03/16/2026
đź“Ł BREAKING DOWN LAKETOWN! PT. 13
Picture this - you arrive to Laketown for a massive show, and find it barren; no tents are set up, no signs are hung, no fences, no chairs, no lights... It would be absolute chaos.
Cue our Operations team, the superhero group that swoops in to save the day sometimes months before showtime, setting up literally EVERYTHING you see on site. From banners, to way-finding signage, to tents, ped barriers, fencing, and SO much more, this motley crew of hilarious and hardworking beauties ensure that YOU know what the heck is going on during your visit to the Amphitheatre. The overachieving megamind charged with transforming the property from mild to wild is Sheri Rowe, our superstar Site Operations Manager!
Q: Briefly explain your role and your responsibilities?
I actually had to look this up. I mostly just show up and hope there’s a trailer for me ;) I’m the Site Operations Manager, which basically means I wrangle an outrageously talented crew who keep Laketown Ranch running: power, water, tents, signs, you name it. If it needs to be built, or if it can break, it’s probably part of our world, and someone on our team has touched it (probably thrice). I genuinely think I have the best job on site though. We get to be everywhere, see everything, and quietly keep it all together.
Q: How long have you been working at Laketown/industry?
I’ve been a full-time freelance event professional (read: glutton for punishment) since 2009. My pal Hanner first invited me to the Ranch in 2016 during Sunfest, and I was instantly in love with this site. I started working here the next summer and have been watching it grow ever since. The transformation has been incredible. There’s truly nothing else like it in BC's festival world. Having an owner with longterm vision and the freedom to experiment - to try things, tweak them, and do it better next time - that is an anomaly in the festival world. You don’t often get to have both. The idea was never just to put a mobile stage on a soccer field (though I have worked tons of those and love them too). Out of the gates the goal was to build something lasting. To build a permanent home to attract the biggest bands to Vancouver Island. It’s really something, and I am genuinely very proud to play a part in it.
Q: What’s the most enjoyable part of your job?
The people, hands down. I get to work alongside the most skilled, hard-working, delightfully weird humans you could imagine. Everyone brings something different. Half the time it’s a skill you didn’t even know existed until it saves the day. It’s impossible to explain what we do, but I swear we get as much joy out of building the site as people do from attending the festival. The artists and the music are obviously a perk, but there is nothing more rewarding than standing back and watching people enjoy what we’ve build in real time.
Q: What is something that fans may not know about your position and how the event comes together?
We’re not a pop-up crew that rolls in for a week… some of us are here year-round. We’re real people physically building the thing, and we pour everything we’ve got into it. The Ops team doesn’t just chuck up a fence line for money or to get to see some “free” music, we genuinely care about making it the best experience it can be.
Q: What’s the most challenging part of your job that people may not know about?
Oh, remember earlier when I said I had the best job because we can be anywhere, anytime? Yeah… it rules. But it can also suck. Our job truly never ends. The blessing and the curse is that we’re so damn useful that we get called for absolutely everything, whether it’s technically our department or not. One minute we’re fixing lights or plumbing, the next we’re bartending or directing traffic (though that’s fun when they give you a bullhorn to do it!). We’re professional problem-solvers with a dash of chaos management. There’s no manual for that, it’s just quick thinking, teamwork, and a solid sense of humour.
Q: Do you have a favourite moment or funny memory from an event at the Ranch that you can share?
Ha! “That I can share” is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. I’ve got hundreds. I’ve learned new skills (both practical and people-related) and met some of my favourite humans on this site. The memories happen everywhere... like when a shelf of pots and pans crashes down at 1 AM and instead of losing it, someone starts a “clean-up song” that lives on forever. Or when Greg Adams busts out his signature dance moves during soundcheck. Or when the headliner takes the stage and we get to watch from our little perch all tired, dirty, proud (and giggly) knowing we helped make it happen.
Q: What’s your dream lineup for a festival at Laketown?
Anyone is cool with me, but Dolly Parton would be epic! :)
