After a four-year run at Big White Ski Resort, a new era is about to begin for AltiTunes.
The popular mountaintop music festival will be moving to Sun Peaks Resort in 2026 and is set to be held on the Easter weekend.
The two-day event will take over Sun Peaks Centre Stage on Friday, April 3, and Saturday, April 4.
AltiTunes is a product of Thick as Thieves Entertainment (TATE) and owner Mitch Carefoot says they’re “bursting at the seams with excitement” about the move.
“Our team has been receiving countless messages from past attendees and people in the Kamloops/Sun Peaks area eager to continue the AltiTunes tradition at the new venue,” he explained.
“Regardless of where we are, our goal remains the same – bring people together for an unforgettable shared experience where music, community and memories blend together.”
According to Carefoot, Sun Peaks is an opportunity to evolve the festival into something they feel aligns more with their vision of a true "village takeover."
"At Sun Peaks, we can host the main event right in the heart of the village resort, which means guests can seamlessly commute from their hotel room to the ski lift, to restaurants and into the festival grounds," he told NowMedia.
"Tourism Sun Peaks and the Sun Peaks Resort team share our passion for event-led tourism, and their events strategy aligns perfectly with our vision of creating a seamless blend of mountain adventure and music."
Tourism Sun Peaks executive director Naomi Kerchinsky echoes Carefoot's comments and says the Resort is thrilled to welcome the popular event to town.
“Their festival captures the same energy and creativity that define our approach to destination management,” she noted through a media release.
“AltiTunes at Sun Peaks Centre Stage is exactly the kind of partnership that showcases what this mountain can deliver.”
That experience will of course be centred around the two-day music festival that has recently leaned into electronic artists for the majority of its lineup.
Attendees will be encouraged to get a crew together, rent a pad, hit the slopes and dress up in their best vintage ski gear to enjoy the après-ski–inspired vibe of AltiTunes.
First access to pre-sale tickets will be available on Wednesday, Dec. 3, and artist announcements will begin to roll out in the coming weeks. Fans who want to be the first to get news are encouraged to sign up for updates here.
The inaugural AltiTunes was scheduled for 2020 with Arkells as headliners, but was postponed until 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The popular Hamilton rock band returned for the ‘22 edition alongside Lights and a few local artists.
The festival shifted to two days in 2023 and the next two editions saw a mix of alternative acts like Peach Pit, Milky Chance and X Ambassadors alongside electronic artists like Felix Cartal, Elderbrook, Moontricks and Vandelux.
Earlier this year, Loud Luxury, Bob Moses, Emmit Fenn, Elohim were all a part of the final edition of AltiTunes at Big White, at least for now, which featured an entirely electronic lineup.
As for what the future holds for AltiTunes beyond 2026, Carefoot indicates that Sun Peaks is a big part of TATE's plans moving forward, and potentially not just for AltiTunes.
"We intend to build upon our first year at Sun Peaks with more AltiTunes to come and potentially other events at the resort in the future," he said, noting that they're always open to additing more events if there's a fit.
"Over the years, our business has grown from one small single-night event to four or five multi-day festivals throughout the year."
Along with AltiTunes, TATE is also responsible for Denim on the Diamond, Kelowna Beer Fest, Rosé Disco and several regular concerts that have been hosted in the Central Okanagan in recent years.
