The freezie business was booming all weekend in Squamish – at least it was at Squamish Valley Music Festival’s new Kodiak Bear Campground.
Youngsters Joey and Trevor Johnson, on a mission to save up money for X-Box video games, armed themselves with a cooler full of the frozen flavoured liquid sleeves and set up “shop” just outside the gates of the campground near Howe Sound Secondary School for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The pair should be able to give their thumbs a workout for the rest of the summer after earning several hundred dollars over the three days.
“We had about 200 freezies and now have less than 50 left,” their mother Marilyn Johnson, who was observing from a safe distance, said on Sunday. “Most of the festivalgoers don’t seem to mind them – I think they find them pretty cute.”
“Business has been great,” exclaimed Trevor, who attends École Les Aiglons. “Cream soda and blue have sold the most. The festival has been great. We went on Thursday and it was awesome.”
The boys’ sales pitch was simple – “freezies for sale” – but effective, selling freezies for $1 apiece. The duo even charmed the security guards staffing the front gate.
“Everybody asks if they can come in this gate because technically it’s an exit but since the boys are selling… I tell the guys if they can buy beer they can support the little guys and buy some freezies,” said security guard Jeannette Page.
Inside the campground is a little less family friendly. Campers were sleeping in until noon and having booze for breakfast, and dozens of games of beer pong simultaneously popped up.
But the mood was friendly, with high fives, hugs and camaraderie.
American campers Brian Fletcher, Vanessa Senick and Jamie Bell traveled with six others from Washington State to check out the Squamish Valley Music Festival. Fletcher said the lineup is good, but the real draw is the festival’s overall atmosphere and Squamish as a whole.
“This is the third year we’ve come and it just keeps getting bigger and better,” he said. “I think a lot of the draw is just being in this type of festival in such a beautiful setting.”
Senick said Mumford and Sons was a highlight, and Sam Smith also impressed her.
“We didn’t really know what to expect from Friday night but Sam Smith was really good live,” she said. “Mumford is why we’re here but I just really like the vibe.”
Camping was a little wet on Saturday but still fun.
“It was looking a little sketchy on Saturday but it wasn’t too bad,” Bell said. “It’s a good group at this campground and everyone has been super-friendly.”
Campers at Kodiak woke up to the creation of a slip and slide after campers took several tarps and made a makeshift slide on an open stretch of grass. Dish soap, vegetable oil and water were added to the mix and suddenly dozens were slipping, sliding and drinking their way to laughs.
The slip and slide then transformed into a game of slip and flip, where teams of five would slide to the table at the other end, drink a cup, flip it and then run back and tag the next team member. The games continued for hours on Sunday afternoon.
There was a music festival too, but for many of the campers at Kodiak, they found a home for the SVMF weekend.
And it’s likely that all those campers will never look at the field near Howe Sound the same way again.
