Festivals
The Chicks And Rascal Flatts To Headline Boots And Hearts 2026
Republic Live, producers of the internationally acclaimed and multi-award-winning Boots and Hearts Music Festival, has dropped its powerhouse 2026 lineup – and fans are about to experience the most electrifying edition yet. Returning August 7–9 to the iconic Burl’s Creek Event Grounds in Oro-Medonte, Boots and Hearts is ready to deliver a weekend that truly has something for everybody.
For over a decade, the festival has championed the #BootsLife – unforgettable moments, big-time performances, and a community of fans who return year after year for the music, the memories, and the magic of Canada’s largest music and camping festival. In 2026, Boots and Hearts ups the ante with a thrilling new three-day format – designed to make the biggest weekend of the summer even bigger.
The 2026 edition of the festival will showcase an outstanding lineup of award-winning talent including, GRAMMY and CMA Award-winning icons The Chicks make their Boots and Hearts debut as Saturday night’s headliner (8/8), and ACM Award-winning group Rascal Flatts close out the weekend as Sunday night’s headliner (8/9). This year’s lineup also highlights some of the most exciting new voices in country music performing at Boots and Hearts for the first time, including internationally celebrated artists Tucker Wetmore, Jessie Murph, Sam Barber, Dasha, Max McNown, Waylon Wyatt, The Jack Wharff Band, Kaitlin Butts, Ashley Cooke and Emily Anne Roberts. Multi-platinum, chart-topping artist Russell Dickerson returns to the Boots Main Stage on Friday (8/7).
Staying true to its roots, Boots and Hearts continues to champion Canadian talent. Multi-CCMA and JUNO Award–winning artist Brett Kissel, returns to headline the Front Porch Stage on Friday night. Platinum-selling favourites James Barker Band, make their long-awaited return to the Main Stage on Sunday. New festival debuts include breakout duo Thelma & James, acclaimed artist Carolyn Dawn Johnson, and rising names Savannah Jade, Tony Stevens, Mitch Zorn, along with 2024 Emerging Artist Showcase winners, School House. More artist announcements will be revealed soon.
Elevating the fan experience even further, Republic Live is introducing two new VIP options for 2026: the Daisy Duke’s Deck VIP+ at the Main Stage and the Front Porch VIP area – giving fans new ways to take in the festival in premium style. Already an eight-time CCMA Country Festival of the Year winner and recognized by the Academy of Country Music for Festival of the Year, Boots and Hearts continues to set the standard for world-class festival experiences.
“The Chicks said it best, ‘I’ve sure been down this road before,’ but there’s nothing like the road to Boots. This festival and team have always been dedicated to creating world-class experiences that bring people together, and our new three-day format is the exciting next step in that journey,” shares festival co-founder Eva Dunford. “It’s everything fans love about Boots, only better and more accessible than ever. Every aspect of our festival has been elevated to celebrate the spirit, community and connection that make Boots and Hearts the most unforgettable weekend of the summer.”
All ticket types, including weekend, single-day, camping and parking, will be available for pre-sale on Tuesday, November 18, at 10 a.m. ET, with public on-sale beginning Friday, November 21 at 10 a.m. ET at www.bootsandhearts.com. Fans can also take advantage of flexible payment options through PayPal or Klarna.
Additional announcements, festival programming, and partnership details will be released in the coming months. For the latest news, visit the official Boots and Hearts website.
Festivals
Coachella 2026 Set Times Are Out, With Jack White Added to Weekend One
The schedule for the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is here, and weekend one is already looking packed. Music starts at 1 p.m. PST on Friday, April 10, kicking off three days of tight set clashes, late-night headliners, and one surprise addition.
Headliners Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Karol G lead the bill across the weekend. Carpenter opens things on Friday with a 9:05 p.m. set on the Coachella Stage, running just over 90 minutes. She’s followed by Anyma, who takes over at midnight to debut a new production titled “Æden.”
Saturday belongs to Bieber, who closes out the night with an 11:25 p.m. start. Before that, The Strokes hit the same stage at 9 p.m. Sunday wraps with Karol G, with competing sets from BIGBANG and Kaskade pulling fans in different directions.
The big curveball this year is Jack White, who joins the lineup for a Saturday afternoon slot. He’ll open the Mojave Stage at 3 p.m., marking a return to the festival after last headlining as a solo act in 2015. His appearance follows a recent run of surprise bookings at Coachella, a trend that’s become part of the festival’s identity.
Saturday night also brings Nine Inch Noize—a collaboration between Trent Reznor and Boys Noize—to the Sahara Tent for an 8 p.m. set.
Elsewhere, Coachella is leaning into immersive experiences. A new installation tied to Radiohead, called “Radiohead Motion Picture House: Kid A Mnesia,” will debut near the Sahara Tent. The 75-minute film blends visuals and audio pulled from the recording era of their albums Kid A and Amnesiac, created by Thom Yorke and longtime collaborator Stanley Donwood. It’s free with a reservation, with standby access for anyone willing to wait.
Beyond the headliners, the real challenge this year is picking a path through the schedule. Set conflicts are everywhere: David Byrne vs. Interpol, FKA twigs vs. The Rapture, and a crowded overlap featuring The xx, Dijon, Ninajirachi, DEVO, and more. Late Saturday gets especially messy with PinkPantheress going up against The Strokes, and Sunday throws in clashes like Moby vs. Turnstile.
A few lineup tweaks round things out. Foster the People move to Sunday, and new additions include Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Afrojack x Smiza, Deep Dish, and more.
Weekend two set times are still under wraps. For now, weekend one already looks like a scheduling headache, in the best way.
More information on the festival’s website.
Festivals
Morrissey and The Smashing Pumpkins to Headline Darker Waves 2026
Morrissey and The Smashing Pumpkins will headline Darker Waves Festival on November 14, 2026 in Huntington Beach, CA. Returning to Huntington Beach City Beach at Huntington Street and Pacific Coast Highway, the ocean-side festival will feature legendary performances from over 35 artists across three stages including Simple Minds, Bad Religion, Adam Ant, The Psychedelic Furs, Soft Cell, The Damned, Manic Street Preachers, Gary Numan, Silversun Pickups, Buzzcocks, EMF, Circle Jerks, Spacehog, Marky Ramone and more. Fans can sign up now for the festival SMS list at DarkerWavesFest.com to receive a passcode to the presale beginning Thursday, April 2 at 10am PT with access to the lowest-priced GA tickets from 10am to 11am PT. GA, GA+, VIP, and Ultimate VIP Tickets will be available, with layaway payment plans starting at $19.99 down. Any remaining tickets will go on sale to the public following the presale.
GA+ tickets include access to the exclusive GA+ Lounge with shaded seating and air-conditioned restrooms, plus a dedicated entry lane at the festival main entrance, and more. VIP tickets include unlimited entry into the VIP Lounge with preferred viewing area by the main stage, charging stations, air-conditioned restrooms, dedicated entry lane at the festival main entrance and more. Ultimate VIP tickets feature all amenities of VIP, plus access to elevated and unobstructed views of both main stages with shaded open lounge seating, dedicated VIP concierge team, a complimentary locker to store personal items, three complimentary drinks including choice of craft cocktails, beer, wine or non-alcoholic beverages, a complimentary meal redeemable for exclusive food options in the VIP Lounge and more.
Official Darker Waves vacation packages from Jampack pair GA, GA+, or VIP tickets with beachfront stays at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa or The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel, and more. Bundles include a dedicated entrance, re-entry access, and commemorative merch.
For tickets and the full list of amenities available in each ticket package, please visit DarkerWavesFest.com.