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Every year at the end of June there is an amazing three day electronic music festival called Valhallafest that takes place in the north west of British Columbia just outside of Terrace.

I attended the festival for the second time this summer with my partner. A friend came along too. We drove to the festival from our home in Daajing Giids, a small village on Queen Charlotte Island. It is a very long journey. To get to the mainland, we had to travel on a Ferry for eight hours to Prince Rupert. After that, we had to drive approximately two hours to the festival grounds. We had a great time in the car listening to music, singing and checking out the scenery. It definitely felt like we were on vacation.

This year, the festival, which was attended by 1500 people, kicked off on June 28 mid-afternoon. At this time, the DJs start to play their music. There are 3 stages. Each stage has a different DJ and a special laser show, so everyone can choose the music they like best. Besides listening to music, people visit the market, where small businesses and individuals offer a variety of services and sell merchandise. Also, a lot of artists set up booths to showcase and sell their art.

I worked two morning shifts as a volunteer this time around at the merchandise stand where we sold t-shirts, rain jackets, stickers and non-alcohol drinks. Lucky for me, volunteers had some benefits like hot showers and free food twice a day.

A lot of Ukrainians attend this festival and it was kind of a blessing to have friends who can talk with you in the same language. We can laugh at common jokes and feel close to our country. This year it was a lot of fun to meet old friends. It was also easy to make new friends because everyone is so warm and open. In fact, it feels like you are living in an alternative community for the entire time thanks to the involvement of the creators of this festival. They really enjoy what they do.

It is difficult for me to express how much I love this festival, but I have a couple of words that can convey my vision: colourful, loud, bright and fun. If someone asks me if they should go to this festival, my answer will be a hundred percent yes!