Three Stars Dark Sky Festival
Bamfield & Anacla, Vancouver Island
Join the Huu-ay-aht Group of Businesses for three days of astronomy, ocean science, art, and cultural knowledge beneath some of the darkest skies on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Set along the shores of Barkley Sound, the Three Stars Dark Sky Festival brings together scientists, Indigenous knowledge keepers, artists, and visitors for a weekend of discovery, learning, and connection with the natural world.
From guided stargazing and night sky photography to marine science tours and community celebrations, the festival invites visitors to slow down, look up, and experience the deep connections between land, sea, and sky.
Why Bamfield’s Dark Skies Matter
Located on the outer coast of Vancouver Island, Bamfield offers remarkable conditions for observing the night sky. With minimal light pollution and wide ocean horizons, the stars appear with stunning clarity.
For generations, these skies have guided travellers and storytellers who have looked upward for navigation, inspiration, and knowledge.
The Three Stars Dark Sky Festival celebrates this extraordinary environment while encouraging visitors to appreciate and protect dark skies for future generations.
Festival Highlights
Visitors to the Three Stars Dark Sky Festival can experience:
- Stargazing along the beaches of Barkley Sound
- Guided night sky photography workshops
- Indigenous star knowledge and storytelling
- Marine science and coastal ecosystem research
- Artist market, music, and community gatherings
For three days each spring, Bamfield becomes a place where curiosity, culture, and community meet beneath the stars.
Festival Program
Friday | May 8
Moons, Tides and Ocean Cycles Fireside Chat | 7–9 PM | Pachena Bay
Explore the powerful relationship between the Moon and the ocean through a fireside conversation that blends science, storytelling, and coastal knowledge.
Featuring Spencer Bialek, Machine Learning Specialist at Ocean Networks Canada and PhD-trained astrophysicist, alongside science communicator Niki Wilson, this session dives into the Moon-tide system, seasonal sky changes, and how gravitational forces shape intertidal ecosystems.
Together, they invite audiences to consider how the sky moves the sea in ways both measurable and meaningful, connecting deep-space astronomy with the rhythms of coastal life.
Featuring Spencer Bialek, Niki Wilson
Night Sky Insta-Photo Workshop: Michael Rymer | 9–11 PM | Pachena Bay
Astronomer and astrophotographer Michael Rymer leads a hands-on workshop exploring techniques for capturing stars, constellations, and the Milky Way using your smartphone.
Learn how to work with low light, frame the night sky, and transform what you see above into striking images you can take home with you.
Drawing on his work as a DarkSky Advocate and his passion for protecting natural night environments, Michael shares practical tips and a deeper appreciation for the importance of dark skies, inviting participants to not only capture the cosmos, but help preserve it.
Featuring Michael Rymer
Stargazing | 10 PM–12 AM | Pachena Bay
Look up from Pachena Bay and experience the night sky through the lens of deep curiosity and scientific insight.
Spencer Bialek, astrophysicist and Machine Learning Specialist at Ocean Networks Canada, will have his telescope on site, offering guests the chance to explore the stars, planets, and distant objects visible above the west coast of Vancouver Island.
With a PhD in astrophysics and a background in astronomical imaging and data science, Spencer brings a unique perspective that connects what we see above with the forces shaping our universe.
Featuring Spencer Bialek
Saturday | May 9
Brady’s Beach Walk | 9 AM–12 PM | Meet at RIX Centre for Ocean Discoveries
Begin your morning with a short boat ride from Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre to the west side of Bamfield, followed by a guided walk to Brady’s Beach.
Participants will explore one of the area’s most scenic coastal environments, shaped by ocean tides, weather, and time. This experience offers a close look at the rugged beauty of Barkley Sound, with opportunities to learn more about the coastal landscape, intertidal ecosystems, and the relationship between ocean, land, and community.
Please note: The route includes steep sections and uneven terrain. Participants should be comfortable walking on hills and natural surfaces.
What to bring: Waterproof boots, rain gear, warm layers, and a camera if you wish.
Presented by Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre
Earthrise Reimagined: Artemis II, the Moon’s Far Side, and Seeing Ourselves Again | 10–10:30 AM | House of Huu-ay-aht
Join Stéphane Picard for a presentation exploring the power of perspective, from the historic Earthrise image to the upcoming Artemis II mission.
This session invites audiences to reflect on space exploration, the Moon’s far side, and how seeing Earth from a distance can change the way we understand ourselves, our planet, and our shared future.
Featuring Stéphane Picard
Planetarium Shows | 10:30 AM and 12 PM | House of Huu-ay-aht
Step inside an immersive mobile dome where the night sky comes alive through projection and Indigenous star knowledge.
Guided by Cree Knowledge Keeper George Desjarlais, this one-hour experience blends astronomy with traditional teachings that reveal how generations have understood and navigated the stars.
Showtimes are 10:30 AM and 12:00 PM. Admission is free, subject to capacity.
Featuring George Desjarlais
Solar Gazing with RASC | 11 AM–2 PM | House of Huu-ay-aht Parking Lot
Using specialized solar telescopes, astronomers from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada guide visitors in safely observing our closest star.
Witness sunspots and solar activity while learning how the Sun shapes life on Earth. This drop-in experience offers a rare opportunity to view the Sun safely and learn more about the star at the centre of our solar system.
Featuring the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
Presentation:Compelled to Propel | 11:30 AM–12 PM | House of Huu-ay-aht
Join Spencer Bialek for a short presentation exploring motion, gravity, and the forces that shape our universe.
This session connects big ideas in astrophysics with accessible, curiosity-driven learning for audiences of all ages.
Featuring Spencer Bialek
Nova Harvest Tour | 11 AM–12 PM | Nova Harvest, 100 Pachena Rd
Join us for an up-close look at the inner workings of Nova Harvest Shellfish Hatchery, where science, technology, and hands-on expertise come together to support a resilient shellfish industry in British Columbia.
During this guided experience, visitors will see how shellfish are raised from fertilized eggs through their most delicate early life stages in carefully controlled water conditions.
Learn how research-driven practices and locally adapted techniques help ensure a reliable supply of healthy shellfish for farmers, while strengthening coastal food systems and advancing ocean stewardship.
Presented by Nova Harvest
Concert | 2-9 PM | Pachena Bay Mainstage
Spend the afternoon and evening at Pachena Bay for a community gathering filled with food, music, and connection.
The concert features a powerful mix of Indigenous performers and contemporary sounds, including G̱a̱mksimoon, Logan Staats, Tsimka Martin & Michael Red, AUBNOXIOU$, and more to be announced.
As the sun sets and the music fades, the evening shifts into the quiet wonder of the night sky. Lights dim, telescopes come out, and the stars reveal themselves over Pachena Bay.
Bring your appetite, your curiosity, and your willingness to be moved.
Featuring G̱a̱mksimoon, Logan Staats, Tsimka Martin & Michael Red, AUBNOXIOU$
Additional artists to be announced.
Stargazing with RASC | 9–11 PM | Pachena Bay Campground, Observing Field
Step into the night sky at Pachena Bay, where some of the darkest skies on the coast create the perfect conditions for discovery.
Guided by astronomers from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, this hands-on experience invites you to explore distant galaxies, star clusters, and constellations through professional telescopes and laser-guided sky tours.
Whether it’s your first time looking up or you’re a seasoned stargazer, this is an opportunity to experience the night sky through expert guidance and scientific insight.
Featuring Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
Sunday | May 10
Presentation: Dark Skies: Our Relationship and Responsibility to the Stars
| 10–10:30 AM | House of Huu-ay-aht
Join Michael Rymer for a presentation on the importance of dark sky protection and the ways light, landscape, and community responsibility shape our relationship with the night.
Drawing on his work as a DarkSky Advocate and astrophotographer, Michael invites audiences to consider what is lost when the stars disappear, and what can be protected when communities choose to care for the night.
Featuring Michael Rymer
Planetarium Shows | 10:30 AM and 12 Noon | House of Huu-ay-aht
Step inside an immersive mobile dome where the night sky comes alive through projection and Indigenous star knowledge.
Guided by Cree Knowledge Keeper George Desjarlais, this one-hour experience blends astronomy with traditional teachings that reveal how generations have understood and navigated the stars.
Showtimes are 10:30 AM and 12:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free, subject to capacity.
Featuring George Desjarlais
Solar Gazing with RASC | 11 AM–2 PM | House of Huu-ay-aht
Using specialized solar telescopes, astronomers from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada guide visitors in safely observing our closest star.
Witness sunspots and solar activity while learning how the Sun shapes life on Earth. This drop-in experience offers a rare opportunity to view the Sun safely and learn more about the star at the centre of our solar system.
Featuring the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
Sustainable Seas | 11 :30AM–12 PM | House of Huu-ay-aht
Explore the connections between fishing, kelp forests, stewardship, and the future of coastal food systems.
This presentation looks at how marine ecosystems, aquaculture, and local knowledge intersect along the west coast of Vancouver Island, inviting audiences to consider the relationships between ocean health, food security, and community resilience.
Featuring Clay Steell, Morgan Ursel, Niki Wilson
BMSC Research Tour | 11 AM–12:30 PM | Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, Research Centre
Join a guided tour of the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre and explore the site’s history, operations, research, and educational programming.
The experience concludes in the Whale Lab, where participants will have the opportunity to engage with a touch tank featuring local marine organisms.
Capacity: 24 people
What to bring: A camera, optional
Presented by Bamfield Marine Science Centre
Nova Harvest Tours | 1-2 PM | Nova Harvest, 100 Pachena Rd
Join us for an up-close look at the inner workings of Nova Harvest Shellfish Hatchery, where science, technology, and hands-on expertise come together to support a resilient shellfish industry in British Columbia.
On this guided tour, visitors will see how shellfish are carefully raised from fertilized eggs through their most delicate early life stages in precisely controlled water conditions.
Learn how research-driven practices and locally adapted techniques help ensure a reliable supply of healthy shellfish for farmers, while strengthening coastal food systems and advancing ocean stewardship.
Presented by Nova Harvest
Plan Your Visit
The Three Stars Dark Sky Festival takes place in Bamfield and Anacla, located on the west coast of Vancouver Island along the shores of Barkley Sound.
Surrounded by rainforest, ocean, and some of the darkest skies in the province, this remarkable coastal community offers a rare opportunity to experience the night sky in its natural brilliance.
Plan your visit:
- Visit Bamfield — Plan Your Trip
- Bamfield Chamber of Commerce — https://www.bamfieldchamber.com/
Sponsors & Partners
The Three Stars Dark Sky Festival is made possible through the support of our partners.
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
