Come and enjoy Merritt's famous country music festival! Each July the Merritt Mountain Music Festival draws the best performers in country music to the largest country music festival in Canada.

Merritt, located in the Nicola Valley about 271 km (168 mi.) northeast of Vancouver, can be reached by the Coquihalla toll highway.

Merritt was named after William Hamilton Merritt, a mining engineer and railway promoter. It became a city in 1891, it has had a diverse economy, including coal and copper mining and forestry production.

The Nicola Valley has been home to First Nations people for centuries. Early European settlers came in search of a trade route to the Coast. The grasslands make it ideally suited for raising livestock and ranching is still important to the region.

There are many historic sites in Merritt, including the Douglas Lake Ranch which was established in the 1880's and is Canada's largest working cattle ranch. With 20,8413 hectares (515,000 acres) and 18,000 head of cattle, it employs 60 people. There is a general store and post office on the ranch.

Riding, swimming, hiking, fishing and a 9-hole golf course are all available in Merritt when you stay in Merritt accommodations.