The Arkells will headline a music festival at Big White in April

Photo: Arkells

There will be some high-elevation tunes at Big White this spring.

The organizers of Kelowna's Denim on the Diamond are shaking off their Canadian tuxedos in April and donning ski suits for the first annual AltiTunes Music Festival, featuring the Arkells.

The one-day event, announced Friday morning, will take over Big White's Happy Valley parking lot on April 4, starting in the afternoon and carrying through to the evening with outdoor games, food, drink and of course, live music.

While more artists will be announced in the coming months, the Arkells and B.C.-based Dear Rouge are the two bands on the bill for now.

“We are excited to bring some of Canada’s top artists to Big White and to curate a diverse artist lineup that is authentic to the mountain lifestyle at Big White – modern rock, alternative, indie music artists as well as DJ sets at different locations on the ski hill throughout the early afternoon leading up to our event,” said Mitch Carefoot, co-owner of Thick as Thieves Entertainment.

While live music is frequently held outside at Big White Ski Resort, this will be the biggest live music event the mountain has seen.

“We are always looking for new ways to provide value and experiences to our current guests at Big White, and new ways to attract non-skiers, a younger demographic and increase visits to the Okanagan by providing first class entertainment value at Big White Ski Resort,” said Michael J. Ballingall, senior vice president of Big White Ski Resort.

Tickets for the all-ages event can be found here.