Planning your day at blues and roots festival

The Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival is less than two weeks away, and there are some important things organizers want guest to keep in mind this year.

"Planning ahead for this festival is really important for everybody," says Jared Bowles, marketing coordinator for the City of Burnaby.

The festival, held at Deer Lake Park, kicks off at 1 p.m. this year, with gates - both the main gate on the east side of the Shadbolt Centre and the west gate on the west side of the centre - opening at noon.

Musicians will be performing on three stages, two smaller stages and the main stage.

Performances on the smaller stages - the Westwood and Garden stages - will run simultaneously with each other, while alternating with performances on the Main Stage.

The event features a beer garden, food vendors and an artisan village, which will have a variety of items for sale from local businesses.

There is also a family area, sponsored by ABC Recycling, from noon to 7 p.m. Activities include arts and crafts, including guitar-making, face painting and a play structure. Children must be supervised by an adult.

Bowles says that accessibility is probably the most important thing people should be prepared for come the day of the event.

There will be no parking near Deer Lake Park, so guests have a few options to get to the event, including getting a ride, taking transit or riding their bikes.

There will also be a free shuttle to the venue from BCIT's D, E, F and G parking lots located off of Wayburne Drive. Shuttles start at 11 a.m. and run right until the end of the event, sometime around 10 p.m.

People are also encouraged to bring sunscreen, hats and jackets. Guests can also bring coolers (as long as they aren't too big), blankets and low-rise lawn chairs - higher lawn chairs are allowed but only at the back of the stage areas. Refillable water bottles are also permitted, but they must be empty (guests can fill them up at the water stations inside the park), or sealed water bottles.

For more information or tips on what to expect on the day of the event, visit www.burnabybluesfestival.com and click on the Plan Your Day link.