It91裸聊视频檚 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 Armstrong91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淚 was a fairly ambitious 19-year-old and 10 years kind of flew by,91裸聊视频� Valstar laughed. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e had a lot of different events that have shaped the festival in different ways. We91裸聊视频檝e had all sorts of bumps along the road to help make the crew a well-oiled unit.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淲e nailed it down. The first year was a raging success,91裸聊视频� said Valstar, who was in charge of booking talent. 91裸聊视频淚n year two, attendance doubled. It was frightening for a couple 20-year-old kids,91裸聊视频� Valstar laughed. 91裸聊视频淚t went full Project X.91裸聊视频�

The lads decided that they no longer desired to utilize their parent91裸聊视频檚 backyard for the bash and upgraded to the Hassen Memorial Arena for the festival91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淚 remember looking at the price tag of the festival, losing hair and going white,91裸聊视频� Valstar said.

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

91裸聊视频淥ur community hasn91裸聊视频檛 let us down,91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淲e have Sarah Longfield 91裸聊视频� she91裸聊视频檚 a Youtube sensation gone metal act. She91裸聊视频檚 going to be very interesting,91裸聊视频� Valstar said.

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

91裸聊视频淭he lineup is heavy. It91裸聊视频檚 quite diverse,91裸聊视频� Valstar said. 91裸聊视频淏alance has been our No. 1 thing.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淲e have a ton of guys that work on this all year,91裸聊视频� Valstar said of West Metal Entertainment91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淭his is the first year we91裸聊视频檝e ever done it. We kept it as broad as possible because we don91裸聊视频檛 know how to do this,91裸聊视频� Valstar laughed. 91裸聊视频�(It was) in the name of heavy metal, funded by heavy metal.91裸聊视频�

The scholarship has been on West Metal Entertainment91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檇 like to see the festival continue to grow at the rate it is. I91裸聊视频檇 like to see it go on for a very long time,91裸聊视频� Valstar said. 91裸聊视频淥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.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淭he No. 1 thing is it91裸聊视频檚 not that you attend our festival, it91裸聊视频檚 that you attend a festival and get out there and support the community,91裸聊视频� Valstar said. 91裸聊视频淭hey require people at the event to keep going. Just get out there and support local.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 think I know how to stop,91裸聊视频� Valstar said. 91裸聊视频淚 think I91裸聊视频檇 be lost.91裸聊视频�

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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