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At Three Stars Dark Sky Festival, worlds connect when things go dark
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Bamfield, BC / Huu-ay-aht First Nations Steer yourself in the direction of Bamfield, Vancouver Island, this May to experience a deep sense of interconnectedness with the ocean and the sky.
Here you’ll find a coastal journey rooted in nature, culture and adventure, an experience along BC’s Infinite Coast that will take you to the moon and back via Huu-ay-aht First Nations’ Three Stars Dark Sky Festival.
"The dark sky and the stars unite us," teaches Huu-ay-aht knowledge keeper qiic̓ qiic̓a (in english, Keats Keatsa). "The stars and the night sky remind us that everything is one."
A night view of Brady's Rock, on coastal terrain near Bamfield.
From May 8-10, you can base yourself in the West Coast Vancouver Island community of Bamfield (about a two hour drive west of Port Alberni) to gain a whole new way of looking at the night sky.
Get tickets to the Three Stars Dark Sky Festival and transform your perspective
“If astronomy is looking at things beyond the horizon, astrotourism brings into focus what is within the horizon, including the people, the place and the community,” explains Stéphane Picard, founder of Cliff Valley Astronomy, a participant in the upcoming festival.
Currently, as designated by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC), there are 23 dark sky preserves across the country.
Picard will be on site during the event to assess Huu-ay-aht First Nation’s potential in becoming the 24th.
“Sixty percent of Canadians can't see the Milky Way from where they live," he points out. "And every 10 years light pollution doubles, meaning it's even more challenging to see a sky filled with stars.”
Darkness, and the ability to see the night sky, is fading. The Three Star Dark Sky Festival aims to preserve those connections.
It’s Keats Keatsa who educated me about the Kiixin logo (a Huu-ay-aht ancient village site and National Historic Site of Canada) and the reason it features three stars, “representing the past, the present and the future."
For Picard, “I think, in my experience, a designation or a dark-sky preserve helps create visibility and the culture, for two audiences: one for those who want to come and travel to the destination, but also for local storytelling abilities."
Connect back to ocean, earth and sky
experience traditional culture, nature connections at the Three Stars Dark Sky Festival
Too often, says Picard, "people today can be pulled away from traditional practices with “technological advancements."
"Having a dark sky designation and astrotourism plan puts more emphasis back on traditional storytelling," he says. "The night sky is a fun story to tell.”
Putting away screens and connecting to the night sky also reconnects us to culture.
Within the Three Stars Dark Sky Festival, there is an array of connection points festival goers will have to the night sky and to Indigenous cultures.
“We had our own way of using the night sky for wayfinding, we can see the secret items that we use to navigate and as a calendar,” explains George Desjarlais, of the newayak kisikohk Planetarium.
"I am bringing a mobile planetarium, 11 feet tall and 25 feet across that includes some of our Cree artwork. Within the planetarium we are able to showcase Cree night sky teachings.”
Next to the planetarium experience, you can be part of stargazing experiences with the RASC, a beach concert, local language classes and more.
Bamfield provides an ideal setting for dark sky exploration, with its minimal light pollution.
Here's your first language lesson, free, from Huu-ay-aht First Nations language instructor Hinatiniyus Coté: “t̓at̓uus (ta-toose) is how Huu-ay-aht First Nation’s says the word 'star' in traditional language.”
Given Huu-ay-aht First Nation’s remote location, the community of Bamfield along the West Coast of Vancouver Island is the perfect astrotourism destination, given the array of locations that are dark.
“When you come back to what is astrotourism and what is within the horizon," says Picard, "the community plays a huge role in making that unique and special experience."
Huu-ay-aht First Nation's Three Stars Dark Sky Festival in Bamfield, where the ocean connects with the night sky, is the perfect opportunity for travelers to feel and experience those deep interconnections.
When you go
Attend the Three Stars Dark Sky Festival and you’ll walk away never looking at the night sky the same again.
Getting to Bamfield the community—within Huu-ay-aht First Nations homelands—is connected to the centre of Vancouver Island via a proper highway less than two hours from Port Alberni.
It's about a three-hour drive from Bamfield to Nanaimo.
Tickets
Your ticket is a community-supported contribution that helps make this unique cultural and educational event possible.
Weekend pass (general admission) $40/person
Camping and lodging packages will also be available $TBD
Purchase tickets and get more info here
Staying in Bamfield options include the Pachena Bay Campground, home to one of North America’s best beaches (and will be open for camping during the festival.
Need a roof over your head? Consult the Visit Bamfield site for other options to stay.
Get social and let us know what you uncover, the Three Stars Festival is all about it! Be sure to tag @hfngroup and @festivalseekers in your social media posts
