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All About Chasing Summer Festival
1219 
Calgary, Alberta, CA
Open-air
XL – 20-50k
Electronic
$$$
Live music, International
2 Days
Chasing Summer Music Festival is the largest EDM event in western Canada.
Held at Max Bell Centre Festival Grounds in Calgary, Alberta, it is a two-day festival taking place at the end of July.
As one of Canada’s largest outdoor electronic music festivals, it shelters the whole electronic spectrum – including niche subgenres such as bass.
It is no surprise that its abiding commitment to the electronic anthem attracts EDM fans from all corners of the world. Their mission? To revel in the two days of pulsating beats.
Amid the harsh winters of Prairie, Canada, the excruciatingly short summer season makes Canadians yearn for some fun in the sun. That’s where Chasing Summer enters the stage, making every summeresque season doozie.
Here’s everything you need to know about Chasing Summer Festival.
Chasing Summer is the biggest EDM fest in western Canada
On perhaps the most awaited weekend of the season – nay, it’s actually of the year – Chasing Summer Festival brings electronic aficionados from Alberta and beyond together.
As soon as the temperatures start rising, EDM devotees daydream about running to the Max Bell Center Festival Grounds, which transform into a giant dance floor during the Chasing Summer Festival days.
Flaunting some of the most roaring names in the electronic realm, the festival is a powerhouse of American and international artists. Steve Aoki, The Chainsmokers, and Infected Mushroom are some of the illustrious names that headlined in the previous years.
Chasing Summer ranks among the top 10 EDM festivals in Canada
Although it could be labeled as a rookie due to its relatively fresh debut in the festival realm, Chasing Summer Festival cemented its position among the top 10 rankers in Canada’s EDM scene.
The festival might be only a decade old, but it is a pro at delivering ineffable music experiences.
Hobnobbing with the likes of Escapade Music Festival and Shambhala Music Festival, Chasing Summer leaves EDM fans craving for more with its two-day format.
Catch NBA legend Shaq at Chasing Summer
Chasing Summer is more than a fest. It’s a golden opportunity to get up close with basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal – but on a different court.
The four-time NBA champion began messing around with the turntables in his teenage years. Throughout his basketball career, Shaq dabbled in DJing by mixing sets alone or for his friends.
In the aftermath of his NBA retirement, Shaq fully ventured into the DJing world under the DJ Diesel moniker.
Although he traded the court for the stage, the M.V.P’s “go big or go home” attitude still reigns supreme in everything he does – and mixing EDM tunes is no exception to that.
It is not a 24-hour festival
With the desire to relish in the much-needed sunshine, Chasing Summer is mostly a daytime festival. Unlike most music festivals that pull out all-nighter sets, Chasing Summer fills its stages with an early-bird character – from 1 PM to 11 PM.
If stellar names rock the stages during the tight schedule, we don’t see a reason to complain.
Chasing Summer’s festival-goers are notorious for drug abuse
The vibrant festival has had its share of infamy as rampant drug use was put into the spotlight in previous years.
Back in 2015, 17 festival attendees were hospitalized for drug overdoses. Chasing Summer’s 2017 edition was harsh, too – 15 people ended up in hospital beds due to irresponsible drug use.
MDMA, marijuana, cocaine, GHB, and ketamine were the drugs of choice for the hospitalized festival-goers. At that time, authorities stated that the deadly combination of drugs with large alcohol quantities aggravated the situation.
And yet, the festival disallows drug overdose kits
Despite the overdosing incidents, Chasing Summer has prohibited festival-goers from carrying naloxone kits.
In their defence, festival authorities expressed their own committed efforts toward handling drug overdose situations.
Colin Mathie, director of health and safety for Chasing Summer, told Global News that the festival wanted “to ensure that only trained medical professionals administer medications to third parties.”
There is no camping at the festival
Camping lovers, put your tents aside for this EDM bad boy. Although camping is a standard feature of most festivals, Chasing Summer is a predominantly daytime festival.
Since there is no reason to spend the night on festival grounds, Chasing Summer is not pro-camping.
Leave your personal vehicle at home, too. As soon as you walk on Chasing Summer’s grounds, you will realize there is no parking on-site – so the best way to get to the festival is by public transport or a taxi.
Another thing to note is that the festival does not allow re-entry upon exit within the same day. This festival sob story means that if you leave the area, you can only come back the next day.
Chasing Summer is where you make the most of summer festival fashion
Alberta’s summer is a blink-and-you-miss-it music experience. Why not carpe diem your way through the festival and shine during the two days?
Fishnets, glitter, funky prints, trippy beads… this is the festival catwalk to parade it all. Gather your buddies and get your festival fashion game on point.
The Chasing Summer festival adds some extra shine to the Canadian summer with its star-studded lineups and infallible vibes.
As the go-to festival-ing destination to soak up vitamin D while losing yourself in the finest EDM beats, you’ll only complain that it lasts for just two days.
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