Deep within the Kootenay Mountains of British Columbia, previous winding highways and alpine lakes, sits a working 500-acre farm that, for one lengthy weekend every summer time, turns into one of many world’s most original digital music festivals: Shambhala Music Competition.
With no company sponsorships, six everlasting phases constructed into the land itself, and a group that treats the ranch like a second dwelling, Shambhala isn’t simply one other pageant. It is a place the place strangers greet you want previous pals, gifting is a love language, and the Salmo River is as a lot a headliner because the artists themselves.
The 2025 version, held July 25-28, as soon as once more proved why Shambhala holds a particular place amongst festivalgoers worldwide. With a various lineup, upgraded PK Sound, and the form of magic you possibly can’t manufacture, the ranch was alive in ways in which hold individuals coming again yr after yr.
Learn EDM Maniac’s full Competition Report Card on Shambhala Music Competition 2025 under.
Vibes: ★★★★★
The power at Shambhala is not like anyplace else. Crowds right here know the right way to be at a pageant—respecting one another’s area on the dance ground, serving to out strangers, and displaying up for units with real enthusiasm. This yr, the group measurement felt dialed in, with sufficient individuals to fill the phases with power, however by no means so packed you needed to elbow your manner via.
From the second we arrived, buying and selling posts had been alive with handcrafted trinkets, stickers, and pageant artwork. There have been loads of moments of pure, collective pleasure, like when shouts of pleasure and claps echoed alongside the water throughout the river floats.
Overly intoxicated partiers had been uncommon, and even then, there was all the time somebody close by to look out for them. It’s that Shambhala care, and the combination of seasoned vets with first-timers, that retains the vibes so constant. Shambhala can also be a dry pageant.
Manufacturing: ★★★★☆
Shambhala’s manufacturing isn’t about LED partitions or pyrotechnics outshining the competitors; it’s about mixing into its atmosphere. Every of the six phases is everlasting, evolving barely yearly however sustaining its personal distinct identification. From the bass-heavy power of the Village to the neon jungle of the Fractal Forest, the staging right here feels intentional, not simply thrown collectively for a weekend.
This yr, Shambhala’s well-known PK Sound techniques acquired a lift, with an additional 10-15% extra audio system at choose phases, giving units further punch with out sacrificing readability. The Pagoda’s laser present lit up the night time sky, slicing via mud and smoke in a manner that rivals our greatest pageant recollections. Ambient lighting and eccentric artwork all through the grounds made even the walks between phases really feel like a part of the present.
Past the music areas, Shambhala is crammed with immersive artwork installations, chill zones, hammocks, and hidden nooks the place you possibly can come across small, lovely moments, like a solo facet quest underneath a cover of string lights or by accident discovering a secret stage.
Music: ★★★★★
Shambhala’s lineup is all the time fastidiously curated by every stage group, and 2025’s programming proved it.
Every stage introduced a singular taste: the Village was stacked with dubstep music and drum & bass, Fractal Forest saved the dance ground transferring with funky home, bass home, disco, grooves, and basslines, and the AMP got here heavy with UKG, 140, and extra underground sounds. The Grove leaned into experimental bass, reside acts, and surprises, whereas the Residing Room stayed the final word riverside hangout.
Every stage had its dominant style, however none had been restricted to only one. It’s all about anticipating the sudden. There was music for everybody. With a lineup this massive, overlapping set occasions meant there have been some robust decisions to be made, however clashes additionally saved phases from turning into overcrowded.
This yr, Tape B made himself unavoidable in one of the simplest ways attainable, delivering three fully totally different units: a B2B with Skream throughout the dubstep legend’s takeover on the AMP, a headline solo set on the Pagoda that introduced much more wobble than anticipated, and a shock B2B with Mersiv proper after.
Shambhala’s 2025 lineup was stacked, however just a few units stood out. Massive Gigantic introduced their signature mix of reside instrumentation and funky bass. Andy C and Bou shined on the Village, standing out with their high-energy drum & bass. Our group additionally caught scintillating South Asian beats from Ahadadream, and mighty UKG and bassline units from MPH, Oppidan, camoufly, and Zero.
On the home facet, Chris Lake, Justin Martin, Dombresky, Odd Mob, and it’s murph delivered groovy performances beloved by dancers. However probably the most talked about set was Skream & Associates, throwing down greater than 9 hours of B2B dubstep insanity on the AMP till 9AM on Sunday morning, with appearances from Caspa, Coki, Distinct Motive, Levity, Tape B, Wraz., Substance, Sgt. Pokes, and extra.
For many who love a unique taste of bass, ALLEYCVT, SLANDER, and Excision shook the Village and introduced out devoted crowds. In the meantime, Rezz’s hypnotic visuals and deep, pulsating sound design transported the Pagoda and the group under into one other dimension solely.
Venue: ★★★★☆
The Salmo River Ranch is a venue you must expertise to know. It’s compact sufficient to navigate with out lengthy walks, but sufficiently big to really feel such as you’re always discovering new pockets of magic. The phases are woven into forests, open fields, and riverbanks, making all the pageant really feel built-in into the land moderately than imposed on it.
The river itself is a defining function, providing daytime floats and a pure cool-down between units. However yearly, there’s one explicit environmental problem that plagues festivalgoers: mud. Although much less problematic than in earlier editions, it was nonetheless relentless, coating all the things out of your hair to your gear.
Operationally, issues ran easily. Safety checks had been respectful, crowd motion was fluid, and Telus customers loved surprisingly sturdy cell service, making pal meetups a lot simpler than at most festivals.
Meals & Beverage: ★★★☆☆
Although void of fancy chef-curated menus you’d discover at massive corporate-backed occasions, Shambhala’s meals scene delivers each consolation classics and pageant favorites, with sufficient selection to cowl nearly any dietary want. Costs had been excessive—count on to spend $20–30 on a meal—however parts had been strong, high quality was constantly excessive, and trade charges on card transactions favored vacationers from the U.S.
The rooster karaage bowls, salad wraps, and Canadian-favorite poutine had been the winners this yr, with vegan and gluten-free choices accessible at most distributors. Most meals stalls return yr after yr, which could really feel repetitive to some, however for returning pageant attendees, it’s a part of the custom. Traces had been cheap, and late-night eats had been all the time inside attain.
General: ★★★★☆
Shambhala 2025 was one other superb expertise at an impartial pageant. From its unmatched group power to its considerate manufacturing and impeccable music curation, the ranch rave as soon as once more reminded us why it’s such a particular place on the worldwide pageant circuit.
It’s not about hype or flash—it’s about creating an area the place music, nature, and human connection can actually thrive. And this yr, Shambhala nailed it as soon as once more. We’d give it an additional half-star if we might.
Discover EDM Maniac’s full Competition Report Card archive right here.
