Scope and accountability
WitchFest respects the privacy of festival attendees, volunteers, vendors, presenters, sponsors, newsletter subscribers, website visitors and other community members. This Privacy Policy explains how WitchFest collects, uses, discloses, stores and protects personal information. WitchFest operates in British Columbia and follows the British Columbia Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). The federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) may also apply to particular commercial personal-information flows across provincial or national borders.
WitchFest designates a Privacy Officer to be accountable for privacy compliance. You may send privacy questions, access/correction requests, and complaints via our contact form, Attn: Privacy Officer, 560 Johnson St Unit 62, British Columbia, V8W 3C6, Canada.
Personal information we may collect
- Contact information such as name, email address, telephone number, mailing address, pronouns or preferred name when voluntarily provided.
- Application information from vendors, volunteers, performers, facilitators, sponsors and community partners, including business names, websites/social profiles, experience, availability and references.
- Registration information for ticketed or capacity-limited events, including attendee name, contact information, accessibility requests, emergency contact details where reasonably necessary, and payment status.
- Payment and transaction information. WitchFest should not store full payment-card numbers. Payments may be handled by third-party processors such as PayPal or another disclosed processor, or, in some cases, by Earth & Sky Connection Inc. as an administrative/payment agent. The processor’s own privacy terms also apply.
- Newsletter subscription and communications data, including consent records, unsubscribe status, campaign delivery/open/click data where enabled, and messages sent to WitchFest.
- Website and device data such as IP address, browser/device information, security logs, cookie preferences and analytics data where enabled.
- Photographs, video and audio captured at events where permitted and where appropriate notice/consent has been obtained.
- Incident, safety, accommodation, complaint or insurance information when necessary to address an event issue. WitchFest will avoid collecting medical details unless they are genuinely necessary for accommodation, emergency response or legal/insurance purposes.
- Financial and administrative records relating to sponsors, reimbursements, vendors, contractors and volunteers, including records needed for accounting, tax, fraud prevention or legal compliance.
Purposes for collection, use and disclosure
- To plan, administer and safely deliver WitchFest and related events.
- To evaluate and communicate with vendors, volunteers, performers, facilitators, sponsors and partners.
- To process registrations, payments, reimbursements, sponsorships and refunds.
- To provide requested accessibility accommodations and respond to safety incidents.
- To send newsletters or promotional messages when consent or another lawful basis exists, and to maintain unsubscribe records.
- To answer inquiries and resolve complaints or disputes.
- To maintain website security, prevent fraud/abuse, troubleshoot systems and measure website performance.
- To create festival archives and promotional material using photographs/video in accordance with the Photography & Media Policy.
- To satisfy accounting, tax, insurance, legal, regulatory, permit and record-retention obligations.
Consent and choice
WitchFest will identify the purpose for collecting personal information on or before collection and will seek meaningful consent where required. WitchFest will not require consent for an unrelated optional purpose as a condition of receiving a service. Marketing consent will be separate from vendor, volunteer, sponsor or event participation consent. Individuals may withdraw consent for optional uses, subject to legal or contractual limits and reasonable notice.
Forms, newsletter and third-party services
WitchFest may use service providers to operate its website and programs, such as website hosting/WordPress services, Google Forms or Google Workspace, an email marketing provider, PayPal or another payment processor, cloud storage, ticketing/registration services, and professional advisers. These providers may process information outside British Columbia or Canada. WitchFest remains responsible for personal information under its control and will use reasonable contractual, administrative and technical measures appropriate to the sensitivity of the information. Before publication, WitchFest should list its confirmed material providers here or in a linked “Service Providers” schedule.
Cookies and analytics
The WitchFest website may use strictly necessary cookies for site functionality and consent preferences. The Cookie & Tracking Notice describes optional analytics, preference, or marketing technologies. Where consent is required, WitchFest will provide a meaningful choice and will not knowingly mischaracterize identifiable analytics as anonymous.
Photographs and recordings
WitchFest may use festival photography and video for event documentation and promotion. WitchFest uses additional safeguards for featured or close-up images, interviews and images of children. See the Photography & Media Policy. Community members may request reasonable steps to avoid photography or contact WitchFest about removing a published image where feasible, subject to legal, archival, and practical limits.
Children and youth
WitchFest is an all-ages event, but the website is not intended to collect personal information directly from young children without a parent or guardian involved. Forms directed to minors should collect only what is necessary and should obtain parent/guardian consent when appropriate. Featured promotional photographs or interviews of minors should use a parent/guardian release.
Retention and disposal
WitchFest keeps personal information only as long as reasonably necessary for the identified purpose, legal requirements, accounting, insurance, dispute resolution or legitimate organizational records. If personal information is used to make a decision that directly affects an individual, PIPA generally requires the organization to retain that information for at least one year so the individual has a reasonable opportunity to obtain access. WitchFest will securely delete, destroy or anonymize records when they are no longer required, subject to the Records Retention Schedule.
Security
WitchFest uses reasonable safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information, including access controls, multi-factor authentication where available, least-privilege access, secure payment processing, device security, backups, controlled sharing, and secure disposal. No system is completely secure, and WitchFest maintains a privacy-incident response process.
Access and correction
Individuals may make a written request to access personal information about themselves under WitchFest’s control, learn how it has been used and disclosed, or request correction of inaccurate information. WitchFest will verify identity as reasonably necessary and will respond within the timelines required by applicable law. Under BC PIPA, the ordinary response deadline is 30 days, subject to permitted extensions and exceptions.
Privacy complaints and incidents
Privacy complaints should first be sent to WitchFest’s Privacy Officer at [[email protected]]. WitchFest will acknowledge and investigate complaints fairly and without retaliation. If a privacy incident occurs, WitchFest will contain and assess it, document the response, notify affected individuals and regulators where required or appropriate, and take steps to prevent recurrence. BC PIPA does not currently impose the same general mandatory private-sector breach-reporting rule as PIPEDA, but reporting/notification may still be appropriate; if PIPEDA applies to a breach and it creates a real risk of significant harm, federal reporting and notification requirements apply.
External privacy rights
Individuals may contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia about PIPA matters. Where PIPEDA applies, individuals may also contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. WitchFest encourages individuals to contact its Privacy Officer first so concerns can be addressed promptly.
Changes
WitchFest may update this policy to reflect changes in law, technology, service providers or festival operations. WitchFest will post the current version and effective date on witchfest.ca. We will handle material changes affecting previously collected personal information in accordance with applicable consent requirements.
Effective date: 15 September 2026. Last reviewed: 15 September 2026.