The 26th annual Hillside Festival (July 23 to 25, Guelph Lake Conservation Area) has another strong lineup this year, spanning everything from country to hip-hop to indie rock. Highlights include Los Lobos, the Acorn, Hidden Cameras, Stars, Shad, Sarah Harmer and more. $49-$99 via ticketpro.ca. Check hillsidefestival.ca for complete schedule and more information.
So you like the idea of going camping at a music festival, but your tastes run more to screaming feedback than gentle acoustic strumming? Then you want to head to the Electric Eclectics Sound Art And Media Festival (July 30 to August 1, Funny Farm, Meaford) for a weekend of experimental music and art installations. Headliners include Health, AIDS Wolf, DD/MM/YYYY and lots more weirdo rock bands. $35-$65. electric-eclectics.com.
We’re not completely sure how indie rockers Metric, metal legends Iron Maiden or grunge veterans Hole qualify as blues, but the Ottawa Bluesfest (July 6 to 18, LeBreton Flats Park) clearly isn’t too concerned with such distinctions. Other huge names include Arcade Fire, the B-52s, Joan Jett, the Flaming Lips, Santana and many more. $40-$525. ottawabluesfest.ca.
The Mariposa Folk Festival (July 9 to 11, Tudhope Park, Orillia) is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and you don’t last that long unless you’re doing something right. This year they’ve got most of the biggest names in Canadian folk music, including Gordon Lightfoot, Ian Tyson, Sylvia Tyson, Murray McLauchlan, Serena Ryder and more. $49-$109. mariposafolk.com.
