The RCMP confirmed that divers found a man dead in the Salmo River after Shambhala Music Festival.
Update, Thursday, July 27: Shambhala Music Festival has confirmed that the deceased was a member of their team with the following statement:
“It is with deep sadness that Shambhala Music Festival must share the news of a tragic loss of life on the Salmo River adjacent to the festival grounds. With heavy hearts, we confirm that it was a beloved member of our crew, whose family has been informed of their passing.
The entire Shambhala Music Festival family is in mourning, as we have lost someone very close to our hearts who dedicated their time and passion to the festival year after year. His creativity can be seen all across the farm in all the special projects he led, particularly at the Village Stage and the Grove Stage. These installations will remain as a reminder of him and his desire to create something deeply special on the farm for all to enjoy. The void left by this Shambhala family member’s passing is profound and deeply felt by all of us.
Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. With respect to the family, we will not be releasing any further details.”
Previously: A 43-year-old man from Calgary was found dead in the Salmo River in British Columbia at the end of Shambhala Music Festival on Monday. The Salmo Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed his passing the following day.
According to an RCMP statement, divers hired by Shambhala to retrieve trash from the river found the man’s body. “The divers were able to bring the man to shore, where efforts were made to revive him,” it reads. “Unfortunately, the man was pronounced deceased after life-saving efforts were unsuccessful.”
“At this time, the man appeared to have drowned, with no foul play suspected,” wrote RCMP Cpl. James Grandy.
The RCMP has not publicly disclosed the man’s identity, stating that they cannot confirm whether he had attended Shambhala Music Festival. A member of the r/Shambhala subreddit who posted in search of their friend later edited the post to confirm that the individual was the man found in the river, however.
Launched in 1998, Shambhala has taken place on founder Jimmy Bundschuh‘s father’s Salmo River Ranch in the Kootenay Mountain region of British Columbia. The debut edition, called Shambhalove, drew 500 people and offered two stages. As attendance grew by the thousands over the next several years, the gathering expanded to include six stages — all without the help of sponsors.
Previous editions of the festival billed electronic musicians like Stylust, Excision, Sub Focus, Liquid Stranger, and Tipper. The 2023 event, which ran from July 21-24, featured such headliners as Wreckno, Alix Perez, Seth Troxler, Maya Jane Coles, and The Librarian.
Shambhala Music Festival has yet to issue a public statement and organizers have not responded to EDM Identity’s request for comment at the time of writing. Stay tuned for more on this developing story.
