Festival back" to the western Canadian province. "Just like last time, the Festival will deliver an unforgettable weekend jam packed with incredible talent.”

Regarding the new site, the festival said that Deer Lake Park is "unique, beautiful and has great transport access." The venue is regularly used for all kinds of cultural and arts festivals. This summer, the venue will also host Rock the Bells on August 1 and the Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival on August 9.

The other Virgin Festivals planned for this summer are the upcoming Virgin Montreal (June 19-20 at Parc Jean Drapeau) and Virgin Nova Scotia (July 4 at Citadel Hill in Halifax). The company has also said it will produce events in Alberta and Ontario, but so far no dates, locations or lineups have been announced.

There is still no official word about any U.S. Virgin Festival, which is managed separately from the Canadian festivals. In 2007 and 2008, Virgin Mobile sponsored major festivals at Pimlico Racetrack near Baltimore MD, but the odds of an event happening this year are looking increasingly long.

FP Virgin Festival BC page