10 music festivals coming to Toronto in 2024
Toronto’s music festival history is pretty storied — as legend goes, after John Lennon played here, he decided to break up the Beatles. Another year means another chance to add to that history with some old favourites and some surprising new additions.
There are plenty of options for music festivals in Toronto, not only mixing genres but brushing shoulders with art, food, beer, and more.
Here are some music festivals coming to Toronto in 2024.
VELD
While the lineup hasn’t been announced yet, the 11th edition of the Downsview Park electronic music festival will take place when it always does — the August long weekend. A limited number of pre-sale tickets were already sold back in the summer.
Toronto Beer Festival
The Toronto Beer Festival will slosh and swish around Bandshell Park at the Exhibition Place once again from July 26 to 28. While a beer festival may not seem like the most ideal place for live music at first glance, last year’s appearances on the Bandshell Stage included Ice Cube, Big Boi, Third Eye Blind, and T-Pain.
Canadian Music Week
The 42nd Canadian Music Week, which is both a festival and an industry conference, will total hundreds of performances — both in-person and virtual — from June 2 to 8.
NXNE
From June 12 to 16, over 20 of Toronto’s live music venues will play host to NXNE performances from hundreds of bands. There’s no lineup quite yet — applications aren’t due until January 10 — but a festival pass costs a mere $29 bucks, the same as it ever was since the festival’s 1995 founding.
TD Toronto Jazz Festival
The 37th edition of the 10-day free festival is taking place from June 21 to 30. The majority of the concerts will be free, although there are a few ticketed ones, three of which have been announced. Despite its name, it’s not all jazz shows — last year’s lineup included Ashanti, Jully Black, and Haviah Mighty.
Beaches Jazz Festival
The Beaches Jazz Festival runs from July 4 to 28. While this is another where we don’t have the lineup yet, this fest is comprised of several smaller but equally intriguing fests that give us a hint at what’s to come. Like the other Toronto jazz festival, the name is misleading — this fest promises shows from all genres.
There are Sounds of Leslieville & Riverside, Salsa on the Beach, and both the TD and OLG Weekend Series. Meanwhile, the Queen Street E food festival from July 25 to 27 will feature bands playing from 7 pm to 11 pm each night.
Luminato
The free, two-week Luminato festival returns to Toronto June 6 to 16. While it may not be seen as a music festival, it’s actually multidisciplinary. Founded in 2007, the festival celebrates all sorts of art, including music.
In the past, Luminato has hosted the likes of Rufus Wainwright, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and even the world premiere of David Byrne’s musical documentary Contemporary Color. Stay posted to see who performs this year.
Caribana
The massively popular Toronto festival officially kicks off with a tentative July 16 grand opening at Nathan Phillips Square, but there’s also plenty of live music promised for the August long weekend. One part of that is Carnivale, which will have its lineup revealed in the spring. Last year’s artists included Rick Ross, Polo G, Jadakiss, and Styles P.
Mixto Festival
Mixto takes place on July 13 and 14 at Lynx Music.in Toronto’s west side. The first Mixto block party was in 2019 produced by Uma Nota Culture, the team that also puts on the Geary Art Crawl.
Prepare the Ground
A brand-new festival is coming to Toronto from May 31 to June 2. Prepare the Ground is described as a “community-focused arts and heavy music festival.” Over 60 acts will play at venues like the Phoenix Theatre, Lee’s Palace, the Garrison, the Baby G, and Bar Orwell across three days.
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