A large music and art festival that could attact up to 25,000 attendees has been proposed for a property in rural Grey Highlands.
Johny Mikhael, the CEO of iRadios Inc., is planning the Lit Galaxy Festival to be held in Grey Highlands over Canada Day weekend in 2025.
Mikhael presented preliminary plans for the big event at the Grey Highlands council meeting on July 17. The event would be held on a 150-acre rural property in Grey Highlands on the Grey Highlands/The Blue Mountains townline near the intersection of Sideroad 13B not far from Duncan.
Mikhael said the on-time event would feature music on multiple stages, an art show and the lighting of the trees.
“It’s about nature and being part of nature,” he told council.
Other activities during the two and a half day event would include:
- An art show and art activities
- Yoga
- Hula hooping
- Meditation
- Rock climbing
The event will also include camping, 24-hour security, food vendors, water and washroom stations, a vendor market and a camping “corner store.”
The event will be cashless, attendees must be 19 years of age or older and all will wear RFID bracelets that are registered with the organizers.
“We’re excited. The location is beautiful,” said Mikhael. “It’s going to be very popular.”
Festival organizers will be fully responsible for security, policing and emergency services on site.
Members of council expressed appreciation that the organizers were coming to council early to discuss their plans.
“We appreciate you have come forward with this information. It’s potentially very large,” said Coun. Tom Allwood. “Something like this will need buy-in from the public.”
CAO Karen Govan said a staff report on the festival’s application for a special event permit would come to council for a decision. The CAO noted that the event had the potential to double the population of the municipality for that weekend.
“Something of this significance would definitely come back to council. It’s prudent to research and bring information back,” said Govan.
