
Ever After Music Festival @ Kitchener
There’s something for everyone in the nation’s most populated province, whether it’s folk, rock, or country music, bluegrass or jazz and everything in between. There are so many opportunities to experience the finest music Ontario has to offer, all summer long!
Contents – June to September:
FYI: Most summer Festivals will be Cancelled. The following article does not reflect 2020 COVID-19 cancellations.
Boots & Hearts, Big Sky and CBC Music Festival Cancelled for 2020
- Music Festivals from our calendar.
- Ontario Music Festivals
You may like:Music Festivals in Toronto
Upcoming Summer Music Festivals in Ontario
Summer Music Festivals in Ontario
Guelph MusicFest
4 consecutive Fridays with performances by the ROLSTON STRING QUARTET, violinist DAVID GILLHAM, FESTIVAL TRIO, and pianist CHARLES RICHARD-HAMELIN ! This fantastic festival is not one to be missed if you’re in the Guelph area and are a fan of classical music! Details
Guelph Youth Music Centre, 75 Cardigan St, Guelph
Field Trip Music & Arts Festival
The Field Music and Arts Festival in Fort York is a musical (and historical) experience not to be missed this summer. Taking place at Fort York National Historic Site, Field Trip brings together some of Canada’s best up-and-coming musical talent for two days of a mixture of great music from across the spectrum, as well as some comedy. Details
CANCELLED FOR 2019
Ever After Music Festival
If you like electronic dance, then you’ll the Ever After Music Festival. Included in all the ticket packages is a pass to Bingemans Water Park, where you can cool off and enjoy yourself once the day’s musical fun is over. There is also Ever After Midway, which features amusement rides and other fun games. These extra additions to Ever After Fest really make it a weekend to remember. Details
Bingemans Camping Resort
425 Bingemans Centre Dr, Kitchener
North By Northeast
North By Northeast, or NXNE is another of Ontario’s most sought after music festivals. A musical cousin of America’s “South by Southwest” film festival, held in Texas each year, North by Northeast puts a decidedly Canadian spin on the nomenclature, featuring many Canadian up-and-comers. It’s the place where many internationally-renowned bands have made their start! NXNE is a fantastic nine days in Toronto filled with memory-making music. Details.
Various Venues, Toronto
Burlington’s Sound of Music Festival
Burlington, Ontario will ring with the sound of music in the middle of June this year! The Sound of Music Festival features a wide array of music and artists, from up-and-coming talents to past favourites and contemporary musicians from a variety of genres and styles. Details
Spencer Smith Park, Burlington
Tottenham Bluegrass Festival
This historic festival that began in 1983 is in it’s 35th year and still going strong. Despite being a small community, Tottenham welcomes hundreds more people for their Bluegrass Music Festival. If you’re into bluegrass and like a small-community vibe, then look no further than the Tottenham Bluegrass Festival.Details.
Tottenham Conservation Area, Tottenham
TD Toronto Jazz Festival
Love jazz music? Visit Toronto’s largest jazz festival of the summer and what is known as one of Canada’s premier jazz festivals. The festival welcomes both Canadian and international jazz musicians and seeks to promote jazz throughout the country through their work as a registered charity. Details
Various Venues, Downtown Toronto
TD Ottawa International Jazz Festival
The Ottawa International Jazz Festival is nearly 40 years old! It was founded in 1980 by local musicians Bob Misener and Tony Page. The festival was quick to grow and to draw international attention — and remains very high on the list of must-headline of any aspiring jazz artist today.Welcoming hundreds of thousands of people over the course of ten days, the Ottawa International Jazz Festival is not one to be missed. Details
Multiple locations throughout central Ottawa
Digital Dreams Music Festival
If you’re fan of techno music, Digital Dreams Festival, put on by Bud Light every year at Echo Beach is the music festival of your summer! Beats so loud that you can’t hear yourself think, but a good time is sure to be had. With some of the best names in techno on show, such as Armin Van Buuren, Galantis, Kaskade, Andrew Bayer and special guest Richie Hawtin, Digital Dreams is a party festival with music added. Details.
RBC Echo Beach, Toronto
Escapade Music Festival
Another electric techno festival to check out (on the same day as Digital Dreams) is the Escapade Music Festival. You must be 16 or over to enter the festival, but if you do go, two days of electrifying musical fun await! Details.
103 York Street, Ottawa.
Trackside Music Festival
Cancelled for 2019.
Ottawa Bluesfest
Kick July off with the Ottawa Bluesfest, one of the country’s biggest blues music festivals. Running for ten days right in the middle of the summer, outside of Canada Day, it’s Ottawa’s biggest party of the year!Details.
LeBreton Flats Park, Ottawa
TD Sunfest World Music and Jazz Festival
TD SUNFEST is a FREE one‐stop travel portal ready to transport patrons to first class destinations around the globe, thanks to more than 30 of the world’s most iconic performers and over 275 evocative food, craft and visual art exhibitors, the festival will continue to offer one of summer’s most immersive cultural experiences. Details
Victoria Park, 580 Clarence St, London
Mariposa Music Festival
Mariposa is Ontario’s premier folk festival of the summer, put on with the full support of the Mariposa Folk Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to promoting and maintaining folk music throughout Canada. Details
Tudhope Park, Orillia
Northern Lights Festival
The Northern Lights Festival is Canada’s longest continually-running outdoor music festival, having opened in Bell Park in 1972. The festival brings together a variety of artists from across Canada for three days of fantastic folk-style music. Details
Bell Park, Greater Sudbury
Beaches International Jazz Festival
The annual Beaches International Jazz Festival showcases jazz, blues, big band, vocalists, African, Caribbean, reggae, hip-hop, South American, Latin, rhythm and blues and more.
.Details.
Queen St. E. and Woodbine Park, Toronto
Rock The Park
Harris Park, London
Toronto 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 20+ mainstage concerts, plus masterclasses, free outreach concerts, lectures, and workshops.Details
Various Venues, Downtown Toronto
Hillside Summer Festival
Hillside Festival is a unique experience, quite apart from the more traditional music festivals that we’ve listed, it is an eco-friendly festival, featuring great live music, traditional Indigenous drum artists as well as children’s entertainment and environmental learning. Located in a Conservation Area, Hillside makes a point about being environmentally-friendly, while also promoting a good time. Past lineups have included artists such as Billy Bragg, The Jerry Cans, Dead Flowers, Leonard Summer and Xavier Rudd. Hillside Festival is one music festival not to be missed if you enjoy festivals with food for thought and entertainment. Details
Guelph Lake Conservation Area
Lighthouse Blues Festival
This boutique blues festival has presented outstanding artists like Victor Wainwright, Shemekia Copeland, Joe Louis Walker, Ghost Town Blues Band, Brandon Santini, Steve Strongman, Jack deKeyzer, Jeff Jensen, Cheryl Lescom, Layla Zoe, Dawn Tyler Watson, Angel Forrest, Bryan Lee and many, many more!
Recognized as Top 100 Festival and Events in Ontario by tourism industry for the last five years and the known as the “Best Little Blues Festival” around! Top touring international blues artists in an intimate outdoor setting. Now, celebrating its 10th year the Bruce Telecom Lighthouse Blues Festival is expanded to have once again its Main Stage overlooking the beautiful Kincardine Harbour and Lighthouse both evenings and the free Street Festival experience on Saturday afternoon with four additional performances stages, Music Workshop Tent, vintage British Sports Car display, a street market and an Art Zone with family oriented activities! Over 30 artists. And a Sunday Morning Gospel Revival! All taking place in beautiful Lakeside Downtown Kincardine.
Kincardine
Go North Music Festival
This full day Music Festival offers an afternoon and evening featuring a range of new music, local artisans, local craft beer, delicious food vendors, overnight camping in a relaxed outdoor venue unlike anything else in the area.Details
St. Joseph Township Centennial Grounds, 1511 Richards Street, Richards Landing
Home County Folk Festival
When Victoria Park welcomes the Home County Music & Art Festival in late July, it will celebrate it’s 45th year of operation — making it London’s longest-running music festival. The festival brings in both local and national talent for two days of folk-centric music. Along with its fantastic and diverse musical lineup, Home County hosts over 120 juried craft vendors selling high-calibre, original works. Vendors are provided a unique avenue to grow and support their business, while festival attendees are provided with an opportunity to enjoy incredible art, connect directly with the artist/crafter, support independent businesses, and acquire one-of-a-kind items. Details
Victoria Park, London
UpTown Waterloo Jazz Festival
UpTown Waterloo
Festival of the Sound
Located on Parry Sound, the appropriately-named Festival of the Sound is all about classical music! Featuring artists from across the country and around the world. It even takes place aboard a cruise ship on Canada Day! Whether your fancy is string instruments or vocals, the Festival of the Sound has it all to offer. Details
1 Avenue Rd, Parry Sound
WTFest
WTFest is Brantford’s premier rock festival of the summer! Details
Lions Park, Brantford
VELD Music Festival
Techno music returns to Toronto in early August at the VELD Music Festival. The festival is in its seventh year and is a surety for any fan of techno who perhaps couldn’t make the earlier festivals of the summer. Details
Downsview Park, Toronto
Festival of Friends
Hamilton’s outdoor music, art, and crafts festival. Details
Gage Park, Hamilton
Boots & Hearts Country Music Festival
Canada’s largest annual country music festival comes to Oro-Medonte once again and brings with it three days of amazing country music and lots of fun! If you like to sing, dance and have a good time — and love country music, then you’re one summer festival should definitely be Boots & Hearts. Details
Burl’s Creek Event Grounds, Oro-Medonte, L0L 2X0
Goderich Celtic Roots Festival
Do you have Irish or Scottish blood in your veins and want to go back to your roots? Well, now you can! Reestablish a connection with your celtic ancestry at the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival. Goderich Celtic Roots Festival is not just any old Celtic music festival, it’s also home to an educational centre for kids and offers a “Celtic College” for those wishing to learn more about traditional Irish and Scottish music and instrumentation. Details
Various Venues, Goderich
Wolfe Island Music Festival
Intimate island festival featuring some of the biggest names in Canadian indie music. Details.
Wolfe Island – Kingston.
Havelock Country Jamboree
Like country music? You’ll love the Havelock Country Jamboree! This year will be a special for every fan of country music far and wide, as the Havelock Country Jamboree welcomes artists like Toby Keith, Shania Twain, Doc Walker, Dean Brody and Mustang Sally, and many, many more. Running for three days in the middle of August, the Havelock Country Jamboree is one of the Ontario’s best country music festivals of the summer. Details
10 County Rd, 48 K0L 1Z0, Havelock
Summerfolk Music and Crafts Festival
A final summer folk bash awaits you at Kelso Beach Park. For those who love folk music and want to end the summer on a high, the Summerfolk Music and Crafts Festival in Owen Sound is not to be missed. Welcoming talented folk artists from across the continent — the likes of Mama’s Broke, Suzie Vinnick, Stephen Fearing, Sarah Harmer, Rose Cousins and many, many more, the Summerfolk Music Festival is one end-of-summer folk fest not to be missed. Details
Kelso Beach Park, 2nd Avenue West, Owen Sounde
Riverfest Elora
Get ready for three days of art, food trucks, arts and craft vendors, community and of course, music! Details
Bissel Park – 127 East Mill St, Elora
TD Markham Jazz Festival
Along Main Street Unionville (Markham)
Jazz Sudbury Festival
Jazz Sudbury Festival is Northern Ontario’s premier destination for live jazz, curating a fine blend of established, acclaimed artists nationally and internationally, and mixing them with a strong range of local emerging artists who are sure to please an audience. The event inspires appreciation for the colourful and diverse art form of live music by presenting the industry’s best in jazz, world, and blues music. The festival features main-stage headliner performances, the Jazzwalk, a series of intimate performances providing local and established artists with the opportunity to collaborate, Jazz in the Park, an accessible free concert dedicated to families, Jazz on the Beach (main beach, Bell Park), the Jazz Café Masterclass, and Jazz Afterhours. Details
Grace Hartman Amphitheatre 900 Paris Street Sudbury
No matter what sort of music you’re looking for this summer in Ontario, there are plenty of festivals to choose from — go forth and enjoy yourself!