Someone in a glittering bodysuit is raising a shade structure like it's a cathedral, and the bass line from the valley floor is keeping time with every tent peg.
The music rolls over golden grass and dry hills, past the line of green where the Coldwater River slides by, cool and clear. A breeze lifts a little dust off the road and hands it to your sunglasses as a souvenir. Someone else is already dancing beside a cooler, eyes closed, completely home.
This is Bass Coast, the boutique, artist-owned festival in Merritt, British Columbia, and what to wear to Bass Coast comes down to the valley itself: it runs hot all afternoon, gets dusty whenever the wind wakes up, and turns cool enough after dark that the veterans keep a hood within reach.
Bass Coast 2027 runs July 9–12 at the Merritt Festival Grounds, its 19th year, per the official festival site. We're Magus and Lylyth Fawn, Los Angeles visionary artists and festival lifers, and this is our heat-to-hood wardrobe for the valley.
What should you wear to Bass Coast?
Wear breathable cotton and bold prints for the day, then add fleece and a hooded layer at night. Bass Coast runs in mid-July in the BC Interior, with afternoons around 29–35°C (85–95°F) and nights in the 50s°F (about 10–15°C). Pack a cap, sunglasses, closed-toe shoes and something to pull over your face when the dust rises.
| When | In the valley | What you're wearing |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoon | Hot sun on dry grass | Cotton tee or bodysuit, cotton shorts, a cap |
| Breezy hours | Dust drifting off the paths | A buff or bandana, sunglasses, closed-toe shoes |
| Sunset sets | The valley cooling | Fleece joggers over the shorts |
| Late night | Stages by the river | Hooded faux-fur-lined cloak on top |
| Camp morning | Dew on the tent | The cloak again, plus coffee from the camp stove |
The festival's own essentials list names a shade structure, solid footwear and warm clothing together: the whole valley in one line.
How hot is Bass Coast during the day?
Hot and dry. Bass Coast afternoons in Merritt usually reach 29–35°C (85–95°F), with sun on open grassland and dust whenever the wind picks up. Dress light: breathable cotton, a bodysuit or tank, cotton shorts and a cap, plus sunglasses and a buff for the dust. Shade structures and refillable water bottles do the rest.
A dust-day kit for any valley festival:
- A buff or bandana to pull over your nose when a gust rolls through, plus sunglasses with real coverage.
- Closed-toe shoes for dry grass and dusty paths, and a spare shirt in a zip bag so the evening outfit starts fresh.
- Respect the river. The festival asks for no soap, shampoo or conditioner in the Coldwater, and no rock dams across it.
The tee. The Angel Catcher Light Orange cotton t-shirt ($60, XS–5XL) scatters rust, coral and terracotta flower-of-life medallions around a star at the chest, the colors of a valley afternoon pressed into cotton. It's 100% cotton at 190 g/m², dye-sublimated so the print won't fade or crack.
The bodysuit. The Alien Cyberpunk Mech sleeveless bodysuit ($55, XS–2XL) pours turquoise, cobalt and violet biomechanical currents around a white geometric star, with a flower-of-life orb glowing below and an eye watching from the back. Stretchy 92% poly / 8% spandex with a half-high collar: sci-fi for the bass bins.
The shorts. The Sacred Geo unisex cotton shorts ($65, S–5XL) layer silver-white Om symbols, flower-of-life circles, a Sri Yantra and a star over plum and mauve, like a temple floor plan drawn in moonlight. They're 100% cotton at 245 g/m², with side pockets and a back pocket for earplugs and lip balm.
The cap. The Liquid Gold snapback ($40) swirls molten gold and olive marbling, threaded with black, as if someone poured the July sun into a mold and let it set.
The bag. The Egyptian Atlantis backpack ($55 in M, $60 in L, $65 in XL) stacks gold Egyptian panels on deep navy: a winged eye at the top, a tree of life at the center and sphinxes guarding the base, with a mesh side pocket for your water bottle. It carries the night layer all afternoon.
For a BC river bass festival in fiction, read Let Her Have the Tube; for bass-show basics, see our dubstep rave outfits guide.
Is it cold at Bass Coast at night?
Brisk, especially after the afternoon heat. Bass Coast nights in the Merritt valley usually sit in the 50s°F (about 10–15°C), which feels cool after a 30°C day. Bring fleece joggers or leggings and a hooded layer, and keep them in your bag so you can stay out dancing.
That swing is the second act veterans plan around: the grass gives up its heat fast after dark, just as the late sets get good. Chasing colder nights after this one? Start with our guide to how to stay warm at a festival at night.
The joggers. The Celestial Temple joggers ($100, XS–3XL) raise silver-gold temple spires across an indigo and violet starfield, with glowing orbs, blue lightning and golden flower-of-life rings: a sanctuary somewhere far above the valley. Inside is 308 g/m² brushed fleece. The fit is slim, so order one or two sizes up to pull them on over shorts.
The cloak. Every Magus Fawn festival cloak shares one build: a micro-mink outer, an ultra-soft fluffy microfiber fleece lining in black or white faux fur (listed fabric weight 200 g/m²), a double front zipper, heavy drawstrings and four pockets, two deep side pockets plus two interior stash pockets, one of them zippered. Unisex fit, XS–5XL. Kevin, reviewing a Lunar Eclipse cloak in March 2025: "High quality, detailed build and design. Top notch. Super soft and warm."
For him, the Solar Eclipse men's festival cloak ($250) hangs a black sun ringed in gold fire across the shoulders, above a white flower-of-life orb held in a golden spiral, with orange and teal flourishes curling to the hem. It's totality you can zip up (read the story behind the design: Two Minutes of Totality).
For her, the Psy Swirl women's festival cloak ($250) rolls violet, magenta and periwinkle spirals from hood to hem, the visual version of a bass line that keeps circling back (its story: The Lady of the Waves).
Slay Bay, the Cabin and Somewhere: dressing stage to stage
Bass Coast's stages carry names worth wandering for: Slay Bay, the Cabin, Somewhere, Nowhere and Slowtempo, the riverside retreat for ambient and downtempo. The smartest outfit moves between all of them.
- Bass sets: the tee or bodysuit, the shorts, the cap backwards.
- House and techno: the joggers on as the valley cools, the cloak open for the walk.
- Slowtempo: hood up, cloak zipped, on the grass by the river while the music slows to a heartbeat.
Heading to another BC summer festival too? Our Shambhala outfits guide covers the Kootenays later in July.
Why did Bass Coast ban feathered headdresses?
Out of respect for the Indigenous nations whose land the festival shares. In 2014, Bass Coast announced it would no longer allow feathered headdresses on site, and its communications manager told CBC News the festival wanted to be good neighbours. The spirit of that rule still guides the dress code.
Today the festival lists war bonnet style headdresses among its prohibited items, with a simple test: if a look belongs to a community or culture other than your own, leave it alone. The easy upgrade is to wear your own story. Visionary art, sacred geometry and alien suns bring all the color and drama, and they belong to whoever loves them.
When should you order Bass Coast outfits for 2027?
Wednesday, May 26, 2027 is the safe date. Magus Fawn sews to order, and even the full window, 7–11 business days in production plus 6–14 on the road, still puts a May 26 order at a US address by Friday, July 2, a week ahead of the July 9 gates.
- Ordering from Canada? International shipping starts at $10. We're a Los Angeles studio, so give your parcel extra room for the trip north and order earlier.
- Size outerwear for what goes under it. The Magus Fawn FAQ suggests sizing up on cloaks and hoodies, "sometimes even 2 sizes up to fit extra layers under."
- All sales are final. If you're between sizes, email your measurements to art@magusfawn.com. We typically reply within 1–2 business days.
- US shipping is free on orders of $70 and up.
Build the rest of your Bass Coast outfits: men's cloaks · women's cloaks · joggers · cotton tees · men's shorts
Frequently asked questions
When is Bass Coast 2027?
Bass Coast 2027 runs Friday, July 9 to Monday, July 12, 2027, at the Merritt Festival Grounds in Merritt, British Columbia, according to the festival's official site. It's the festival's 19th year. Early-arrival passes open the camping areas earlier in the week, so check the official site for those details before you book travel.
Is Bass Coast 19+?
Yes. Bass Coast's official FAQ says it is a 19+ event, and every attendee needs valid government-issued photo ID to enter. If your 19th birthday falls during the festival, you can arrive on that day. The 19+ rule applies whatever the legal age is in your home province or state.
Where is the Bass Coast festival held?
Bass Coast is held at the Merritt Festival Grounds in Merritt, in the southern Interior of British Columbia, about three hours from Vancouver according to the festival. The site sits in a dry river valley beside the Coldwater River, on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Nlaka'pamux and Syilx peoples.
What is the Slowtempo stage at Bass Coast?
Slowtempo is Bass Coast's riverside retreat for ambient and downtempo music. The festival's FAQ says the stage uses mellow lighting and no strobe lights, which makes it a favorite place to rest, listen and recharge between sets. It's also where a hooded cloak and a camp blanket earn their spot in your bag.
Written by Magus & Lylyth Fawn, the Los Angeles artists behind Magus Fawn. Magus makes VR and digital visionary art and produces Psy EDM. Lylyth makes fractal digital art and runs design and customer care. We've been selling wearable art since 2020 on Etsy (4.7★ from 144 reviews as of October 2026) and here at magusfawn.com. Come say hi on Instagram @magusfawn.
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