Ottawa Bluesfest returned to LeBreton Flats Park on Thursday for the first of nine stacked nights, and the opening evening set the tone with a lively mix of country, ska, funk, and some actual blues.

First up on the RBC Stage was Rosewood Ave, a country duo from Timmins made up of high school sweethearts turned married couple. They leaned into their roots with a sweet, sincere set full of heartfelt originals and a lively cover of Shania Twain’s “(If You’re Not In It For Love) I’m Outta Here!” Their excitement about being on the big stage was clear and charming. Last summer, they said they visited Bluesfest as fans and dreamed of playing here.

Following them, The Red Clay Strays brought a rawer Southern edge to the stage. The Alabama band has picked up steam lately thanks to a viral hit and some word-of-mouth buzz around their high-energy live shows. They didn’t disappoint. Their sound is a gritty mix of blues, southern rock, and outlaw country. They also popped back up later in the night when frontman Brandon Coleman joined Lainey Wilson for a duet on Johnny Cash’s “God’s Gonna Cut You Down.”

Lainey Wilson was the day’s marquee name, and her set closed out the RBC Stage in style. She drew a massive crowd, many in cowboy hatsm and played a solid, crowd-pleasing set of radio-ready hits. Dressed in bell bottoms and her signature hat, Wilson connected with the crowd through stories and shout-outs to her small-town Louisiana roots. Highlights included “Country’s Cool Again,” and a stripped-down “Watermelon Moonshine.” She continued the tradition of crowning a young fan “Cowgirl of the Night,” handing over her cowboy hat to a young girl.

While the main stage leaned heavily country, things got groovier over on the other stages.

Ottawa-via-London singer DB Cohen kicked things off at the River Stage with a tight, funky blues set. His band (complete with a horn section!) kept the mood upbeat despite the early evening heat. Songs like “Dinner Party” and “Manchild” (no relation to the Sabrina Carpenter one, as Cohen joked) were a hit with the crowd.

Over at the LeBreton Stage, The Cat Empire delivered more horns and grooves. With a refined blend of funk, jazz, and world music, they had the tent bouncing through their evening slot. It was the kind of set that made you forget you were in Ottawa and feel like you’d wandered into a festival in another hemisphere.

The LeBreton tent also hosted the incredible Chambers DesLauriers. That’s powerhouse vocalist Annika Chambers paired with guitar virtuoso Paul DesLauriers. Their chemistry was undeniable, and the set was rooted in gospel-soaked blues, with Chambers belting out lines like she was preaching to the choir. “The Blues Got a Hold on Me” was a particular standout, with DesLauriers laying down smoky guitar lines underneath her soaring vocals.

Overall, Bluesfest’s opening day showed the fest still knows how to blend genres, big names, and local flavour. Whether you were line dancing on the lawn or skanking in the tent, there was something worth seeing at every turn. A promising start to one of Canada’s best summer festivals!

Stay tuned for more coverage of the festival in the coming days. In the meantime, head to Ottawa Bluesfest’s website for more info on the rest of the festival.

Check out our favourite photos of Day 1 below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!

THE RED CLAY STRAYS

CAT EMPIRE

ROSEWOOD AVE

DB COHEN

CHAMBERS DESLAURIER

All Photo Credit: Kieran Delport, unless otherwise noted