Music Festivals in Toronto

New Music Festival

The 2017 New Music Festival is centred around the work of visiting prominent Italian composer Salvatore Sciarrino and features several Italian guest performers including violinist Emmanuele Baldini and pianists Roberto Turrin and Erika Crinò. The festival also presents the results of an ongoing musical collaboration with Italy’s Conservatorio G. Tartini. With a wide spectrum of chamber, vocal, electroacoustic, opera, dance and orchestral music, and partnering with Toronto’s excellent New Music Concerts, the festival offers an insight into the rich Italian culture of contemporary music, side-by-side with the creativity emerging from Toronto and UofT. Details

Wavelength Music Festival

#WL17 is a three-night live curated mixtape of the best NEW independent music coming out of Canada. Details

 SING! Vocal Arts Festival

A festival of a capella music. The fourth annual celebration of Canadian and International vocalists. Details

 TIN PAN NORTH Songwriters Festival

Presented by – The Toronto Chapter of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI). See performances by over 40 talented songwriters, sharing their stories behind the songs. Don’t miss this three night event of great music of songs in its raw and original form. TIN PAN

 21C Music Festival

21st Century music festival. 7 concerts, 5 days, 21+ premieres,  and more. Details

CBCMusic.ca Festival 

 CBC Music Festival will feature an all-Canadian lineup including Serena Ryder, Walk Off The Earth, Keys N Krates, Ruth B, Scott Helman, Bobby Bazini, Austra, BROS, William Prince, Sarah Slean, Alx Veliz, IsKwé, RALPH, Valley and the 2017 CBC Searchlight winner. CBC Music Festival.

Desifest

South Asian Music concert, desiFEST features 12 hours of entertaining musical and dance performances. It gives audiences of all ages and cultures the ability to enjoy South Asian music, arts and culture. Included in the celebrations for the day are South Asian delicacies in the food market, artisans in the merchant market and the popular Kid’s Zone, entertaining kids with a popular bouncy castle and other activities. Details

Jewish Music Week

Jewish Music Week in Toronto is an exciting week of concerts, recitals and musical events throughout the GTA. 2017 marks the seventh year of this festival that celebrates Jewish music, as well as the Jewish contribution to genres of music not generally thought of as Jewish.   Details

Field Trip Festival


Two-day boutique music and arts festival  in the heart of downtown Toronto – programmed far beyond music to focus on highlighting the community’s best culinary offerings, as well as collaborative explorations on the themes of art, photography, technology, fashion and more.  Details

 Muhtadi International Drumming Festival

The festival celebrates the drum and its universality as an art form. 30+ Local and nationally touring Master Drummers and Drum Groups on 2 Stages, including Main Stage acts. 20+ International Food trucks and vendors, Arts, Crafts and Drum booths, Childrens Area, Drum Clinics & more!  Details

Lulaworld festival

The annual Lulaworld festival brings together Toronto’s finest world, jazz and Latin musicians presenting their latest compositions and projects and collaborating with celebrated international guests.   Details

CosmoFEST

Cosmo MusicFEST & EXPO (CosmoFEST) is Canada’s premier musical instrument & gear exhibition and celebration of live music. This is an all­-ages free event in Richmond Hill hosted by Cosmo Music – the largest Musical Instrument store in North America. CosmoFEST 2016 saw 10,000 attendees in a single day along with 200+ product experts representing over 120 leading brands under a massive expo tent. Some of the past featured masterclass clinicians and main stage headliners include Steve Vai, Tosin Abasi, Big Wreck, I Mother Earth, and Yukon Blonde. Details

 African Music Week

African musicians and music industry executives throughout the Diaspora will gather in Toronto, Canada for the second annual African Music Week, Africa’s first non-continental music conference and festival.

Afrobeat Festival: The event will be a celebration of the best of local, national and international music makers, brought together on one scorching hot stage. With performances by Afro Beats, Afro Pop, dancers and other musical stars, the audience won’t be able to resist the vibrant synergy of the variety of rhythms.  Details

Manifesto Festival

The critically-acclaimed Manifesto Festival of Community & Culture features an innovative program of events across the city, culminating in a massive free outdoor concert at Yonge & Dundas Square in the heart of downtown Toronto. The festival brings together hundreds of artists and performers with thousands of attendees to unite, energize, support and celebrate Toronto’s vibrant and diverse music and arts community. Details

Open Tuning

Open Tuning is a free DIY festival celebrating live music! Inspired by “La fete de la musique” in Paris France, the annual Open Tuning invites amateur and professional Musicians from all genres and ages to perform at neighbourhood venues such as porches, alleyways, garages and street corners. Audiences can wander Seaton Village streets, enjoying seasoned artists or cheering-on complete beginners – even discovering casual gigs by international recording artists. Details

Roncy Rocks Music & Arts Fest

Up and down the avenue there will be centres of live music, art, fashion, and fun for the whole family. Plus Roncy is known for its fabulous array of unique shops and over 40 restaurants, cafés and pubs, to delight everyone.   Details

NXNE

NXNE is a raging annual 10-day summer festival and conference, featuring music, gaming, comedy, interactive and more at this packed cultural explosion. The U.K. Guardian says “NXNE has crowned itself Toronto’s leading music event.” NXNE celebrates its 23rd year in 2017 and takes over Toronto with showcases, panels, parties, installations, and more. NXNE includes a major three-day music festival that also features comedy, food, art installations and midway rides and games at NXNE’s Port Lands festival site. NXNE Game Land will present Canada’s largest-ever, free outdoor e-Sports competition at Yonge Dundas Square. NXNE.

Great Heart Festival

Great Heart Festival is a free, 3-day daytime music series in the heart of Trinity-Bellwoods Park. It features emerging talent from Toronto (and otherwise) playing chill afternoon tunes in the middle of the city’s most beautiful downtown park. Details

Markham Village Music Festival

Come out to Markham Main St. to listen to music, dance, shop, dine and eat all kinds of food! Largest free, family-oriented music festival in York Region. Details

Luminato Festival

One of the preeminent arts festivals in North America! Luminato Festival is Toronto’s international multi-arts festival for people open to having art change their outlook on the world.Each June, Luminato Festival transforms Toronto’s theatres, parks and public spaces with hundreds of events celebrating theatre, dance, music, literature, food, visual arts, magic, film, and more. Details

Summer In The City Flute Festival

The first ever CFA Summer In The City Flute Festival will showcase guest flutists from Brazil, Canada, Peru and the USA in three days of concerts and masterclasses in downtown Toronto. Details

Earl Bales Park Music & Arts Festival

The festival features performances by a variety of musicians across a number of  genres, displays by Toronto artists, activities for children and food booths from local restaurants. Details

TD Toronto Jazz Festival

One of North America’s premier jazz festivals Attractions include more than 350 performances with over 1,500 musicians performing at approximately 40 locations around Toronto.  Details

Franco-Fête

Connect with French Culture with the 35th edition of Franco-Fête. Franco-Fête de is a massive music festival representing the most important cultural Francophone event. Details

Yowronto Music Festival

Yowronto Music Festival features Tessanne Chin, winner of season 5, of NBC TV’s The Voice talent show and also Universal Music Group recording artist on the Republic Records label, as well as Caribbean legend Alison Hinds, Toronto rap legend Michie Mee, Toronto reggae diva Ammoye, the legendary governor of reggae dance hall music Lieutenant Stitchie as fresh as ever, Baby Cham and Romain Virgo etc.  Details

Bud Light Dreams

Rebranded Bud Light Digital Dreams. In 2017 a new journey begins for Bud Light Dreams. Evolving from the popular Bud Light Digital Dreams, Bud Light Dreams is a 19+ boutique festival experience for a discerning electronic music fan. A new festival with a familiar feel, Bud Light Dreams is a two day, three stage, outdoor, sensorial celebration of Toronto’s music and arts community, taking place on the shores of Lake Ontario.   Details

Music Africa – Afro Fest

With about 35 scheduled live performances, workshops, spoken word artists, dance groups, an interactive children’s village and marketplace, with over 70 vendors, there is something for everyone.  Details

Beaches International Jazz Festival

A 3-week music super-fest with blow-out concerts, over 150 bands and close to 1000 hours of live music.  Details

Summer Music Festival

Toronto Summer Music Festival brings outstanding classical music experiences to the city in the summer with a program featuring renowned Canadian and international artists in 26 mainstage concerts, plus masterclasses, free outreach concerts, lectures, and workshops. The 2017 Festival theme, Celebrating Canada’s Sesquicentennial explores the music of Canada and features some of the country’s renowned classical performers. Details

Electric Island – Summer Music Series

Electronic Music Festival – Electric Island celebrates its third season with four outdoor summer events to end each long weekend with music and friends in an parkland setting overlooking Toronto.   Details

 UNITY Festival 

UNITY Festival is a 4 day event celebrating Hip-Hop in its diversity: UNITY Beatbox, UNITY Dance, UNITY MC & Spoken Word and the final event UNITY Concert. UNITY Festival has hosted artists like Talib Kweli, Biz Markie, Maestro, RichKid, Queen Godis, Rahzel, Kid David, Moy, Ball-Zee and many more. Details

Irie Music Festival

More than just a music festival, TD IRIE Music Festival also celebrates the Canadian-Caribbean and African Diasporic arts through a multi-disciplinary programming focus that includes the development of opportunities for music and multi-disciplinary artistic talents of culturally diverse Canadian artists. Annual programming includes workshops: music, dance, visual and spoken word performances and exhibits. Details

Veld Music Festival

Electronic Music Festival. Details

OVO Fest

Annual festival hosted by Drake.

Time Festival

Independent music festival!  Details

TIES  Concerts

The annual Sound Travels Festival of Sound Art includes interactive installations, performances, Youth Sound Art Workshops, the Sound Travels Intensive and the Toronto Electroacoustic Symposium. Details

Toronto Reggae Fest

Details

TD Markham Jazz Festival

Come and enjoy acclaimed Canadian and International artists performing all styles of jazz and blues. 2017 artists include Manteca, Shakura S’Aida, Barbra Lica, Paul Reddick and Monkey Junk, Carol Welsman, and Samantha Martin and the Delta Sugar. Details

 Camp Wavelength

CAMP WAVELENGTH is an intimate, community-based alternative to the usual summer music festival experience, and a weekend staycation getaway like no other. Toronto’s ONLY outdoor music and arts festival that offers overnight camping within city limits, CAMP WAVELENGTH is a surreal slumber party on the blissful shores of Toronto Island.   Details

Southside Shuffle Blues and Jazz Festival

Canadian and International acts perform at the 4 stages in Port Credit Memorial Park and local bars and restaurants. Enjoy the Trinity Street Shuffle Saturday on Lakeshore Road. Details

 TURF

Downtown Toronto’s annual outdoor multi-day boutique summer roots music festival. Details

 French Music Festival

For its 12th edition, the festival “Francophone Musical Festival” will showcase more than twenty artists. The concerts will reflect the richness of francophone music and represent a wide variety of musical styles including: folk, blues, jazz, soul, reggae, country, afro pop and african soul.  Details

 Indie Week

INDIE WEEK is one of Canada’s hottest indie music festivals showcasing the best emerging artists from around the world. Over 300 acts will perform at 20+ venues in Toronto, Canada’s largest music industry center!   Details

Festival of Carols

oin the Choir for a rousing welcome to the holiday season with a concert of traditional and contemporary carols and music for Christmas.   Details

STAY WARM FEST

Founded in 2015 by Silverstein, Stay Warm highlights and brings together likeminded underground acts in the heavy metal and rock genre, with the goal of raising the profile of the collective music scene in Toronto.The goal is to showcase a diverse and talented set of Canadian and Internationally acclaimed artists.

All ages.  Details