It害羞草研究所檚 come a long way from its backyard bash roots.

Now in its 10th year, Armstrong MetalFest is bigger than ever as West Metal Entertainment Society, the not-for-profit created to organize the festival and other heavy metal happenings in the North Okanagan, gears up for the festival set to rock Armstrong害羞草研究所檚 Hassen Memorial Arena July 13-14.

Jesse Valstar, festival co-founder, is stoked that Armstrong MetalFest has seen the exponential growth it has over the past decade.

害羞草研究所淚 was a fairly ambitious 19-year-old and 10 years kind of flew by,害羞草研究所� Valstar laughed. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e had a lot of different events that have shaped the festival in different ways. We害羞草研究所檝e had all sorts of bumps along the road to help make the crew a well-oiled unit.害羞草研究所�

Armstrong MetalFest started when Valstar and friends decided to throw a private backyard party.

害羞草研究所淲e nailed it down. The first year was a raging success,害羞草研究所� said Valstar, who was in charge of booking talent. 害羞草研究所淚n year two, attendance doubled. It was frightening for a couple 20-year-old kids,害羞草研究所� Valstar laughed. 害羞草研究所淚t went full Project X.害羞草研究所�

The lads decided that they no longer desired to utilize their parent害羞草研究所檚 backyard for the bash and upgraded to the Hassen Memorial Arena for the festival害羞草研究所檚 third instalment. And, for the past seven years, attendance has been on a steady incline. Valstar credits that spike to the devotion found within both the heavy metal community in western Canada and his hometown of Armstrong.

害羞草研究所淚 remember looking at the price tag of the festival, losing hair and going white,害羞草研究所� Valstar said.

However, Armstrong MetalFest has always at least managed to break even.

害羞草研究所淥ur community hasn害羞草研究所檛 let us down,害羞草研究所� said Valstar, who recently returned from promoting the festival at in Lone Butte, B.C.

At the core of Armstrong MetalFest is quality metal acts from across the continent that come to the North Okanagan to rock the arena.

害羞草研究所淲e have Sarah Longfield 害羞草研究所� she害羞草研究所檚 a Youtube sensation gone metal act. She害羞草研究所檚 going to be very interesting,害羞草研究所� Valstar said.

Also gracing the stage are Quebec death metal phenoms Kataklysm and Vancouver Juno-nominated technical death metal fame Archspire.

害羞草研究所淭he lineup is heavy. It害羞草研究所檚 quite diverse,害羞草研究所� Valstar said. 害羞草研究所淏alance has been our No. 1 thing.害羞草研究所�

Valstar, a self-proclaimed numbers man, said that organizers use a proportional representation-based algorithm for determining the number of bands from each location as well as the ratio of bands per genre, with sub-genres like brutal death metal falling under the primary death metal umbrella. Categories include technical metal, death metal, doom and sludge metal, alternative metal, black metal and more.

害羞草研究所淲e have a ton of guys that work on this all year,害羞草研究所� Valstar said of West Metal Entertainment害羞草研究所檚 lineup algorithm.

While it originated as a society in tandem with Armstrong MetalFest, West Metal Entertainment has grown to provide metal bands with the opportunity to get on a multitude of stages in the North Okanagan.

This year, the Society was also able to give a scholarship to the tune of $500 to a Pleasant Valley Secondary School graduate. Scholarship candidates were required to write a letter about how music of any genre has impacted their lives.

害羞草研究所淭his is the first year we害羞草研究所檝e ever done it. We kept it as broad as possible because we don害羞草研究所檛 know how to do this,害羞草研究所� Valstar laughed. 害羞草研究所�(It was) in the name of heavy metal, funded by heavy metal.害羞草研究所�

The scholarship has been on West Metal Entertainment害羞草研究所檚 radar for several years. However, Valstar said they decided to make it a priority this year.

As the festival continues to grow, he hopes that the scholarships will follow suit.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檇 like to see the festival continue to grow at the rate it is. I害羞草研究所檇 like to see it go on for a very long time,害羞草研究所� Valstar said. 害羞草研究所淥ne of my favourite parts is hearing about how people meet their fiance, husband or wife at the festival. It brings a bunch of like-minded people together.害羞草研究所�

For Valstar, building that community is what the festival is all about.

害羞草研究所淭he No. 1 thing is it害羞草研究所檚 not that you attend our festival, it害羞草研究所檚 that you attend a festival and get out there and support the community,害羞草研究所� Valstar said. 害羞草研究所淭hey require people at the event to keep going. Just get out there and support local.害羞草研究所�

When organizers pour everything into their festival, Valstar said that community support makes it all worthwhile.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 think I know how to stop,害羞草研究所� Valstar said. 害羞草研究所淚 think I害羞草研究所檇 be lost.害羞草研究所�

Advance weekend passes are $125, walk up rate is $165. All tickets include tent camping. Guests are welcome to sleep in their vehicles, RV or trailer. Reserve RV spots online to guarantee a spot that includes water and power hookups. For more information and tickets, visit .

parker.crook@vernonmorningstar.com
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