Now that the Pandemic has come to somewhat of a stop or a halt and we are finally picking up the pace of the life we once knew, nothing sounds more fun than to go out and celebrate summer with a big bang. Festivals are the perfect way to come together and escape the real world for a day or two. We know that attending a festival with your best friends means having great experiences that you’ll be talking about for years to come, so we decided to help you by compiling a list of the best festivals to attend in Canada this summer. 

 

Escapade 
June 24-26, Ottawa ON

Canada’s capital city of Ottawa comes alive every June when the Escapade festival drops in downtown. The electronic festival mixes together trance, techno, and house for a full weekend of artists that have included Eric Prydz, Kaskade, Krewella, Above & Beyond, Avicii, Afrojack, Excision, and Calvin Harris. This year, ABOVE & BEYOND, DJ Snake, Alan Walker, Martin Garrix, Nicky Romero and many others will be taking the stage to deliver a weekend to remember.  

 

Calgary Stampede 
July 7-17, Calgary AB

Feeling a little less electro and a little more nature country vibe? Calgary Stampede might be for you! The ten-day event, which names itself “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth", attracts over one million visitors per year and features one of the world's largest rodeos, foods, a parade, midway, stage shows, concerts, agricultural competitions, chuckwagon racing, and First Nations exhibitions. Bonus! They also feature live music and The Chainsmokers will be performing this year. This is the perfect time to go explore the beauty that Alberta has to offer. 

VELD 
July 29-31, Toronto ON

VELD Music Festival is an annual electronic dance music and hip-hop music festival held at Downsview Park in Toronto. It is the definitive Canadian electronic music festival experience. A neon paradise home to green fields, earth-rattling bass and enchanting lights, year-by-year Velders are hypnotized by fireworks, the best music and dancefloor emotions. Veld is ever evolving and always striving to be the highlight of your summer.

 

FEQ
July 6-17, Quebec, QC

Festival d'été de Québec is the biggest outdoor musical event in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. FEQ's eclectic programming includes the biggest international stars and emerging artists from around the globe, and this year FEQ will host the cream of the current music scene with artists like Charlotte Cardin, Halsey, MARSHMELLO, Maroon 5 and Luke Combs to name a few. Do you already have your pass? 

 

ILSONIQ
August 5-7, Montreal QC

Wanna have a great time, but you can’t travel far? We got you! Created in 2014, ÎLESONIQ settled into the heart of Montreal, at Parc Jean-Drapeau. For two complete days, the island is transformed into an urban oasis which springs forth and allows the public to live and groove to the rhythms of EDM and urban music’s biggest stars. This summer, this festival will be home to names like Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz, ILLENIUM B2B Excision, Zomboy, Dixon, Gunna, Dom Dolla, to name a few.

 

OSHEAGA
July 29-31, Montreal QC

Finally, we could not leave out one of Canada’s most loved music festival. The Osheaga Music and Arts Festival is a multi-day indie music festival in Montreal, Quebec, that is held every summer at Parc Jean-Drapeau on Île Sainte-Hélène. The festival takes place on six stages with various audience capacities and has hosted some of the industry’s biggest names. KYGO, Dua Lipa, Big Sean, A$AP ROCKY, and Alan Walker are some of the amazing artists that will be performing this year. Will you be attending?