Summer beats
unique music festivals
Fans don’t go to music festivals for the concerts alone; they go for the electric energy and the chance to forge connections in destinations that snap them out of the rhythm and routine of daily life. For true music festival lovers, it is all about the thrill of discovering what’s new—new artists, new foods, new friends.
Canada—which recently made an unprecedented $1.4 billion USD investment in its arts and culture—has emerged as the new frontier in unique and immersive music festivals.
From coast to coast, superstar headliners play alongside up-and-coming artists, amid breathtaking scenery and abutting some of the world’s great cities. These aren't just concerts; they're experiences, designed to immerse fans in great music, great food, great art, and great company, and to create memories that last well after the festival is over.
Here is how to enjoy some of the best music festivals Canada has to offer.
MontrealOsheaga Festival
August 2-4, 2019By just about every metric, Osheaga offers the best of all worlds. Its location at Parc Jean-Drapeau—an unexpectedly peaceful island oasis in the middle of the St. Lawrence river—is minutes from the bustle of downtown Montreal.
The musical lineup offers something for every taste, from international superstars to emerging indie acts.
“You feel like you’re at this huge music festival, watching performers like The Lumineers and Childish Gambino, and then you wander off and suddenly you’re in the woods, watching a brand new band with 500 people,” said Osheaga founder Nick Farkas.
Osheaga is like a microcosm of Montreal, paying homage to the city’s art, food and vibrant energy. There is an artist village, an interactive play area and scores of food trucks from some of the city’s top restaurants.
“There is nothing else like it,” Farkas said.
Make it premium
A Gold Package ticket (~$435 USD for three days) gets you access to the Osheaga Terrace, promising the very best views of the main stage as well as bar service. There are also private bathrooms and priority entry to the grounds.
Step up to the Platinum Package (~$930 USD for three days) to also get backstage access, a massage area, daily brunch with mimosas and a dedicated makeup artist.
Make it premium
A Gold Package ticket (~$435 USD for three days) gets you access to the Osheaga Terrace, promising the very best views of the main stage as well as bar service. There are also private bathrooms and priority entry to the grounds.
Step up to the Platinum Package (~$930 USD for three days) to also get backstage access, a massage area, daily brunch with mimosas and a dedicated makeup artist.
what
to eat
what to eat
The food trucks
Osheaga's YUL EAT area offers festival-goers a refuge to sit and tuck into delicious food from local gem Agrikol, a Haitian bar and restaurant with rock roots. (Arcade Fire band members Win Butler and Regine Chassagne are part owners.)
(Photo credit: Darwin Doleyres)
Terrasse William Gray
On top of the William Gray Hotel, the rooftop patio offers sweeping views of Place Jacques-Cartier, the St. Lawrence River and Montreal’s Ferris wheel as well as menus for brunch, lunch, happy hour and dinner.
Where
to stay
Where to stay
Hotel Auberge du Vieux-Port
This converted mid-1800s warehouse is a charming, rustic choice for guests looking to use historic Old Montreal as their homebase for the festival. Its rooms have exposed brick or stone walls with stunning views of the St. Lawrence.
Hotel William Gray
This boutique hotel in the heart of Old Montreal sits on a quiet, cobblestone road that conjures a different era, but inside it is sleek and modern. The rooftop terrace offers some of the best views of the city. Check out the 5,600-square-foot luxury spa, offering treatments like curated sound therapy, and soothing massages with Himalayan salt stones.
torontoElectric Island
Various datesMay-September 2019
Electric Island—a series of five, day-long dance parties throughout the summer season—bills itself as an experience, not just a music festival. And as the ferryboat pulls out from downtown Toronto, heading toward Hanlan’s Point, it’s easy to see why.
“There is this incredible excitement that builds on your way over,” said Lindsay Cabrera, a spokesperson for Electric Island, which attracts some of the world’s great electronic artists. Fans typically ease into the day starting with a picnic and dancing by one of the two stages.
Around twilight, the magic really begins to set in, as the sunset glistens over the crowd and lights begin to twinkle in the distant Toronto skyline. “The music gets louder,” said Cabrera, “and it becomes this amazing party.”
(Photo credit: Brendan Leong @bleongphoto)
Make it premium
A VIP pass (~$235 USD) grants access to all five festival dates, plus a special entrance and VIP area near the main stage, bar service, a lounge, bigger bathrooms and shaded seating areas.
Opt to get the dance party started early with a Tiki Taxi water taxi (~$7.50 USD). The 12-passenger vessel is decked out with tiki-style decor, music and knowledgeable drivers ready to pass on local intelligence.
Make it premium
A VIP pass (~$235 USD) grants access to all five festival dates, plus a special entrance and VIP area near the main stage, bar service, a lounge, bigger bathrooms and shaded seating areas.
Opt to get the dance party started early with a Tiki Taxi water taxi (~$7.50 USD). The 12-passenger vessel is decked out with tiki-style decor, music and knowledgeable drivers ready to pass on local intelligence.
what
to eat
what to eat
The food trucks
Among the many food trucks at Electric Island, Kono Pizza’s ingenious pizza cones stand out for being the ideal snack for breaks in the dancing action. Stuffed with cheese, tomato sauce and toppings, they are tasty and convenient.
Momofuku Kōjin
From international culinary superstar David Chang and Colombian-born executive chef Paula Navarrete comes Momofuku Kōjin, their spin on a steakhouse. Housed in a sleek glass building at the edge of the financial district that is home to all of Momofuku’s Toronto restaurants, it highlights local meats and hyper-fresh produce from Ontario’s farmers, with unique Asian touches peppered in.
Where
to stay
Where to stay
The Westin Harbor Castle
Directly adjacent to the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, The Westin Harbor Castle is a convenient home base for festival-goers that also offers breathtaking views of Lake Ontario, giving guests a taste of the vastness and beauty of the Great Lakes.
Hotel X Toronto
by Library Hotel Collection
Here, find the unique experience of staying at a large-scale resort within one of the world’s great cities. There is a movie theater, an indoor tennis court, two indoor swimming pools and seven restaurants—all with stunning views of Toronto.
VancouverFVDED in the park
July 5-6, 2019Unlike many music festivals that pride themselves on their remoteness, FVDED is a true urban music destination steeped in the city around it. “We have a lot of R&B, rap and dance music,” said Alvaro Prol, founder of Blueprint Entertainment.
“It gives a great taste of the greater Vancouver area, and the multicultural palette we have here.”
Headliners such as Khalid are not the only draw. The trip to Holland Park in Surrey, from downtown Vancouver via Skytrain is an event in and of itself. “You go over the mountains, you see the bridges, and the water,” Prol said.
FVDED also honors Vancouver’s status as a world-class culinary destination, with more than 20 different food trucks on site, offering everything from vegan fare to authentic Mexican. As Prol says: “It’s an outstanding place to see a show.”
Make it premium
VIP pass holders (~$140 USD for a day) get express lane entry, an asset when there are more than 25,000 festival-goers a day. There is also an option for VIP table service for a limited number of guests right next to the main stage.
Make it premium
VIP pass holders (~$140 USD for a day) get express lane entry, an asset when there are more than 25,000 festival-goers a day. There is also an option for VIP table service for a limited number of guests right next to the main stage.
what
to eat
what to eat
The food trucks
Just one option is Whistler Wood Fired Pizza’s crispy, authentic Neapolitan-style pizza, which is wood-fired on the spot. Though the name says Whistler, this hustling family-owned truck travels throughout British Columbia’s Sea-to-Sky corridor.
Hook Seabar
Hook Seabar in downtown Vancouver offers stunning views over English Bay, and has a seafood-focused menu honoring this bustling coastal seaport’s close ties to the Pacific Ocean. The roomy, 3,500-square-foot restaurant has nautical touches throughout, as well as an outdoor heated patio for any chillier summer evenings.
Where
to stay
Where to stay
Skwachays Lodge
This all-suite boutique hotel pays homage to the deep aboriginal roots of the region with local Indigenous art pieces peppered throughout each guest room and all common spaces. The impressive 40-foot totem pole in the lobby alone is worth a visit.
Fairmont Pacific Rim
This sleek, five-star hotel offers some of the best views in Vancouver, and many guest rooms overlook the waterfront, with soaring floor-to-ceiling windows and a rooftop pool. The hotel's Willow Stream Spa offers the ultimate urban wellness experience, with a mineral bath, infrared sauna and unique meditation pods where you can take a break and re-center.
(Photo credit: Fairmont Pacific Rim)
