Some of the best summers that you can recall are probably characterized by outdoor fun with friends – does anything really beat live shows and music in the summer sun? With the official start to summer now just days away, our friends at Aveleda Wines have offered a little insight as to which Canadian festivals are not to miss – whether they take place in your city or a city near you (road trip time!) this summer. Here are three festivals that will make summer 2013 one to remember.
Digital Dreams Music Festival: Toronto (June 30th – July 1st)
For all electronic music lovers, hitting Digital Dreams Music Festival on Canada Day weekend is worth missing a quintessential Canadian weekend up north for. Electronic Nation Canada ‘s Digital Dreams Music Festival Powered by Rogers takes place throughout Canada Day long weekend on June 30th and July 1st from noon to midnight daily, taking place at The Flats at M.C.A.- Ontario Place and occupying four stages. In addition to featuring some of the hottest acts on the digital scene, the festival also has daily beach parties that run from 12pm to 6pm to ensure you don’t miss out on that Canada Day party experience.
Honda Celebration of Light: Vancouver (July 27th, 31st and August 3rd)
If you live in or are travelling to Vancouver this summer, the Honda Celebration of Light is not to miss. Turning the sky into a pyrotechnic work of art, The Celebration of Light is not only Vancouver’s biggest event, but it’s also the largest offshore fireworks competition in the world. Attracting up to 400,000 spectators along English Bay each evening, 2013 marks the 23rd consecutive year of the event. Owned by the Not For Profit Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society, the event contributes in excess of $39 million in incremental tourism and hospitality spending each year. This year sees the United Kingdom (July 27th), Canada (July 31st) and Thailand (August 3rd) vying for the title at the Honda Celebration of Light.
For a VIP firework experience, The Keg Lounge, located on the Bathhouse Roof in English Bay, offers a VIP summer experience for taking in the show. Featuring fan favourite hors d’oeuvres by The Keg, live music from some of Canada’s best talent, and a relaxed lounge atmosphere, The Keg lounge is the more refined way to treat yourself and your friends to the quintessential Vancouver firework experience. With panoramic views of English Bay and the fireworks, The Keg Lounge is where the in-the-know Vancouver YPs will take in the show. Tickets to The Keg Lounge include: parking, two complimentary welcome drinks, live entertainment, complimentary hors d’oeuvres, grill station and, of course, VIP seating/viewing. This 19+ area opens at 7pm, with entertainment beginning at 7:30pm. Get on this NOW; tickets are selling quickly.
Osheaga presented by Virgin Mobile: Montreal (August 2nd – 4th)
Join thousands of other young professional music lovers in Montreal for the largest music and arts festival of its kind in Canada. For those who haven’t been, Osheaga offers a world-class European-style event across its many outside venues sprawled across the grounds of Montreal’s Parc Jean-Drapeau on Île Sainte-Hélène, an island oasis of greenery set in the middle of the bustle of one of our favourite cities. Over several unforgettable days, more than 90 bands will take the stage across the city for the 8th year of the festival.
The festival aims to showcase emerging local and national artists as they share the stage with some of the industry’s biggest names. This year features acts like Mumford and Sons, Beck, The Cure, The Lumineers, Tegan and Sara, Pheonix, Vampire Weekend, Ellie Goulding and many more. Osheaga also has a strong visual arts segment as the festival and will continue to offer shows and exhibits in many venues across the city in the weeks prior to the event.
Located just off the island of Montreal, the centre of all the action feels removed from urban life with a mixture of rolling pasture and forested areas, flowerbeds and open-air artwork that was brought to the island for Montreal’s Expo ’67.
Make your road trip plans now; the festival takes place the first weekend of August.
Calgary Folk Music Festival: (July 25th – 28th)
Calgary’s Folk Music Festival brings soul to the city like no other event can – except for maybe the Stampede. The Festival is consistently celebrated for its diverse programming, and showcases both world-renowned acts and bands you’d find on a weeknight at the Palomino. Young professionals can look forward to big-name headliners during the evening after spending the day enjoying smaller concerts and partaking in various workshops. In addition to great music, Calgary’s Folk Festival boasts international food, a beer garden, craft vendors and a host of unpredictable installations that you’ll find out spontaneously the day of.
Cover Photo: Live Nation