Festivals
Lollapalooza 2026 Announce Lineup with: Charli XCX, Lorde, Smashing Pumpkins, Jennie and More
Chicago’s biggest summer festival is back, and this year’s edition goes heavy on pop while still leaving room for indie, rap, rock and electronic fans. Lollapalooza returns to Grant Park from July 30 to August 2, 2026, with a lineup that feels packed from top to bottom.
At the top of the bill, Charli XCX, Lorde and Tate McRae lead a group of headliners that reflects how broad the festival has become. They’re joined by Olivia Dean, the xx, Jennie, John Summit and hometown legends The Smashing Pumpkins, who haven’t played a U.S. Lollapalooza in more than three decades. It’s a mix that jumps between hyperpop, alt-pop, K-pop, house and ‘90s alt-rock without hesitation.
That variety carries into the undercard. Indie favorites like Wet Leg and Wolf Alice sit alongside rap names such as Clipse and Freddie Gibbs. Pop and dance are well represented with Aespa, Zara Larsson and The Chainsmokers, while artists like Ethel Cain, Blood Orange and Little Simz add depth for fans looking beyond the main stage.
Elsewhere on the lineup, names like Lil Uzi Vert, Turnstile, Beabadoobee, Geese, Muna and The Story So Far help round out a bill that barely slows down. Electronic acts including DJ Trixie Mattel, Boris Brejcha and Eli Brown add to a strong dance presence, while bands like Turnstile and Geese keep guitars in the conversation. In total, more than 100 artists are set to perform across eight stages.
Tickets follow the usual Lollapalooza rollout. Presale begins March 19 at 10 a.m. CST, with the lowest prices available for the first hour. General on-sale starts at 11 a.m., with four-day GA passes beginning at $399 and higher-tier options climbing from there.
Daily schedules are still on the way, which means set-time conflicts are coming. For now, the focus is simple: start planning, pace yourself, and get ready for four very long days in Grant Park.
More information about the festival on their website.
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