Festivals
All Your Friends Fest Returns June 28-29, 2025 with Avril Lavigne And More!
Canadian music fans, get ready! Over two decades after her breakout hit Complicated topped the charts, Avril Lavigne is set to bring her signature pop-punk energy to the main stage at Burl’s Creek Event Grounds this summer.
Announced today as the first headliner for the 2025 All Your Friends Fest, Lavigne will perform during the two-day event happening June 28 and 29. Sharing the stage with her on Sunday night will be Montreal’s Juno-winning pop-rock band, Simple Plan.
“I can’t wait to play All Your Friends Fest at Burl’s Creek. It’s going to be a blast playing with so many of my friends at a festival so close to home, and I hope to see you all there,” Lavigne shared in a news release.
The rest of the lineup for the 2025 festival is still under wraps, but last year’s roster featured major names like Fall Out Boy, Billy Talent, Jimmy Eat World, and The All-American Rejects, hinting at another stellar list of performers this year.
Eva Dunford, co-founder of Republic Live, the organization behind the festival, expressed her excitement for the event’s return: “We are beyond excited to have All Your Friends Fest return to Burl’s Creek and bring fans together for an incredible Canada Day weekend of music and celebration. We are thrilled to have Canadian icon and global pop-punk superstar Avril Lavigne headline our Sunday night, kicking off the first weekend of summer in unforgettable style. With amazing performances, great vibes, and memories to last a lifetime, this edition of All Your Friends Fest promises to be one for the books.”
Taking place at Canada’s largest outdoor event venue, Burl’s Creek spans nearly 600 acres, with a capacity for more than 100,000 attendees and 45,000 campers. Last year’s festival attracted over 10,000 fans on its opening day, and organizers are committed to delivering another “unforgettable weekend of music” just in time to kick off Canada Day celebrations.
Tickets go on sale Thursday, December 5, at 10 a.m. Single-day admission starts at $149.99 (plus taxes and fees), while full weekend passes begin at $249.99 (plus taxes and fees). Camping packages, including tent and RV options, are also available, enhancing the festival experience with a getaway vibe similar to Republic Live’s renowned Boots and Hearts Festival.
For tickets and more details, visit www.allyourfriendsfestival.com.
Festivals
Governors Ball 2026 Release Daily Schedules
The set times are in. Governors Ball Music Festival just dropped its daily schedules for June 5–7, and the usual game begins: mapping your day, picking your battles, and accepting you can’t see everything.
Friday, June 5
Day one leans indie-pop into rap by night. Lorde closes the main stage at 8:30, opposite the tail end of Baby Keem(7:30–8:30). That’s your first big call: polished pop spectacle or Keem’s high-energy set.
Earlier, things get messy in a good way. KATSEYE (6:35–7:30) overlaps with Pierce the Veil (5:30–6:30) bleed, and The Beths (6:00–7:00) sit right in between. Indie fans will feel that pinch.
Midday conflicts are lighter, but The Dare (4:00–4:45) vs. Arcy Drive (3:30–4:15) creates a small fork in the road.
If you’re pacing yourself, the cleanest run is late afternoon into Mariah the Scientist (4:45–5:30), then pick your lane.
Saturday, June 6
Saturday is the most chaotic on paper. Stray Kids headline at 8:30, directly after Kali Uchis (7:30–8:30). That transition is smooth if you stay put.
The real trouble hits earlier. Major Lazer (6:30–7:30) collides with Blood Orange (5:30–6:30) and the start of Amyl and the Sniffers (7:30–8:30). Dancehall vs. alt-R&B vs. punk. Pick a mood and commit.
Mid-card is stacked with clashes: Ravyn Lenae (4:00–4:45) overlaps with Jane Remover (3:30–4:15), and Snow Strippers (4:45–5:30) runs right into Wet Leg (4:45–5:30). That last one is a true coin flip, two buzzy acts at the exact same time.
Sunday, June 7
Sunday might be the strongest day top to bottom. A$AP Rocky closes at 8:45, opposite the end of JENNIE (7:45–8:45) and Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist (7:45–8:45). That’s the toughest final hour of the weekend.
The lead-up is just as tight. Dominic Fike (6:45–7:45) overlaps with Clipse (5:45–6:45) and Hot Mulligan (6:15–7:15). Three different crowds, same window.
Earlier, Japanese Breakfast (4:00–4:45) and Holly Humberstone (3:15–4:00) form a nice back-to-back if you stay mobile, but Between Friends (2:30–3:15) cuts into that flow.
The takeaway
Friday is manageable. Saturday is conflict-heavy. Sunday is stacked late.
If you hate missing songs, plan short splits. If you want full sets, accept you’ll miss something big. That’s part of the deal, and honestly, half the fun.
Festivals
PNE Summer Night Concerts Announce 2026 Lineup
Vancouver’s summer concert calendar is locking into place. The annual Summer Night Concerts are set to return to the Pacific National Exhibition from August 22 through September 7, bringing live music back to one of the city’s biggest seasonal events.
This year carries a bit more weight than usual. The series will debut at the brand-new Freedom Mobile Arch, a 10,000-seat outdoor amphitheatre built for large-scale performances. The venue promises better sightlines, improved sound, and a more immersive setup for fans. It’s a major shift for the fair, which spent much of last year dealing with construction that limited its footprint and contributed to a drop in attendance.
Now, with the full site back in action, organizers are aiming for a reset. The 2026 lineup leans into that idea, mixing legacy acts with newer names across genres like rock, pop, hip-hop, and electronic.
Headliners include Blue Rodeo, The Guess Who, The Beaches, Nelly, and Zedd, alongside artists like Mt. Joy, Train, and Barenaked Ladies. Special performances include Cynthia Erivo backed by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, as well as appearances from Punjabi Virsa, Weird Al Yankovic, Earth, Wind & Fire, Pierce the Veil, Sarah McLachlan, and Boy George & Culture Club.
The full schedule runs nightly:
- Aug. 22: Blue Rodeo
- Aug. 23: The Guess Who
- Aug. 25: The Beaches
- Aug. 26: Nelly
- Aug. 27: Zedd
- Aug. 28: Mt. Joy
- Aug. 29: Cynthia Erivo with VSO
- Aug. 30: Punjabi Virsa
- Sept. 1: Train
- Sept. 2: Barenaked Ladies
- Sept. 3: Weird Al Yankovic
- Sept. 4: Earth, Wind & Fire
- Sept. 5: Pierce the Veil
- Sept. 6: Sarah McLachlan
- Sept. 7: Boy George & Culture Club
Tickets start at $49 plus fees and include admission to the PNE Fair. Presale began April 19, with general on-sale launching April 20 through TicketLeader.
New venue, full fairgrounds, and a lineup that leans both nostalgic and current. After a quieter year, the PNE looks ready to feel busy again.