First ever Sakâwînow Music Festival coming to Chetwynd

CHETWYND, B.C. — The Sakâwînow Music Festival will be coming to Chetwynd, B.C., in August for a weekend of camping and multicultural music and dancing.

Daniel Desjarlais, founder and owner of Sakâwînow, said the event is a new kind of music festival.

“It’s an electronic/culture music festival with a heavy Indigenous focus,” Desjarlais said.

The idea of creating a festival came to him while camping with a small group of friends in 2021.

“We ended up building a big, 15-foot bonfire and just sitting there all day, listening to all sorts of music, and everyone loved it, and it was just a lot of fun,” Desjarlais said.

As the day rolled on, more and more people joined and enjoyed the variety of music played, so Desjarlais began to plan a festival.

“We’ve got a bunch of really awesome performers coming that are exciting to listen to,” Desjarlais said.

Snotty Nose Rez Kids and Delhi 2 Dublin will be headlining the weekend.

The two-day music festival will be split into three styles: multicultural, local and modern.

Multicultural dancing and music will kick off each day, showcasing talent from around the world.

Following the multicultural portion is the “15 minutes of fame”.

“The 15 minutes of fame segment, which is more focused on the local talent, just for them to get a chance to perform in front of a large crowd,” Desjarlais said.

From 6 p.m. until 2 a.m. is when the “modern style” (DJs, EDM, hip-hop, rap, rock, and pop) music festival will take place.

The founder recommends watching the festival’s website and social media for when the entire lineup is released. 

The festival will also include a farmer’s market-style vendor area, a “kid zone,” and beer gardens open later in the evening.

The event is still accepting vendor and food truck applications through its website.

Desjarlais said they are also looking for sponsors, and those interested can email him at DanielDezz@sakawinowmusicfestival.com.

Sakâwînow, meaning bushman in Cree, was the traditional name given to Desjarlais by his great-grandfather when he was born.

“Also, who doesn’t like Sasquatch,” Desjarlais added.

The festival will be held at 9003 Highway 97 south, Chetwynd, from August 18th to 19th, and tickets are on sale now.

For more information or merch, visit the Sakâwînow Music Festival website.