Get out and Play at GO Fest in Whistler
Looking for some fun in the great outdoors this long weekend? Claudia Laroye has the scoop on GO Fest in Whistler.
If you’re looking for some active, family-friendly fun for this May long weekend, check out the newest festival that kicks off Whistler’s busy summer event calendar. The inaugural GO Fest, Whistler’s Great Outdoors Festival, will take place on the Victoria Day Long Weekend, May 16-19, 2014.
Kick off Summer With GO Fest
The May long weekend has long been the launch of summer activities (think golfing and mountain biking) in the Whistler area, as winter sports (skiing and boarding) take their last spring turns on Whistler Blackcomb’s high alpine slopes. GO Fest will be unique in combining Whistler’s seasons into a festival that celebrates a unique time of year when people can enjoy Whistler in their own way – choosing their own adventure, whether it’s winter or summer themed pursuits.
The Festival will combine many of the great things that make Whistler such a popular year-round resort – sport, music, arts and culture. The full schedule of events is long and wide, and is filled with mountain bike and kayaking races, sailing regattas, music concerts, disc golf and Ultimate frisbee tournaments, a yoga jam and film festival, and outdoor artists painting the stunning views all around the Whistler area. There is something for everyone to see and do, or just watch and enjoy.
Kid-Friendly Fun
Event highlights include; a concert by the award-winning Sheepdogs in Whistler Village Square on Friday, May 16, 2014; the AlpenGlow Fun Run, a family-friendly run/walk/skip/stroll on the illuminated trail around Lost Lake; the return of the multi-sport Great Snow-Earth-Water Race (after a 20-year hiatus), on Sunday, May 18, 2014; and the Great Slush Cup, on Blackcomb Mountain, on Monday, May 19, 2014.
There’s also an opportunity to get active yourself, as part of GO Fest’s Training & Demo event options. Demo some new summer activities like Stand Up Paddle boarding (SUP) on Nita Lake, run along with the Half Marathon Run Clinic, or receive race specific bike training from pro coaches on the Whistler Triathlon Course.
How Active do you Want to Be?
How active you want to be is up to you! And in celebration of GO Fest’s first year, Whistler resort is offering a third night free option for attendees, making it easier (and more affordable) to enjoy an active and relaxing family weekend away.
Happy Victoria Day long weekend!
For more event details, visit http://www.greatoutdoorsfest.com. For booking accommodation, visit http://www.whistler.com/summer_packages/.
Claudia Laroye is writer and blogger living in Vancouver, BC, specializing in family and travel. In addition to her own blog, thetravellingmom.ca, she’s written about family travel for BCAA’s Westworld magazine, West Coast Families, Travel Underwriters, Inside Vancouver, and TravelMamas.com.
