By Parisima Baha
Toronto’s music scene continues to get bigger and better every year. Though the 6 is known for its summer music festivals, there are also some hot winter events to distract you from the cold. Here are some of the best annual music festivals in Toronto. [Photo credit: Courtesy of Canadian Music Week]
More than just a music festival, Long Winter boasts a series of inter-arts performances, including anything from visual and performance art to theatre and dance, which take place throughout the cold session. The next event is taking place at The Theatre Centre on February 4 from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Watch Toronto R&B/Soul singer Saidah Conrad perform live on stage, experience an audio/visual collaboration between process-based artist Monika Hauck and musician Alex Ricci, laugh the night away with comedic acts and more!
Heat up the cool season with Wavelength’s 17th annual mixtape of local music and community vibes. This indie music festival is taking place during Family Day long weekend, from February 17 to the 19, with night shows at The Garrison and daytime events at Monarch Tavern and Gladstone Hotel. Enjoy performances by Toronto noise punk band WLMRT, emotionally driven Montreal pop artist Helena Deland, Filipino-Canadian self-taught poet and musician Han Han, and more!
Also taking place Family Day long weekend is this Danforth music festival featuring the best in urban, blues, rock, jazz, country, folk and roots music. Winterfolk has a combination of paid and free concert performances by Canadian artists, with the addition of special tribute events, an awards ceremony and themed musical workshops - think a master song-writing session with professional singer/songwriters and other fun things for music-lovers to join in on. This three-day event is held at five venues: Black Swan Tavern, Mambo Lounge, Terri O’s Tavern, Dora Keogh Irish Pub and Globe Bistro.
Want to learn more about the music business? Then, Canadian Music Week is where you should be! Taking place April 18 to the 23, with its main location at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, this 10-day music festival packs a punch. From bringing in thousands of music industry professionals to give you the tips and tricks of the trade, to more than 800 showcasing bands performing in five nights and at more than 40 live venues, it’s no wonder it’s such a hit. The lineup of artists include rock band Zoobombs, R&B singer Charlotte Day Wilson, country band River Town Saints and more.
Find out how music and technology come together in this nine-day summer festival. North by Northeast is not only a music event, it also has visual art installations, comedy performances and film screenings as well. Last year, for the first time, NXNE had a live video game setup at Yonge Dundas Square on a big giant screen for festival-goers to play. Of course, there’s a whole lot of live music involved, at various venues in downtown Toronto, from clubs to parks to boats, and more. Past performances included indie artists like hip-hop Schoolboy Q and headliners like rock band Billy Talent, to name a few. This year’s event is held from June 16 to 25.
From Sarah McLachlan to Charles Lloyd, the biggest names in jazz have performed at this annual music festival. The Toronto Jazz Festival is one of North America’s top jazz events. This year’s fest runs from June 23 to July 2. Its main stage is located at Nathan Phillips Square, with around 50 other venues in Toronto. Choose from more than 400 performances and 2,000 musicians to witness jammin’ live. Hear the different styles of jazz, with influences from other genres - blues, funk, hip-hop, R&B, Latin - and get grooving.’
Digital Dreams is one of the largest electronic music festivals in Canada, taking place July 1to the 2 on the shoreline of Toronto at Ontario Place. Imagine a large crowd of ages 16+, decked out in festival attire, jumping up and down to electric beats, and surrounded by neon lights. Past lineups have included a series of Canadian and international artists like German Cosmic Gate, Torontonian Greg Gow, Montrealer Tiga and Dutch Chocolate Puma, to name a few. There are also entertaining activities you can partake in between sets, like inflatable dual combat and bubble wrestling.
Another of Canada’s hottest electronic dance music festivals, Veld is returning for its 6th year at Downsview Park August 5 and 6. It brings in more than 30 of the best international EDM artists who perform across a few open-air stages. Known for bringing in renowned headliners, Veld has featured performances by stars like deadmau5, Calvin Harris and Armin van Buuren, and rappers A$AP Rocky and Iggy Azalea.
If you’re a Drake fan, then you’d probably argue that the OVO Fest is the best Toronto music festival of all time. This three-day concert series usually takes place during Civic Holiday long weekend in August. Drake invites some of his friends and favourite hip-hop artists to perform on stage with him. Past lineups included Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, Rihanna, Kanye West and Jay Z. There’s also the OVO Bounce, Drake’s annual basketball tournament, that kicks off the festival.
Pack your camping gear for a three-day musical getaway to Toronto Island’s Artscape Gibraltar Point in late August. Camp Wavelength is a chill, creative festival and a hit within Toronto’s indie music community. Soak up the sun during the day at the beach, then hit the concert scene, which features performances by indie-rock, hip-hop, electronic and folk musicians. There’s also non-musical related acts and activities you can enjoy throughout the day. End your night with friends around a campfire, roasting marshmallows and making s’mores.
