Parking at INIT 2026

Elsewhere Springs is a 67-acre private property on Mt. Tuam, Salt Spring Island. The land that makes this festival possible is not a purpose-built venue — it's a working land project, managed carefully by people who care deeply about what it becomes.

Parking here is limited. It's managed deliberately. And how we handle it is part of how we take care of the place.

The Elsewhere Springs Land Development Fund

Every parking pass sold at INIT contributes directly to the Elsewhere Springs Land Development Fund — a dedicated initiative to expand the site's infrastructure, improve access, grow camping capacity, and build toward a more sustainable future for events on this land.

This is Year 2 for INIT at Elsewhere Springs. The parking situation today is a starting point, not a ceiling. The fund exists because we believe in what this land can become — and because getting there takes sustained investment and shared commitment from everyone who shows up.

When you purchase a parking pass, you're not paying for a parking spot. You're investing in the place.

How It Works

Parking passes are purchased in advance at initfestival.com. Passes are limited. On-site purchase may be available subject to remaining capacity but is not guaranteed — don't arrive without one and expect to find a spot.

Nearly everyone on site purchases their own parking pass. This includes attendees, crew, contributors, and vendors. There is no special treatment for most roles — parking is a shared responsibility, and that's intentional.

Gate opens for operations: Wednesday September 17 at 10am Anyone arriving before this time does not need a parking pass. The gate is not yet operational and there is no one on site to process passes.

Gate opens to the public: Thursday September 18 at 10am From Wednesday September 17 at 10am onward, a parking pass is required for all vehicles.

Exceptions

Passes are waived in specific cases only:

Early arrival (before Wednesday September 17 at 10am) Gate is not yet operational. No pass required or available.

Production vehicles Vehicles used directly in the production of the event — transporting equipment, materials, or infrastructure — do not require a parking pass. This must be confirmed with the Operations Coordinator in advance. Do not assume your vehicle qualifies without written confirmation.

Designated contributor roles A small number of contributor roles include a comp parking pass as part of their package. If your role includes comp parking, it will be confirmed in writing at acceptance.

Come Together

The best thing you can do for the land, the road, and your experience is carpool.

Arrive with 3 or more people in one vehicle and your parking pass will be reimbursed in full after the festival. Register your name, ticket number and contact details at the gate when you arrive. That's it.

Fewer vehicles means less impact on the access road, less pressure on the parking area, and more room for everyone.

Rideshare

Don't have a ride? Have an empty seat? We're building a rideshare matching program for INIT 2026 so people can connect before the trip.

→ [Join the INIT Rideshare Program] (link coming soon)

Salt Spring Island is a 35-minute ferry ride from Swartz Bay (Victoria) or a longer crossing from Tsawwassen. Plan your ferry booking early — crossings fill up, especially on Thursday and Friday of festival week.

BC Ferries reservations: bcferries.com

Why This Matters

Some festivals absorb parking costs or comp passes widely. We've thought about it. Here's where we landed.

Shared responsibility is a value that runs through everything we do at INIT — from how we compensate contributors to how we relate to the land. Parking is part of that. The land development fund only works if it's consistently funded. Carve-outs and special treatment create confusion at the gate and dilute the fairness of the system.

So nearly everyone purchases their own pass. The exceptions are narrow, defined, and communicated in advance. This isn't about revenue — it's about building something together and taking care of the place that makes it possible.

We appreciate that this is one more cost on top of a ticket. We don't take that lightly. What we can tell you is that the money goes somewhere real, into a fund that's actively working to make Elsewhere Springs a better place for events like this one, year after year.

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