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Everything, for everyone, everywhere: Whistler marks 50 years with blowout summer bash

From retro dance parties to star-gazing socials, the RMOW's four-day 50th anniversary celebration promises something for every age and interest—plus a few surprises still under wraps
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There’s something for everyone in mind as Whistler prepared to turn 50.

Whistler’s 50th anniversary celebration is shaping up to be an all-encompassing, village-wide spectacle, as municipal staff finalize plans for a packed four-day festival this August with events spanning trivia shows, pop-up art, live music and even a lakeside outdoor cinema.

“You won’t be able to avoid our celebrations—even if you try,” said Karen Elliott, the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) general manager of community engagement, at the July 8 council meeting. “All roads will lead toward the Whistler Olympic Plaza.”

Scheduled to run from Thursday, Aug. 21 through Sunday, Aug. 24, the anniversary launch weekend is designed around a hybrid model of programming that will activate both the village core and several municipal parks, in addition to leveraging events in the fall and winter for extended celebration.

The festival’s tagline, “From Trailblazers to Tomorrow Makers,” highlights the community’s twin goals of honouring its past and investing in the next generation of leaders, creatives, and changemakers.

“This is really a celebration about doing both—looking back and acknowledging and expressing gratitude for those who were here before us, and getting excited about those who will start to lead us into the next 50 years,” Elliott said.

A full weekend of free programming

Thursday night, Aug. 21, kicks off with a family-friendly retro dance party headlined by Halifax-based DJ duo PINEO & LOEB and special guests, with an opening set by DJ Foxy Moron. Guests are encouraged to wear gear from their favourite decade or après-ski attire in a nod to Whistler’s quirky mountain culture.

Friday night features a headlining Whistler Summer Concert Series set by the Sam Roberts Band, which has strong ties to the community after performing at both the original and post-pandemic re-openings of Whistler Olympic Plaza. DJ Whitness will open the show.

Saturday's theme is “Picnic with Trailblazers and Tomorrow Makers,” with markets, giveaways, and all-ages hangout zones encircling the Olympic Plaza lawn. Programming begins at 1 p.m. with welcome remarks from council, followed by a Whistler 50th Trivia Show, a Trailblazers panel, and a mass sing-along led by Canadian group Choir! Choir! Choir!

“We’re going to be learning a song—to be revealed—and the whole community will sing it together, live,” Elliott said. “They’ll make people laugh, they’ll make people dance, and they are certainly going to make people sing.”

Parks, puppies and the 'Sunset Social'

On Sunday, attention shifts to local parks. Rebagliati Park hosts WAGFest from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with dog-friendly activities and photo ops, while the Audain Art Museum offers programming in its meadow and outdoor spaces.

Rainbow Park will feature casual sports pop-ups from 2 to 5 p.m., including acro yoga, volleyball and even an in-lake sound bath.

“We want people to try something they maybe haven’t done before, with fellow community members,” Elliott said. “It’s not for hardcore athletes … it’s about connection.”

The grand finale, dubbed the “Sunset Social at Lost Lake,” aims to resonate especially with Whistler’s 20- to 35-year-old demographic. Subject to toad migration (with Meadow Park on standby), the event includes illuminated installations, circus arts, an outdoor cinema, contemporary dancers and star-gazing with telescopes guided by an astronomer.

Fall programming, museum exhibit and handover to winter

Beyond August, the RMOW is supporting additional community-led 50th events throughout the fall via microgrants distributed by the Whistler Community Foundation. The Whistler Museum will launch a special exhibit during launch weekend exploring the founding of the RMOW and kick off a capital campaign for a new museum and archives.

Arts Whistler is developing a mentorship program pairing emerging and established artists to co-create work for a show running from Sept. 6—the day the RMOW was officially incorporated in 1975—to Oct. 4. A community celebration led by RMOW staff and council is also in the works for fall.

Whistler Blackcomb is collaborating with the RMOW on a “handover” event this winter to align with its own 60th anniversary, which Elliott hinted will “have a little fun” as one legacy milestone rolls into the next.