Gate and Travel Info

Updates for What If 2026 are being made as information becomes available.

Gate

Gate

  • There are -no ins and outs- at this event. When you leave, you leave for good.
  • No tickets will be sold at the gate. You must buy your tickets before you arrive.
  • Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian AT ALL TIMES
  • Please obey the posted speed limits! When you enter the campground, there may be children, and Burners acting like children, running around loose. Drive very carefully.
At the Gate
  • You will be met by lovely gate volunteers who will make sure everyone in your vehicle has a ticket with matching ID, and then you will get your wristbands. All vehicles will also be quickly inspected.
  • All vehicles must head to the Main Gate first to receive wristbands.

Arrival 2025

  • All participants may enter the event when the gate opens at on Thursday, July 31, 2025 at 11am.

From Thursday onwards, check in for ALL participants is at the Main Gate on Midday Valley Road.
Vehicles carrying persons and supplies that need to go through the Forest Gate can do so AFTER they have checked in at the Main Gate and every person in that vehicle has received a wristband.

Photo ID will be required at both gates. Equipment or persons can be dropped off on the Main Gate side before a vehicle proceeds to Forest Gate, but after that, equipment can only cross the river within the site by hand/cart, or gator (if you can find one to flag down).

Gate Arrival Hours

Regulars Gate Hours (to be confirmed for 2025)

  • Thursday, July 31 – 11am-11pm
  • Friday, Aug 1 – 11am-11pm
  • Saturday, Aug 2 – 11am-2:30pm

The gates to the site will be locked from 11 PM to 11 AM during the event, and from Saturday 2:30 PM onwards. NO vehicle entries will be possible after 11 PM. If you arrive later than 11 PM on Thursday or Saturday, you will not be able to enter until the next morning at 11AM when the gates open.

Early Arrival 2025

Participants helping with a theme camp, art project, or other pre-event volunteer responsibilities must pre-register for early arrival entry by filling out the Early Entry registration form. Each person requesting Early Arrival must submit their own form. This is so that we can quickly check everyone in.

Click here for What If 2025 Early Arrival Form

Early arrival is permitted from Tuesday, July 29 (all day) to Wednesday, July 30 at 9 pm.

The gate will be locked after 9pm on Wednesday.

The due date to register for Early Arrival is Sunday, July 27 at 11:59 pm.

Folks will only be contacted if Flow has any questions or concerns about your request. If you haven’t been contacted past the July 27 due date, please assume that your Early Arrival request has been approved.

Important: Early Arrivals please attend Flow Hub for your wristbands on Wednesday, July 30th between 6pm and 9pm. Wristbands for Early Arrivals will not be given out prior to this 3 hour window.

  • Persons needing to access the Forest side are welcome to go straight to Forest Gate during the Early Arrival period.

Don’t remember if you submitted your request? Search your email for the auto-confirmation:
Subject: Early Arrival What If 2025
Sender: Google Forms <[email protected]>

Exodus

Participants may depart the event at any time, but there are no ins and outs. When you leave, you leave for good.

All participants must depart by Monday, August 4, 2025.

  • Everyone in Open Camping areas must have their personal camps packed up and cleaned up by 1 pm.
  • Theme camps and large art projects must be cleaned up and off site by 5 pm.

The only people who may remain on site after 5pm on Monday are folks who signed up for DPW teardown and LNT crew shifts IN ADVANCE of the event. See remaining volunteer opportunities here.

Rideshare Board

Carpooling is an ideal way to get to What If with friends – or meet a new friend on the way. You’ll also help to reduce traffic, air pollution, and limit our over-use of fossil fuels. It’s a great way to save on travel costs too. Share a ride and save the planet!

Browse the rideshare OFFERS & NEEDS or create your own post in our Rideshare Board!

Driving Directions are below:

Main Gate

Check in for ALL participants is at the Main Gate on Midday Valley Road. Vehicles carrying personnel and supplies that need to go through the Forest Gate can do so AFTER they have checked in at the Main Gate and every person in that vehicle has received a wristband. Photo ID will be required at both gates.

Directions to Main Gate

Address: 1000 Midday Valley Rd
Enter into Google Maps: “What If main gate”

Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/8xghehnqLTP8b1kHA

Map Coordinates: 50°05’18.2″N 120°47’47.5″W

50.08839813096574, -120.79652228698005

Plus Code: 36Q3+99, Merritt, BC V1K 0A3

Forest Gate

If you are camping in a theme camp or bringing equipment for a camp on the Forest side of the site and are arriving from Thursday 11am onwards, you will need to check in at the Main Gate first, and will then be directed to the Forest Gate. Equipment can only cross the river within the site by hand/cart, or gator (if you can find one to flag down), so it is important that vehicles enter through the correct gate (but remember, go to the Main Gate first).

©2026 Greater Vancouver Interactive Art Society