Sled Island Greatly Reduces Landfill Waste

Sled Island's Green Team worked closely with vendors and our partners to responsibly manage the waste and recycling at 6 different locations during the festival. At our main outdoor venues, Olympic Plaza and East Village we were able to divert 88% of the waste from the landfill. A big thank you to all of the food truck vendors for supporting our waste reduction efforts by using 100% compostable packaging and food ware. The best part of Sled Island's environmental initiatives was the reduction of waste in general. This year we generated only 77.33 kg of garbage at our main outdoor sites compared to 425 kg in 2012! Our collection efforts at our other venues including the Golden Age Club, Poster Show, Pass Pick Up, and Artist Lounge helped to divert 300 kg of material from the landfill as well. Thank you to everyone for helping us host an amazing and environmentally responsible festival in 2014! 

Check out the full report here.

Sled Island 2014 Wrap-Up!

First of all, huge thanks to all of the bands, artists, filmmakers, comedians, partners, supporters, venues, media, volunteers, technicians, staff, board members and attendees for creating such an amazing festival. Everyone contributes in some way and none of this would be possible without that overwhelming amount of support, dedication and passion so strongly on display during the festival.

Sled Island 2014 was full of awesome moments starting from the sweet poster show and rad kick-off party on Tuesday. Wednesday began with a stunning performance from Rhye in a packed church and lead into an insanely awesome set from Power Trip, William Tyler delivering swift beauty in guitar-form and Jerusalem In My Heart’s awe-inspiring show to complete their residency at National Music Centre. Thursday kicked things up a notch with Mission of Burma being the best dudes and killing it, Chelsea Wolfe’s moody and moving set, Oneohtrix Point Never transforming Central United into a spaceship, Killer Mike taking us all to church and let’s not forget the mega-turnout for the East Village Block Party. The festival found its wings on Friday with Dan Deacon turning the legion into a fun house, Screaming Females obliterated the 510 parking lot, Helms Alee blowing away the crowd and our festival hero, Joel Plaskett Emergency saving the day with two shows at Olympic Plaza and Flames Central. Saturday kept the momentum alive with Touche Amore’s all-ages afternoon show, the always awesome Weird Canada showcase, Obits owning the Legion, a wild n’ rowdy crowd for Bass Drum of Death, St. Vincent tapping into an other worldly energy, The Spits ripping it up, Rocket From The Crypt bringing the big sound and Spiritualized taking us all away plus the fireworks to cap it off! For anyone able to rise on Sunday, they were treated to a delicious feast and gathering at the wrap-up pig roast party. 

It was certainly a festival to remember. What were your favourite memories? Favourite discovery of the festival? How are your dealing with the post-fest blues? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and use the #sledisland, #sled2014 and for those extra special moments #nobodyrainsonourparade hashtags to stay connected. Relive the memories of Sled Island on the festival’s extensive Flickr photostream up now. Keep your eyes peeled for a Sled Island 2014 recap video featuring this guy to come out later this summer!

Stay tuned for upcoming show announcements and our post-fest survey. We’ll have plenty of exciting stuff to come in the next while. Also, if you haven’t already now is the perfect time to order one of our limited-edition silkscreen posters or 2014 merchandise made by Jack Bride. Thanks again for all of your wonderful support and we look forward to hosting the next edition of Sled Island in 2015 with you!

With all our hearts,
Sled Island

It's Wrap-Up Pig Roast BBQ Time!

Good morning to all our Sled Island warriors! After 4 days of sledding, you're surely exhausted. Last night in particular was a monster! Spiritualized was life-affirming on the Olympic Plaza stage, Obits stepped in at Guest Curator Kathleen Hanna's showcase and ripped it up, legendary punk icon Bob Mould delivered at Republik with the help of scuzzy Solids, The Spits spat their bratty jams, AraabMuzik and Tommy Kruise had Hifi turnt up, Earthless crushed the stoner jams at Dickens, Bass Drum of Death played another fuzz-pop party and St. Vincent took us to another universe with her alien pop!  

It's hard to believe things are coming to an end, but alas it's the last official day of Sled Island 2014 and we're going to celebrate this awesome ride! Join us for our annual Panache Pig Roast Wrap-Up Party featuring performances from ethereal songstress Julianna Barwick, experimental soul-pop of U.S. Girls, left-field psych-rockers Outer Minds, surf-garage tunes of La Luz and the always (even on Sunday night) energetic, The Blind Shake plus free pig roast sandwiches n' slaw while quantities last. It's a great chance to catch these bands for the first, second or third time this week and chill with friends on a laid-back Sunday afternoon. And if you're out to conquer this year's festival in glorious style, there's no better place than on stage at Broken City's Wrap-Up Karaoke running from 9pm until late! Other cool stuff happening today includes a double feature of The Selected Works of Emily Kai Bock & Evan Prosofsky and The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T at the Globe Cinema this afternoon, ParkSALE at Haultain Park and free collection tours at National Music Centre every hour on the half hour! Don't miss out on your last day of offical Sled Island fun, and remember to keep on keepin' on.

Check the online schedule for any last-minute changes. Don't forget to use our Mobile Version for access on the go.

Show us you're still alive by using the hashtags #SledIsland, #Sled2014, #GetYourSledOn or for those moments of triumph, #NobodyRainsOnOurParade!

We do welcome walk-ups at shows but as always, it is subject to capacity. Remember, none of this would be possible without your support! <3

Saturday Blowout: Spiritualized, St. Vincent and Curator Showcase!

We can't talk about last night without mentioning Joel Plaskett. Canada's sweetheart saved the day when Neko Case cancelled on the day of the show. He fulfilled the hopes of everyone who had waited more than a year for his sweet serenade. Thanks Joel, you're our hero! Elsewhere, Sled Island continued with Dan Deacon getting weird at the #1 Legion, Public Animal annihilating the Ship & Anchor, the Burger Records blow-out and DJ Bob Mould got Punk Rock Fancy with the Hot Mess crowd.

Don't you quit on us yet! This ain't over by a long shot. Olympic Plaza day 2 is what's on everyone's lips with the headlining set from the incomparable father of space-rock, Spiritualized! The outdoor stage isn't lacking in talent in support acts; Rocket From The Crypt who party-rock a little harder have an extended set while Minneapolis garage gurus The Blind Shake, furious punks White Lung, Portland surf-rockers The Shivas and local thinky-pop act Feel Alright provide hit after hit. Today is your last chance to enjoy a beer in the pit at Olympic Plaza so don't miss out! Stay hydrated while you party with our water-filling stations, no plastic water bottles will be sold on site.

One other perfect All Ages, daytime pick is Touché Amoré, who storm the #1 Legion mid-afternoon. When the sun sets, things heat up even further. Get some vintage pop with Shannon and the Clams at The Palomino or an encore from hook-laden garage-rockers Bass Drum of Death! Another icon to take the stage is Bob Mould of Hüsker Dü and rock legend in general at Republik, where he is joined by scholars of his method, Solids. St. Vincent has fully realized her alien pop identity and is usually playing rooms twice the size of Flames Central. There is no question that you'll have to line up early for this one! The heavy and the trippy converge in Earthless and The Shrine's takeover of Dickens. Kathleen Hanna, whose role as Guest Curator proved vital to the tone of Sled Island 2014, has each one of her band picks play the #1 Legion with Sled vets Obits stepping in as headliner to play expert post-punk. Again, get there or early or you could lose out!

Find an excuse to experience art, film, comedy or something special! National comedic talent is represented by Pat Thornton, Amanda Brooke Perrin, Kathleen Phillips and guests at Big Secret Theatre, multi-media exploratory artwork is on display at Phantom Figures at Truck U-Haul, youth culture's origins and significant are examined by thoughful doc Teenage and PARKSale has unique items for purchase in the open air.

We're just scratching the surface here. Check the online schedule to get up-to-date set times and don't forget to use our Mobile Version for access on the go.

Whatever you get up to at Sled Island today, we want to hear about it! We're watching out for #NobodyRainsOnOurParade, #SledIsland, #Sled2014 and #GetYourSledOn on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

If you're trying to see everything listed above, it's going to be impossible without a pass. There's still time to purchase and/or pick up yours at The Fairmont Palliser, located at 133 9th Ave SW. Merch and posters are on site too! Hours are 10am to 10pm.

Changes to Sled Island 2014 Schedule

With over 250 bands, art exhibits, comedians, films and special events at Sled Island, there will inevitably some shuffling around. We've assembled a run down of schedule changes, up to date as of the time of this post. Stay tuned for additional updates on our Mobile Version where you can build your own schedule!

SATURDAY, JUNE 21

#1 Legion: the line-up has shifted slightly. It is now:
Downstairs: Sontag (10pm), The Younger Lovers (11pm), Screaming Females (12am), Obits (1am)
Upstairs: The Yeah Dads (10:30pm), Roman Polanski’s Baby (11:30pm), Mindtroll (12:30am)
Bamboo: The TBA is now Black Thunder
Broken City: Nervous Talk has been replaced by Dead Soft
Haultain Park: Youssou Seck (4pm), Cold Water (5pm), Jon McKiel (6pm)
Palomino upstairs: Stepmothers are now on at 8:30pm and storc are now on at 9:30pm
Tubby Dog: Hand Cream has been replaced by Bitter Fictions

SUNDAY, JUNE 22

Haultain Park: Zen Mystery Fogg (1pm), SAVK (2pm), Cowpuncher (3pm)
Sloth Records in-store show is now cancelled.

VISUAL ART CHANGES:

Pussy Whipped is now Friday, June 20th at 7pm
Take A Look @ U has been postponed until late September
There Is Much I Wish To Know has been postponed until late September
Hey Jerk Face. SUP? is now at the Peanut Gallery, 207 8th St SW (basement of Fluevog). Closing reception August 1st.
Summer Friends Gang has been moved to Saturday at 7pm at The Palomino.

ADDITIONAL COMEDY INFORMATION

Walk-up tickets will be sold at Big Secret Theatre in very limited quantities for $35. Get there early--this goes for passholders too! Full lineups are below, with headliners listed first.

Friday Early Show, Starting at 8pm: Kyle Kinane, Hari Kondabolu, Jon Daly and Cyrus Ghahremani, Brittany Lyseng with Host Alan Cho.
Friday Late Show, Starting at 1030pm: Pat Thornton, Amanda Brooke Perrin, Kathleen Phillips, Don Wood, Jeff Toth and Host Brent Constantine.

Saturday Early Show, Starting at 8pm: Kyle Kinane, Hari Kondabolu, Jon Daly and Cyrus Ghahremani, Sarah Adams and Host Brent Constantine.
Saturday Late Show, Starting at 1030pm: Pat Thornton, Amanda Brooke Perrin, Kathleen Phillips, Craig Martell, Alan Cho and Host Jeff Toth.