Festivals
Ottawa Bluesfest Announce 2026 Lineup with Limp Bizkit, Gwen Stefani, The Lumineers, and More
Ottawa is loading up LeBreton Flats with a little bit of everything this summer. Ottawa Bluesfest officially unveiled its 2026 lineup, bringing together country stars, alt-rock favourites, pop icons, hip-hop acts and a few left-field bookings across nine nights from July 9 to 19.
Leading the bill this year are Limp Bizkit, Gwen Stefani, The Lumineers, Conan Gray, Lord Huron, Ella Langley, HARDY and Cody Johnson. Festival organizers had already confirmed that The Guess Who would close out the festival on July 19 as part of Ottawa’s bicentennial celebrations.
The lineup leans heavily into genre-hopping. One night you’ve got Cypress Hill and Marc Rebillet sharing the bill with Steve Earle. Another has Lucy Dacus, Royel Otis and Social Distortion all landing on the same night. It’s the kind of scheduling tailor-made for people who refuse to stay in one Spotify genre lane for more than 20 minutes.
Country fans are especially eating well this year. Alongside Johnson, Langley and HARDY, the festival booked Jessie Murph, plus country-rock staples like Sheryl Crow. On the indie side, names like Patrick Watson, Leif Vollebekk, Dope Lemon and Natasha Bedingfield help round out the lineup.
Festival executive and artistic director Mark Monahan said the goal was to keep the festival broad and accessible while continuing to bring major touring acts to the capital. Ottawa Bluesfest now draws more than a quarter-million attendees annually and generates a significant tourism boost for the city.
One of the more notable additions this year is a new multi-year partnership with Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa. The River Stage at the north side of the Canadian War Museum will now be renamed the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Stage, with the company branding parts of the VIP experience as well.
The festival opens July 9 with Cody Johnson headlining alongside Jessie Murph, Rev. Run and Digable Planets. July 10 brings one of the festival’s rowdier nights with Limp Bizkit, Cypress Hill and Marc Rebillet topping the bill. Other standout nights include July 12 with The Lumineers and bbno$, July 15 with Conan Gray and Myles Smith, July 16 with Lord Huron and Lucy Dacus, and July 18 featuring Gwen Stefani, Mariah The Scientist and Shaggy.
A limited number of discounted nine-day passes go on sale Wednesday, followed by single-day tickets on Thursday and three-day passes on March 2. Organizers confirmed that all tickets will include OC Transpo access to and from the festival grounds.
The full festival runs July 9 to 19 at LeBreton Flats, with July 13 and 14 serving as break days between weekends. Head to the festival’s website for more information.
Click here to read our reviews of last year’s shows.
OTTAWA BLUESFEST 2026 LINEUP
Thursday, July 9
- Cody Johnson.
- Jessie Murph.
- Rev. Run.
- Digable Planets.
- GOAT.
- Lloyd Spiegel.
- The Longest Johns.
- Justin Fancy.
- Jade Hilton.
- Jermaine Holmes.
- Satellite Birdhouse.
- DJ Mace.
Friday, July 10
- Limp Bizkit.
- Cypress Hill.
- Marc Rebillet.
- Steve Earle.
- Hank Azaria and The EZ Street Band.
- Miko Marks.
- Gwenifer Raymond.
- Alicia Kayley.
- F!TH.
- My Son The Hurricane.
- SexBandit.
- DJ Mace.
Saturday, July 11
- HARDY.
- BigXthaPlug.
- Patrick Watson.
- cleopatrick.
- Luna Li.
- Mo Kenney.
- Ron Artis II.
- Aspects.
- Kat Pereira.
- Mikhail Laxton.
- Tiny Horse.
- DJ Mace.
Sunday, July 12
- The Lumineers.
- bbno$.
- Leif Vollebekk.
- Hazlett.
- DijahSB.
- Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band.
- Kelly McMichael.
- JOLY.
- Les Rats d’Swompe.
- Mehdi Cayenne.
- summersets.
- DJ Karyen.
Wednesday, July 15
- Conan Gray.
- Myles Smith.
- Natasha Bedingfield.
- Sons of Legion.
- All-Star Women’s Blues Showcase.
- Reuben and The Bullhorn Singers.
- Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears.
- Yasmin Williams.
- Nikki D &The Sisters of Thunder.
- Adam Karch.
- Mecca of Stank.
- DJ Karyen.
Thursday, July 16
- Lord Huron.
- Social Distortion.
- Lucy Dacus.
- Royel Otis.
- Dope Lemon.
- Billy Bragg.
- Thee Sinseers.
- The Pairs.
- Jamie Webster.
- Jadea Kelly.
- Koko Love.
- Nico Little and The North Americans.
- DJ Karyen.
Friday, July 17
- Ella Langley.
- Sheryl Crow.
- Death From Above 1979.
- Valerie June.
- Angine de Poitrine.
- JIMI.
- Thunder Queens.
- Nayana.
- The Jay Blues Trio.
- Emerging Artist Showcase.
- TYR ONE.
Saturday, July 18
- Gwen Stefani.
- Mariah The Scientist.
- Shaggy.
- Grace Bowers.
- Aqyila.
- Here Come The Mummies.
- The Texas Horns.
- TJ Wheeler.
- Bridge Music.
- Eadsé.
- TYR ONE.
Sunday, July 19
- The Guess Who.
- Connor Price.
- The Sheepdogs.
- Elisapie.
- Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar.
- 4KORNERS.
- Banggz.
- LeFLOFRANCO.
- Paolo Stante Band.
- Rebelle.
- Savannah Shea.
- TYR ONE.
Festivals
FIFA Fan Festival Vancouver – Kaytranada
The FIFA Fan Festival™ at the PNE closed out another memorable week on Sunday with the biggest match in world football and a fitting musical finale. Fans packed the site well before kickoff, creating a sea of jerseys, flags, and face paint as they gathered to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final between Spain and Argentina. Every big chance was met with gasps and cheers, and when Spain secured the victory, the celebrations spread across the festival grounds as supporters soaked in the final moments of a month-long tournament.
There was little time for the excitement to settle before the day’s entertainment shifted from football to live music. Montreal’s Kaytranada took over the Amphitheatre stage, giving fans one last reason to keep the energy going after the trophy presentation. Known for blending house, hip-hop, R&B, and electronic music into a sound that feels uniquely his own, Kaytranada delivered exactly the kind of set the festival needed to close the weekend.
With Spain crowned world champions and Kaytranada providing the soundtrack to the celebration, the FIFA Fan Festival wrapped up another successful day at the PNE. It was a reminder that throughout the tournament, football and music proved to be the perfect combination, bringing thousands of people together to celebrate on and off the pitch.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
fsfs
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
Festivals
FIFA Fan Festival Vancouver – The Dead South, Jesse Roper, Colin James
The FIFA Fan Festival™ at the PNE Grounds delivered another full day of football and live music on Saturday, July 18, as fans packed the site to watch the FIFA World Cup third-place match before spending the afternoon discovering Canadian talent across the festival stages.
The day opened with one last piece of World Cup drama before the tournament finale. England defeated France in the third-place match, giving English supporters plenty to celebrate before the music began. Groups wearing England shirts could be spotted throughout the grounds after the final whistle, adding to the lively atmosphere that has become a daily feature of the Fan Festival.
Once the football wrapped up, the focus shifted to the Amphitheatre and Park Stage. Vancouver’s own Jesse Roper was among the first artists we caught, bringing his signature blues-rock sound to an enthusiastic crowd. His guitar work and easy stage presence made for a strong start to the afternoon, with plenty of fans gathering in front of the stage despite a full day of entertainment still ahead.
Over on the Park Stage, Canadian blues-rock legend Colin James reminded everyone why he has remained one of the country’s most respected performers for decades. His set mixed polished musicianship with plenty of groove, drawing listeners of all ages who appreciated every guitar solo and familiar chorus.
The Dead South closed out the day. The Saskatchewan quartet’s blend of bluegrass, folk and country proved to be a perfect fit for the outdoor setting. Fans sang along, clapped in time and danced throughout the performance.
With the World Cup final less than 24 hours away, there was already a sense that the tournament was nearing its conclusion. Even so, July 18 showed that the FIFA Fan Festival remained much more than a place to watch football. It continued to bring together sport, live music and community in a way that has made it one of Vancouver’s standout events of the summer.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
THE DEAD SOUTH
JESSE ROPER
COLIN JAMES
FANS
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer