Returning to the farm for Shambhala 2025 [DMNW Review]

From July 25 to 29, we traveled to beautiful British Columbia to attend the 26th annual Shambhala Music Festival. Located near hippie haven Nelson, B.C., this yearly four-day festival is Canada’s crown jewel when it comes to dance music.

Perched along the scenic Salmo River, the privately owned five-hundred-acre farm features six permanent structures where over twenty thousand ravers from around the world gather to see some of their favorite DJs, producers, performers, and to revel in the company of family, friends, and strangers alike. We spent the weekend surrounded by old-growth forest contrasted by the country’s premier lights, lasers, and sound systems which created a truly unique experience.

The more the merrier

Although Shambhala sold more tickets than ever this year, the Shambhala spirit remains undiminished despite the festival’s growing popularity and more diverse crowds. From first-timers to decades-long die-hards, every visitor sets their standards high after visiting the farm. The festival’s infectious attitudes of friendliness, generosity, and community spread quickly to anyone who enters its gates.

Year after year, Shambhala brings out the best of those who attend, and this year was no different. We befriended dozens of ravers, industry professionals, staff members, and artist teams. Some of whom we may never see again, and others with whom we forged long-standing relationships. As always, staff and crew worked hard to provide the best possible experience to attendees, media, and artists, to the gratitude of all.

Credit: Michael-John Aprahamian

From Farm to Table

Both long-standing and new food vendors at Shambhala provided the best festival food we’ve ever had. To fuel the masses, Shambhala’s hand-picked food vendors had everything from Canadian classics like poutine and mini donuts to international delicacies like Thai, Jamaican, Japanese, and even Scottish cuisines. There was truly a flavor for every foodie on the farm. To wash down the wide variety of food, beverages including coffee, smoothies, juices, slushies, and coconut water were available morning, noon, and night.

Drops, Drumlines, and Dancers

Shambhala 2025 featured countless talented artists across numerous stages like the Pagoda, Fractal Forest, The Village, and even some secret stages for the more adventurous visitors. We wished we could be in six places at once to see every act and performance of the weekend.

The AMP

This year was big for 140 BPM fans at the AMPhitheatre stage. Most notably, dubstep godfather Skream brought a huge roster of 140 and dubstep DJs for an incredible 9-hour set. Artists Coki, Odd Mob, Distinct Motive, Tape B, Levity, and many more joined Skream on stage for a marathon of tracks spanning decades. Weaving a long history with the newest tracks and remixes,  it was a one-of-a-kind set that many attendees reported as life-changing. Other notable artists at the AMP were experimental bass duo Shades, who celebrated their 10th anniversary, as well as Caspa, Basura, and Moody Good.

Credit: Michael-John Aprahamian

The Village

Throughout the long weekend, dubstep superstars hit The Village to play for thousands of headbangers from around the world through the stage’s famously powerful sound system. Artists like Slander, Illenium, Wooli, and Excision rocked The Village with unreleased tracks, timeless anthems, remixes, and collabs with fellow creators. Other artists like Ill.Gates, Dirt Monkey, Phibes, Delta Heavy, Andy C, and many others had The Village jumping with set after set of bass music bangers.

Fractal Forest

The newly redesigned Fractal Forest hosted a litany of artists from across the EDM spectrum. The stage welcomed back artists like The Funk Hunters, Freddy J, Underdog, and Stickybuds. It also brought in newer artists like Wuki and Sofi Tukker. The stage hosted dozens of performances from our favorite house, future bass, and classic electronic acts.

The Pagoda

The unofficial main stage for Shambhala housed an all-star lineup of DJs all weekend long. Friday at The Pagoda saw deep house artists Justin Martin, Chris Lake, and Destructo who had the crowd shuffling till the early morning. On Saturday, we were bouncing to the unique house styles of Duskus, Elderbrook, and MPH. For the final night of the festival, Rezz took us into the portal with a hypnotizing set. Lastly, Tape B went back-to-back with Mersiv for a secret performance that filled the dance floor with a massive crowd.

Credit: Michael-John Aprahamian

Throughout all stages across the festival, the sound was clear, powerful, and perfectly tuned for maximum impact. Shambhala’s long history of pushing sound system culture once again rang true this year. First-time guests were blown away by the highest-quality PK Sound systems, which was famously tested at The Village stage.

Safety in numbers

Some intense weather occurred this year, as we experienced high temperatures every day of the weekend. While most attendees easily cooled off with some much-needed time by the river, others experienced health emergencies like heat stroke, dehydration, and overheating. When fellow ravers were overcome by the heat, attendees looked out for each other and immediately sought staff help. Shambhala staff were quick and responsive to those experiencing health emergencies, who were quickly transported to medical tents and safety. Overall, the highs and lows of the weekend didn’t stop us from enjoying the most of each day and night.

Credit: Michael-John Aprahamian

From entry to exit, Shambhala once again set the bar for Pacific Northwest festivals. Over the course of the weekend, we enjoyed great music, food, and atmosphere among a kind community of like-minded people in a safe and controlled environment.