What to know
- The CNE Bandshell at Toronto’s Exhibition Place turns 90 this year, nine decades after the outdoor venue first opened in 1936.
- The 10,000-capacity venue, now known as the Bell Soundstage at the Bandshell, has hosted music legends including Louis Armstrong, Johnny Cash, Joni Mitchell, Simon & Garfunkel, Quincy Jones and Count Basie.
- This year’s lineup runs from Aug. 21 to Sept. 6 and includes Lupe Fiasco, Shaggy, Lights, Glass Tiger, Bif Naked, JoJo, Matthew Good, Charlotte Day Wilson, Finger Eleven, Silverstein and Tom Cochrane.
- Concerts are included with general CNE admission, while a paid Front Row VIP add-on offers reserved viewing, lounge access, a dedicated bar and a complimentary drink.
- The 147th CNE runs from Aug. 21 through Sept. 7 at Exhibition Place.
The 147th annual CNE, which opens Friday, Aug. 21, and runs through Sept. 7, has hosted hundreds of top Canadian and international performers on its outdoor stage. As always, the shows are free with CNE admission.
The line-up this year includes everyone from Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees Glass Tiger and Tom Cochrane to Grammy winners Shaggy and Lupe Fiasco.
They’ll join a long list of performers who have appeared at the Bandshell since it opened in 1936, among them Louis Armstrong, Johnny Cash, Bob Hope, Simon & Garfunkel, Glen Campbell, Quincy Jones, Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Joni Mitchell.
Now known as the Bell Soundstage at the Bandshell, the 10,000-capacity venue remains one of the CNE’s biggest draws. And while this year’s lineup includes international talent, it is notably Canadian-heavy.
In addition to Cochrane and Glass Tiger are Canadians Lights, Virginia to Vegas, Bif Naked with Bran Van 3000, The Trews, Matthew Good and His Band, Dallas Smith, Charlotte Day Wilson, Finger Eleven, and Silverstein.
With shows every night except the final one, it kicks off with Lupe Fiasco on Aug. 21. The Chicago rapper emerged in the mid-2000s with Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor, an album that established him as an artist interested in politics, social issues and storytelling as much as traditional hip-hop bravado. His song “Daydreamin’,” featuring Jill Scott, won the 2008 Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative Performance.
B.C.-based electro-pop musician Lights, whose latest album is 2025’s A6, follows Aug. 22, before Jamaican-American dancehall and reggae artist Shaggy takes the stage Aug. 23. His 1995 album Boombastic won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album, while 2000’s Hot Shot became a global smash, thanks to hits “It Wasn’t Me” and “Angel.”
American-born, Guelph-raised musician Virginia to Vegas, known for such songs as “We Are Stars” and “Lights Out,” performs Aug. 24, followed by Glass Tiger on Aug. 25. The Newmarket, Ont., band arrived in the mid-1980s with The Thin Red Line, which became one of the most successful Canadian debut albums of its era. “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” and “Someday” became international hits.
Aug. 26 brings together Winnipeg-raised, Toronto-based Bif Naked, whose documentary came out last year, and Montreal’s Bran Van 3000, whose single “Drinking in L.A.” was a breakout hit in 1997 and their debut album, Glee, won the Juno Award for Best Alternative Album.
Ontario rockers The Trews play Aug. 27, followed by a yet-to-be-announced act on Aug. 28.
American pop/R&B singer JoJo takes the stage Aug. 29. She was just 13 when “Leave (Get Out)” made her the youngest solo artist at the time to top Billboard’s U.S. Pop Songs chart. Her 2004 debut album went platinum.
Vancouver rock singer Matthew Good and His Band perform Aug. 30. He has won four Juno Awards from more than 20 nominations.
Award-winning country artist Dallas Smith headlines Aug. 31, with a co-headliner yet to be announced. Smith began his career as the frontman of rock band Default before making a successful transition into country music. He is a three-time consecutive CCMA Entertainer of the Year.
Toronto’s Charlotte Day Wilson performs Sept. 1. An R&B singer, songwriter and producer, Wilson has been nominated for multiple Juno Awards.
Long-running rock band Finger Eleven follows Sept. 2. The Burlington, Ont., band broke through with “One Thing” before reaching a much larger audience with the 2007 hit “Paralyzer.” Their latest album is 2025’s Last Night on Earth.
Hamilton-formed post-hardcore band Silverstein plays Sept. 3, followed the next night by Raf-Saperra, the London-born Punjabi artist whose music draws on traditional Punjabi folk and storytelling while incorporating hip-hop, bhangra and contemporary British influences.
Tom Cochrane takes the stage Sept. 5. As the frontman of Red Rider and later as a solo artist, Cochrane has spent more than four decades in Canadian rock, with songs including “Lunatic Fringe” and “Life Is a Highway” becoming part of the country’s musical vocabulary.
The final concert night, Sept. 6, is Dr. Jay’s Soca Night, featuring four Caribbean acts: Barbadian artists Alison Hinds, Edwin Yearwood and DJ Puffy, and Guyanese singer Rupee. Hinds, widely known as the Queen of Soca, has spent decades bringing the music of Barbados to international audiences.
For those wanting more than a general-admission view, the CNE is offering a Front Row VIP add-on with reserved seating in a front-of-stage area, access to a VIP lounge, a dedicated bar and a complimentary drink.
