Bestival Toronto Really Is The Best

This past weekend (June 11th and 12th) saw Bestival make its triumphant return to Toronto. After last year’s stellar launch, the event had a lot to live up to but thankfully it delivered. With glorious weather behind it, a keen attention to detail and a vibe unlike anything else in the city, Bestival proved once again that it’s one of Toronto’s can’t miss Summer events. If you attended the event you’re likely smiling and nodding your head. If you didn’t have the pleasure of taking it in, you’re probably wondering what makes Bestival so special? It’s difficult to define, as it isn’t just one thing. It’s not just a well crafted line-up, good stage design, proper amenities, good eats or good people, but a combination of all those things plus a distinct intangibility – the vibe. Anyone who was there will tell there was something special in the air. A slight hint of magic that conjures a similar feeling to a childhood trip to Disneyland. To better understand the magic of it all let’s take a deeper dive into some of the core elements of the Bestival experience.

New Space – Smaller But More Intimate

One of the key reasons why Toronto was selected for Bestival’s international expansion was the picturesque Toronto island location where the event took place in 2015. In theory it was perfect, right across from the city but still out there on its own, surrounded by water, giving it a deeper feeling of escape. I say in theory because although the space was incredible it also proved to be a bit of a logistical nightmare with many patrons stuck waiting 1-2 hours to get off the island. This year it was decided the best way to deal with the issue was to eliminate it altogether, heading east to Woodbine Park.

After a quick tour of the grounds it was clear to see that the event had definitely gotten smaller. Big Top wasn’t quite as big and the distance between stages was decreased. As it turned out this wasn’t a bad thing. Closer stages meant it was easy to jump between stages midway through sets or dash from stage to stage to catch your favourite acts while missing as little as possible. It also added to the intimate, almost “boutique” feel of the festival. Even with the reduced space it never felt overly crowded. Although at times I missed the island, I certainly enjoyed being able to enter and exit with virtually no wait time whatsoever.

The Stages & The Talent

Main Stage

There isn’t much need to describe the main stage. As the name suggests it’s the event’s biggest in size and in star power. Headliners included The Cure, Tame Impala, Odesza, Grimes and more. Considering our focus is more in the electronic realm I spent the least time at main stage but was able to thoroughly enjoy Jamie XX’s evening set. His eclectic mix or wordly sounds, personal productions and mainstream hits fused together perfectly for a huge DJ set that appealed to a wide array of festival goers. His knack for pulling out hits and mixing them into the original of which they sampled went over especially well (see Drake’s ‘One Dance’ blended into Paleface ft. Kyla’s ‘Do You Mind?’

Big Top

Big Top served as my home base with a unique blend of dance/electronic music ranging from Trap and Bass, to a wide array of House, Electro, EDM and whatever it is that Porter Robinson has been making as of late. Despite kicking things off before 3:00pm, Thugli had Big Top packed and turnt as ever; delivering their signature mix of hip-hop and trap, centred around their stellar remix catalogue. Although Thugli’s Tom Wrecks wasn’t able to perform due to illness, Pat Drastik held things down with ease.

One of the biggest takeways from Big Top was the affirmation that House is killing it right now. French DJ’s Malaa and Tchami delivered two of the strongest sets of the whole weekend. Malaa destroyed with a slew of his own G-House anthems but Tchami truly took things to the next level. His sermon of Bass, Future and Deep House brought the house down and served as the perfect climax. That said, perhaps the biggest draw of all of the Big Top performances was Porter Robinson’s live set. Fans came in droves packing the tent to the max and spilling out the back and sides to catch his performance. It was captivating and interesting but I still longed to hear ‘100% in the Bitch’.

Bollywood

The biggest surprise of the weekend for me was the Bollywood stage and how truly incredible it was. From the moment you entered the area the mood changed. During the day it was a wavy, free-love vibe but as the darkness descended upon it things truly heated up. From its glowing aura to the animalistic intensity and the fire…oh the fire – after dark it came alive. I had the pleasure of catching Maya Jane Coles and Art Department and the experience they created was incredible. Their sets aren’t about epic drops, yelling on the mic, or sing-along anthems. They’re about evoking a feeling; one that is part cathartic and part hypnotic – a stream of vibes so deep that you become lost within them and all of their glory. I approached the Bollywood stage with minimal expectations and left with a new appreciation.

Beyond The Music

Further diverisfying the festival experience is Bestival’s commitment to crafting an event that goes beyond the line-up. From the handcrafted flags that towered over the grounds, to the wild Cosmic Commune, Inflatable Church and more. It’s a controlled chaos that’s hard not love. Arguably the most unforgettable feature was the wild costume parade that completely took the grounds by storm anchored by the fan favourite ZeusMobile which had people jumping into to join the drumming from across the grounds.

Food & Drink

Food options were vast with food trucks and tents extending all over the Festival grounds with everything from Hot dogs and Hamburgers, to Burritios and Tacos, Poutine, Wraps, BBQ, Wood Oven Pizza and more. For a sweets lover such as myself, the food highlight was easily the sugar-coated-baked-dough-apples-and-ice-cream-topped-masterpiece that is Eva’s Original Chimney’s. For drinks, the Sugar Skulls Cocktail Bus served up custom cocktails and the bars packed mixed drinks and beers. The selection was decent though I could have definitely gone for a Craft beer option. It was nice to at least have the option of Corona as opposed to strictly just Budwieser and Bud Light though. Bacardi also served up some custom cocktails including Mojito’s with fresh mint. The event also featured free water stations throughout to help ensure guests stayed hydrated; a key for all events of this nature.

Bestival Is The Best

The final dimension that made Bestival so special was the people. From attendees in their late teens to those in their 50’s, hypebeasts and hippies, freaks and geeks, weirdos and bros, everyone came together to enjoy the vibe – and boy was it a vibe. In its second year Bestival Toronto proved why it deserves to be a mainstay in the city, truly living up to its name as the best festival. If you attended this year let us know your favourite parts in the comments below. If you missed out, there’s always next year. Thank you Bestival!