Whistler GO Fest was a four-day festival with live music, art and sporting events in Whistler Village. It took place on the Victoria Day long weekend each year.
Note: Also called Whistler’s Great Outdoors Festival, the event had its final run in 2021. It’s to be determined if it returns in the future.
Whistler GO Fest
Whistler’s Great Outdoors Festival was a popular event that took place over the May long weekend. The festival used to feature sports, arts, music and educational events in Whistler Village. Most years, performers played live music in Village Square. Whistler GO Fest was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2021, the event returned in a COVID-safe virtual format but was subsequently cancelled thereafter.
Continue reading below for details about the Whistler GO Fest and for information about the event in previous years.
2021 Virtual Event
The 2021 Whistler GO Fest took place online from Friday, May 21st, until Monday, May 24th. As always, the festival covered a broad range of topics. Most events in 2020 were pre-recorded videos available to everyone all weekend long. Almost all of them were free to watch. For example, Make Your Own Dream Catcher was a craft tutorial hosted by the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre. Peak Training Fitness with Meaghan Sutter, meanwhile, was a 40-minute workout that viewers were encouraged to follow. Other videos and audio clips covered yoga, hiking, mixology, floristry, art and more.
The festival also had a few interactive components. The following events happened live on Zoom in 2021:
- Preparing for a Multi-Day Hike – a live Q&A session about safe hiking and backpacking at 6:00 pm on the Friday.
- Kids Story Time – Julie from the Whistler Public Library shared songs and stories on the Saturday at 10:15 am.
- Outdoor Journaling – participants could learn outdoor writing and drawing exercises at 3:30 pm on the Sunday.
- Rhythm and Rhyme – music and stories for children with Julie at 9:15 am on the Sunday.
Live Music at Whistler Go Fest (in a pre-pandemic year)
What to Expect
Whistler GO Fest was full of concerts, shows and other in-person festivities. There were usually plenty of activities for people of all ages to enjoy.
The first day of the festival in 2019 featured a pancake breakfast at the Whistler Public Library, a yoga class in Olympic Plaza, a film series at the Maury Young Arts Centre and an outdoor concert in Village Square.
On the Saturday a few years ago there was a 5 km run, a paddle boarding adventure at Lakeside Park, a group bike ride in Mountain Square, a sailing clinic at Alta Lake, a drum circle in Olympic Plaza and live music at various public venues. There were also opportunities to throw axes, create birdhouses, go skateboarding, participate in a scavenger hunt, and more.
Highlights from the Sunday in 2019 included free sunflower planting, a DJ lesson, nature displays, and an All British Car Show. Live street entertainment filled the busy village in the afternoon.
Whistler Village (on a typical May Long Weekend)
Other Information
Check out our Whistler Festivals and Events Calendar for a list of other Whistler events throughout the year.
Click All British Car Show to learn more about the annual car show on the Sunday at Creekside Village.
Check out Victoria Day in Vancouver to find out what’s happening on the May long weekend in the Lower Mainland.