Festivals
Barnside Harvest Festival 2025 – Day One Recap & Photos
The first day of the Barnside Harvest Festival set the tone for a weekend that blends music, community, and the beauty of fall in Ladner, BC. Held right on the fields of Barnside Brewing Co., the Friday lineup on September 12 brought together an impressive mix of BC talent and Canadian favourites, creating an atmosphere that felt equal parts block party, family gathering, and outdoor concert.
The gates opened at 4 p.m., but with it being a workday, most of the crowd rolled in closer to 7. Families came with kids in tow, groups of friends grabbed craft beers brewed just steps away, and the laid-back, welcoming vibe never wavered. Barnside has a way of making you feel like you’ve stumbled onto a backyard party where everyone is invited, complete with food trucks, a kids’ zone, and artisan markets.
The festival opened with an indigenous welcome with Tsawwassen First Nation & Bryce Williams. Musically, the night leaned heavily on BC’s homegrown scene. Royal Oak and Melissa Endean respectively kicked things off on the Dueck Cadillac stage and Delta Heritage stage, each bringing their own brand of local energy. Endean’s rootsy songwriting carried well despite the competition with Said The Whale performing at the same time on the main Stage, while Royal Oak delivered bright, upbeat indie-pop that warmed up the crowd nicely.
On the Dueck Cadillac stage, Fionn, the twin sister duo from White Rock, leaned into their harmonies with an emotional set that included a cover of The Cranberries’ “Zombie.” It was one of the early highlights of the evening, a mix of nostalgia and raw power that drew big cheers. Blonde Diamond followed with a dose of shimmer and swagger, their synth-tinged sound adding some grit and groove as the sun dipped lower.
The Boom Booms and Said The Whale took the main stage in the afternoon and got the festival grounds buzzing right away. The Boom Booms brought their trademark funk and feel-good energy, the kind of music that makes you dance even if you hadn’t planned to. Said The Whale kept the energy rolling with their alt-rock anthems, reminding the crowd why they remain one of Vancouver’s most beloved bands. Both sets felt like love letters to the West Coast, and the mostly local audience embraced it fully.
Bedouin Soundclash added a change of pace with their reggae-inspired rhythms. Their set was breezy yet commanding, and their cover of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” had the whole farm singing along, a perfect fit for the setting. It was one of those small festival moments where time slows down. You’re standing under the open sky, surrounded by neighbors, with everyone locked into the same song.
The night closed with Walk Off the Earth, who made sure no one left without a grin. Known for their playful, inventive performances, the band didn’t disappoint. They pulled out clever covers like Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy,” Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season,” and AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck,” each reimagined in their signature style. Their kids, who perform as Luminati Suns, even joined them on stage for a few songs, adding to the family-friendly spirit of the festival. In a particularly heartwarming moment, they handed a ukulele to a teenager in the crowd who had made a standout sign, a small act that summed up the generosity and fun of their set.
By the time the last notes faded, Day One had set the bar high. Barnside Harvest Festival isn’t trying to be the biggest festival on the map; it’s carving out something more personal where community is the goal. It’s about celebrating local talent, sipping beer brewed on the very fields you’re standing on, and spending time with family and friends as the seasons change.
Stay tuned for our coverage of Day Three!
Check out our favourite photos of the day below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
WALK OFF THE EARTH
BEDOUIN SOUNDCLASH
SAID THE WHALE
THE BOOM BOOMS
BLONDE DIAMOND
FIONN
ROYAL OAK
MELISSA ENDEAN
FESTIVAL GROUNDS
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
Festivals
FIFA Fan Festival™ Vancouver – Walk Off The Earth, Fionn, Felix Cartal, and France Fans
The FIFA Fan Festival™ at the PNE kept the World Cup excitement rolling on Saturday, July 4, as fans gathered for another full day of football, live music, and celebrations. With two Round of 16 matches on the giant screens and a lineup of Canadian artists filling the Amphitheatre Stage, the atmosphere remained lively from morning through the evening.
The day had already delivered plenty of drama before the concerts began. Morocco had stunned host nation Canada earlier in the day to book a place in the quarter-finals, ending Canada’s historic World Cup run after its first-ever appearance in the Round of 16. A few hours later, France defeated Paraguay to secure the final quarter-final spot, setting up a meeting with Morocco in one of the tournament’s most intriguing matchups. As the final whistle blew, fans quickly shifted their attention from the football to the music just a few steps away.
Vancouver-based band Fionn, consisting of twins Alanna and Brianne Finn-Morris, was first on stage, offering an engaging performance that fit the late afternoon perfectly. Their warm vocals and heartfelt indie-pop songs gave the crowd a chance to catch their breath after another emotional day of World Cup action. Many fans who had spent hours watching the matches stayed put, creating an attentive audience that truly enjoyed the show.
Right after, Walk Off The Earth took over and instantly changed the pace. The Ontario group has built its reputation on creative arrangements and infectious energy, and they delivered exactly that. Their performance blended pop, rock, folk, and plenty of crowd interaction, turning the Amphitheatre into a giant singalong. The band’s playful chemistry and multi-instrumental approach kept fans engaged from start to finish, with many dancing along and singing every word.
At the Park Stage, Vancouver-born DJ and producer Felix Cartal took over. A familiar face on festival lineups across the country, Cartal delivered a polished electronic set that kept fans dancing until the festival closed. His mix of melodic house, upbeat remixes, and crowd-pleasing drops provided the perfect soundtrack to cap off a day that had already been packed with football drama and live music.
The FIFA Fan Festival has consistently shown that it offers far more than football. Saturday’s schedule paired knockout-stage drama with live performances that gave supporters another reason to stay long after the matches had ended. Even with Canada’s elimination still fresh in many minds, the festival remained a welcoming place to celebrate the global game, discover Canadian talent, and enjoy a summer evening surrounded by thousands of fellow fans. With the quarter-finals now set, anticipation continued to build for another unforgettable week at Vancouver’s Fan Festival.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
WALK OFF THE EARTH
FIONN
FELIX CARTAL
FRANCE FANS
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
Festivals
Montréal Jazz Festival 2026 – Patrick Watson
July 3, 2026
If you thought the outdoor main stage at Jazz Fest was packed earlier in the week, it had absolutely nothing on the sea of people that squeezed into the Place des Festivals for Patrick Watson. The site was packed right to the limit. The last time he played the festival back in 2021, it was to a strictly limited, socially distanced crowd, and he actually took a moment to contrast that eerie, quiet landscape with the overwhelming wall of faces looking back at him this time around. The massive turnout made it feel like the city had just been waiting for the perfect moment to properly welcome him back.
The whole night felt like a massive, curated homecoming celebration with his favourite people on earth. By the third song, he already had the crowd cheering when he brought out Montreal’s own Martha Wainwright, who has been heavily involved in the local scene and festival circuit this year, to share the stage. Right after that, he raised the bar even higher by bringing up a string quartet for a stunning performance of “Ode to Vivian.” He took a second to tell the story behind the track, explaining how it was inspired by the street photographer Vivian Maier, who secretly kept her incredible work to herself until she passed, only to posthumously become an inspiration to thousands of photographers worldwide.
The emotional peak of the set came during “To Build a Home.” Watson talked about how deeply the experience of growing up in Montreal shaped him both as a person and a musician, noting that his music could only ever be written in a city with this exact type of creative spirit. As the song played, vintage 1960s video footage of Montreal rolled across the massive backdrops, which gave the whole performance an incredibly nostalgic, cinematic weight. He kept the collaborations rolling through the night, too, pulling the brilliant November Ultra onto the stage for “Silencio,” and later bringing out the rising indie-folk artist Solann.
The years might be passing, but Patrick Watson proves every time he steps on a stage that he remains an absolute force of nature. He doesn’t care about shifting trends; he just cares about his craft. A few people floating around the crowd might have been a little disappointed not to hear some of the older classics like “Lighthouse” or “The Great Escape,” but honestly, what better setting is there to test out your newest material than the Montreal Jazz Festival in front of your home crowd? Besides, when the performance is that stunning from start to finish, you really can’t be mad about it.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
PATRICK WATSON
All Photo Credit: Andres Amaya